Page 67 of Taken

“Creed’s mobilizing full tactical response, including shifted aerial units. They’re attacking Craven Tower to retrieve the witch and the Heartstone. He’s authorized full visibility—dragons in broad daylight.”

“That’s… impossible.” Viktor’s voice turns hollow. “They can’t seriously be considering—”

“Not considering. Doing. Fourteen minutes until first breach.”

A sharp curse in a language dead for centuries. “This changes everything.”

“The complete exposure we feared,” I confirm, glancing toward the street, ensuring I’m still alone. “They’re framing it as inevitable, claiming they’ve planned for this. They’re delusional, Viktor. They have no idea what they’re unleashing.”

“Our entire strategy…” He trails off, and I can picture him calculating, recalibrating years of careful positioning. “What’s your assessment of probable outcomes?”

“Total fuck up, to use the technical term. Panic. Potential civilian casualties, though they claim they’ll minimize.” I rub my jaw, stubble rasping against calloused fingers. “Best case? Mass hysteria, conspiracy theories, denial from authorities, debate over ‘special effects.’ Worst case? Full acknowledgmentof our existence without any of the safeguards we’ve spent years preparing.”

“And the witch? Lila Ross?”

“Still at the facility. Security lockdown in full effect; they’re monitoring her closely. No chance of extraction while the assault’s underway.”

Silence stretches for three heartbeats.

“Priorities have shifted,” Viktor says finally. “If dragons go public today, everything changes. Extraction of the Ross witch is secondary now. Primary objective is containment of the situation.”

Ice slides through my veins. “We can’t abandon her.”

“Not abandoning. Postponing.” Viktor’s voice softens slightly, a rare concession from a dragon centuries old. “Get through today. Monitor the assault. Report developments. We’ll reassess extraction once we know what we’re dealing with.”

Logic. Cold, rational calculus. Exactly what I’d have advocated before meeting Lila. Before feeling her skin beneath my fingers, tasting her mouth, witnessing her strength.

“Understood,” I lie.

“Be careful, Talon.” Genuine concern colors Viktor’s voice. “If this goes sideways—”

“I know.” Everything changes. Everything we’ve worked for—the careful balance, the secrecy, the Aurora Collective’s vision for peaceful coexistence—all gone in an instant.

“Aurora actual out.”

I slip the comms unit back into my vest and return to the command vehicle, mind racing with contingencies. The first assault team will breach in eleven minutes. Eleven minutes until dragons potentially reveal themselves to the world.

Eleven minutes to find another way.

The surveillance feeds show security moving around Craven Industries’ main entrance. Nothing frantic, nothing thatsuggests they’re aware of the coming storm. Either they don’t know, or they’re very good at hiding it.

I activate the thermal imaging on the drones, scanning the building’s interior through the glass façade. Heat signatures cluster on several floors—most concentrated in the lobby, upper executive level, and… there. Beneath the building. Multiple signatures in what should be empty basement levels.

I zoom in, enhancing the feed. The basement level shows several figures surrounding something that doesn’t register properly on thermal, a cold spot where heat should be. An artifact, perhaps.

The Heartstone.

I send the coordinates to the tactical team, knowing I should hope they reach it first. Knowing I should want Syndicate success over Circle victory.

Instead, I hope they both fail. That Elena somehow escapes both sets of monsters that hunt her.

Eight minutes.

The assault teams report ready positions. Transport vehicles strategically placed. Aerial teams in holding patterns outside visual range of the target.

Five minutes.

I track thermal signatures throughout the building. Normal patterns of movement on most floors. Business as usual for the humans who have no idea their world is about to change forever.

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