ログインAmber POVJasmine, Noah, and Daniel were running through the forest, and honestly, I wasn't entirely convinced Jasmine understood that we were in danger.Because all I could hear through the comms was laughter.Actual laughter."Jasmine, could you please take this seriously for five minutes?"Her laugh echoed through my headset."I am taking it seriously.""You're laughing.""Running through the jungle while shooting people with paint bullets is fun, Amber."Noah sighed on the other end of the line."Please ignore her.""I heard that!"Daniel's voice cut through the argument."Can we focus on not dying?"I smiled despite myself and turned back to the screens.The satellite feed showed dozens of heat signatures scattered across the island. Team Two was moving south, Team Four had stopped near a river, and several foreign teams were converging near the eastern side of the island.Then something caught my attention.A command center.Hidden at the foot of a hill, partially concealed by t
Jason POVMost countries had misunderstood the purpose of the command centers.Or perhaps they simply weren't using them correctly.Each country had four command centers.Four guides.Four teams.Leaving three of those command centers empty would have been a complete waste of resources.Which was why Sum had done the opposite.Each guide had claimed one command center.The medics remained behind to coordinate logistics and monitor supplies.The guides, meanwhile, had gone into the field.I looked down at the enhanced tablet in my hands.Connected to the command center's database, it displayed a holographic image of the entire island floating above my desk.Tiny blue lights represented my teammates.I had secretly hidden trackers inside every backpack before we left River City.Not because I didn't trust my team.But because there were people waiting for us at home.People who expected us to come back alive.Marcus walked into the room carrying a map."Team Two reached their checkpoint
Amber POVAlexander Vincent had disappeared.Again.I stared at the satellite feed, zooming in and out of Starlight's territory for what had to be the tenth time in the last hour.His team members were there.Three heat signatures.Three backpacks.Three people moving through the jungle.But Alexander himself was nowhere to be found."That's impossible."One of the guards looked up from the cave entrance."What is?"I pointed at the screen."Unless the man suddenly learned how to teleport, he should be somewhere on this island."The soldier approached the monitors."Could he be underground?"I shook my head."No. But I'm starting to think that our computers aren't the same as everyone else's."That thought had been bothering me for hours.Team Three was currently lying in wait in the middle of an open clearing, pretending to guard their flag in the hope of attracting another team.The problem was that no one had shown up.Not a single person.Not even scouts.And Team Three wasn't exa
Amber POVThe first thing I did after entering the cave was claim a corner and declare it my office.Daniel called it "the queen's command station."Jasmine called it "the nerd cave."Noah simply dragged three extra chairs and a table toward me without saying a word.An hour later, cables covered half the room, three screens displayed satellite images, and my phone was connected to enough military equipment to make several governments uncomfortable.I leaned back in my chair and studied our surroundings.Compared to the other command centers we had seen on the satellite feed, ours was almost impossible to reach.No roads.No clear paths.A mountain on one side and a cliff on the other.Honestly, from a strategic point of view, it was probably the safest location on the island.Of course, the safest option would have been staying home with my children and refusing to participate in an international military competition while pregnant with twins.But apparently, nobody wanted to hear th
Amber POVEight hours.Eight entire hours and seven short breaks later, the four River City teams finally reached the point where their paths separated.A massive crossroads stood in the middle of the jungle, with four different trails leading toward the command centers assigned to each team.The moment we stopped, the exhaustion hit everyone at once.One of the team leaders unfolded his map."Team One goes north.""Team Two, east.""Team Four, southwest."I looked down at my own route and immediately regretted every decision that had led me there.Daniel leaned over my shoulder."Please tell me that's a mistake."Unfortunately, it wasn't.Our command center was hidden inside a cave carved into the side of the mountains.Jasmine looked up toward the rocky cliffs towering above us."Who designed this? A psychopath?"Noah took the map from my hands."No, a military strategist.""Same thing," Daniel muttered.Emory walked over and looked at our route."Oh, you guys definitely got the wor
Amber POVI was still glaring at the map, trying to calculate how many kilometers of jungle stood between me and the command center, when someone suddenly grabbed my waist.Before I could react, Jason kissed me.Hard.The entire world disappeared for a few seconds.Then, just as quickly as he had appeared, he let go and sprinted away.It took my brain a solid three seconds to process what had just happened."Did—""Did he just—""Was that allowed?"The soldiers from Sum and River City exploded into whistles and cheers."GO, JASON!""THAT'S OUR GUIDE!""SHE'S GOING TO KILL HIM LATER!"I stood there, completely frozen.Then reality returned."Oh, he's dead."Jasmine burst out laughing.Daniel nearly dropped his backpack.Noah, somehow, looked disappointed."I thought she'd punch him.""I was considering it," I admitted.Jasmine immediately stepped to my left, while Noah moved to my right and Daniel positioned himself behind me.Without saying a word, they placed me in the middle of thei
It did not take long for Victoria to fabricate a lie, but the explosion didn’t come from the board.It came from a live broadcast.Victoria stood behind a polished podium, composed as ever. Cameras flashed. Reporters leaned forward.“I did not intend to involve myself publicly,” she began, voice s
They called her in. No delay. No warning. The door opened ten minutes later. Amelie walked in looking immaculate — refreshed, polished, perfectly styled. Not a trace of nerves in her posture. At least not until her eyes landed on me. For a fraction of a second, the color drained from her face
I didn’t cry. I didn’t shake. I didn’t look back, or mourned the life and the years i will never get back, lost forever. I just went home, time to pack and say goodbye to my old life. The penthouse doors opened with biometric recognition the moment I stepped inside. Floor-to-ceiling glass. Marb
We moved quickly through the hallway. Adrian walked behind me, gun raised, covering the corridor while I forced Henry Watson forward. The mansion was quieter than expected. Too quiet. Which meant either the guards were regrouping… or Jason was already on his way. I glanced over my shoulder.







