Page 29 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

The two men hurried past, speaking about the explosion and speculating whether it had been sabotage.

Once they had passed, Kyra followed Max and Yamanu to the northeastern building, with Dima and Anton guarding their rear. They were using the structures and vehicles on their way for cover, which slowed them down, but the longer they remained undetected, the better.

Her pendant continued to pulse warmly against her skin, seeming to confirm they were on the right track, but she no longer trusted it and remained hyper-vigilant.

As they neared their target, a pair of guards appeared unexpectedly around a corner, spotting them immediately.

There was no time for stealth, and as they reached for their weapons and opened their mouths to shout an alarm, she unsheathed her daggers, ready to throw them at her targets, but Anton and Dima reacted faster than anything Kyra had thought possible. Before the guards could utter a sound, the two Kra-ell closed the distance, their blades finding the guards' throats with synchronized precision.

She was still in a state of awe and shock as they dragged the bodies behind a utility shed.

After they returned, the entire team continued toward the bunker-like building, and Kyra felt thefamiliar combat calm settle over her—the hyper-focused state where everything slowed down and where every movement became deliberate and precise. Yet beneath that professional exterior, fear still churned, not for herself, but for her sister and the children.

What if they were too late?

What if the Doomers had already begun whatever procedures they had planned?

What if they had already sent her family to their vile island of depravity?

No time for that now. Focus on the mission.She cut off the spiral of dread.

At the rear entrance, two more guards stood watch. They were alert but not alarmed, still unaware of the intruders concealed in the shadows.

"They are human. I'll take them," Yamanu whispered.

He didn't seem to be doing anything, but the guards froze in place, their expressions going blank.

If anyone were to look at them from some distance, they would seem to be perfectly fine, doing their job and guarding the building. No one would suspect that they were under a powerful immortal's thrall.

"Inside," Yamanu commanded softly.

Max moved first, with Kyra close behind him. They entered the building, finding themselves in a dimly lit corridor with numbered doors running its length. The interior was sterile, institutional—morelike a medical facility than a prison, which made it more disturbing.

At the end of the corridor was a security station, but Yamanu took control of the guard's mind the same way he had done to the two outside.

"You don't leave any fun for us," Anton complained.

Kyra ignored him. "We need to check the monitors," she said as she scanned the displays for a sign of her family.

The security station provided views from cameras throughout the facility, but the images were black and white and grainy. "There!" She grabbed Max's arm, pointing at one screen.

Even though the image was blurry, it was easy to see that the cell contained several occupants—a woman sitting on a bench with five children of varying ages clustered around her.

"Room twelve," Max said, checking the monitor label. "Now, isn't that serendipitous?"

Fenella had been locked in cell number twelve, and now Kyra's sister and her sister's children were locked in a cell with the same number.

As they rushed down the corridor, Kyra's heart hammered in her chest, adrenaline and anticipation making her hyperaware of every sound, every shadow. Her pendant grew warmer with each step, confirming they were getting closer.

They encountered two more guards en route, dispatching them quickly and silently. The lack ofgeneral alarm suggested their infiltration remained undetected and that the compound's security forces were still focused on the distraction at the main gate.

When they reached the door marked Twelve, Max took position on one side, rifle angled low, while Kyra mirrored him on the other. Yamanu stood back, eyes fixed ahead, ready to thrall anyone inside who might raise the alarm.

Kyra gave a nod.

Max tried the handle, then shook his head. "It's locked. I need to breach it, but the charge won't be subtle. I need the people inside well clear of the blast zone, and I'm not sure they can hear us through the thick door."

"I'll handle it," Yamanu said. His voice had that distant edge he got when he was focusing. "Give me a second."

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