Felix fired back, hitting the first guard through the doorway. "We need to move!


    Jax was already on it, tossing a smoke grenade into the hallway. It erupted in a thick, choking fog, obscuring the attackers'' vision. "Go!"


    Ethan grabbed the nearest data drive, stuffing it into his jacket. They couldn’t leave empty-handed.


    The Veil Mark was activating.


    A presence slithered into his mind, something foreign yet familiar. His pulse hammered as electricity crackled through his fingertips.


    Then—


    The lights flickered wildly. Every electronic device in the room surged, overloaded, and burst. The power cut out, plunging the entire facility into darkness.


    "What the hell was that?"


    Felix coughed through the smoke. "Not normal. Definitely not normal."


    Lila reached for Ethan, steadying him. "Your mark—it’s getting stronger. But we don’t have time to figure it out now."


    Ethan stared at his hands, his breath shaky.


    "This way!" Jax led them through the door, slipping past the disoriented guards.


    They sprinted down the corridor, weaving between crates and abandoned equipment.


    Then—


    A figure stepped into their path. Tall. Unshaken. And smiling.


    Dorian Kane.


    His black tactical suit was pristine, not a hair out of place.


    "Ethan Harper," Dorian said smoothly, eyes gleaming in the dim light. "I was beginning to wonder when you’d embrace what you are."


    Ethan clenched his fists. "What did you do to me?"


    "Me?" Dorian chuckled. "Oh, Ethan. You were always meant to carry the Veil Mark. You just needed a push. And judging by what you just did... I’d say it worked."


    Ethan felt his heartbeat slam against his ribs. "You planned this."


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Dorian tilted his head. "Not entirely. I merely set the stage. You''re the one who set it ablaze."


    Felix raised his gun. "We’re not here to play mind games."


    Dorian’s expression didn’t falter. "Oh, but you are. That’s all this ever was."


    The words slithered into Ethan’s mind, twisting like a vice around his thoughts.


    Jax whispered, "We need to move. Now."


    Vance stepped forward, gripping his knife. "We don’t run. We fight."


    Maya scanned the area. "We need an opening.


    Lila pulled out a compact EMP device. "This should knock out their tech for a few seconds. Buy us time."


    "Do it," Felix said.


    Lila activated the device. A pulse radiated outward, sending a ripple through the air.


    Then—


    The entire facility shook. A deep, guttural noise vibrated through the walls, like a frequency too low for human ears.


    Maya gasped. "What is that?"


    Dorian’s smile faltered for the first time. His men looked equally confused.


    Ethan’s mark burned hotter. The energy coiled inside him, raw and untamed. His breath came in ragged bursts as the feeling intensified.


    The Veil opened.


    A shockwave of energy exploded from Ethan. The lights shattered. The walls cracked. A pulse of unseen force slammed into Dorian’s men, sending them flying. Even Dorian staggered back, his confident expression twisting into something unreadable.


    Ethan collapsed to one knee, gasping for air. The power had torn through him like wildfire, leaving him scorched but not broken. He lifted his head.


    Dorian was laughing.


    "Oh, Ethan," he breathed, his eyes alight with something dangerous. "Now we’re getting somewhere."


    Jax yanked Ethan up. "We have to go!"


    Lila and Felix covered their retreat, laying down suppressing fire as they ran. Vance took the rear, his knife flashing as he disabled one final guard.


    Ethan didn’t hesitate this time. They ran, leaving Dorian in the wreckage of what once was his stronghold.