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Chapter 48: Line in the Sand

last update Last Updated: 2025-06-26 14:57:28

The room was silent as Lena stared at the final line of the intercepted message:

“If Lena protects the girl, we go after her mother.”

The screen dimmed, but the words etched themselves into her mind like fire on glass.

Carson stood beside her, jaw clenched, arms crossed tightly against his chest. Ruth remained at the far end of the room, still holding the laptop, her posture stiff with rage.

“This isn’t sabotage anymore,” Lena said, her voice low and sharp. “This is a threat on a civilian’s life.”

“No,” Ruth snapped, slamming her laptop shut. “This is terrorism. And it’s being executed by two people who are losing control and trying to drag the world down with them.”

Carson turned to Miles. “What about Aisha’s mother?”

“She and her younger brother have been moved to a secure location,” Miles replied, placing a sealed folder on the desk. “Local police are cooperating. We’ve disguised it as a medical relocation to avoid media attention.”

Lena exhaled deeply, her fingers curling into fis
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