บททั้งหมดของ The Ties That Binds : บทที่ 71 - บทที่ 80

“Savannah don’t look down.” Jackson’s voice carried through the narrow metal walkway like a steady anchor, even though she could hear the tension buried beneath each word. She didn’t need to look down to feel the terrifying drop beneath the grated platform beneath her feet. The icy air rising from the lower levels of Sterling Tower’s underground server core scraped against her skin like invisible fingers. The red emergency lights flickered in uneven pulses, casting jagged shadows that made every step feel unstable, every movement tense with danger.She followed behind Jackson and Cole as the walkway shivered under their combined weight. Each footstep sent a low metallic groan through the shaft, echoing in a way that made Savannah’s spine tighten. She swallowed hard and whispered, “Are you sure this is the right way?” but Jackson didn’t turn. His eyes stayed forward, sharp and focused. “It’s the only way,” he replied. “The lockdown sealed every exit except this manual override tunnel.

“Move, Savannah!”Jackson’s voice cut through the shrill siren as the tower lights blazed red. Savannah sprinted after him and Cole, her breath sharp in her lungs, the metal walkway trembling beneath her feet as the emergency shutters began slamming down one by one. The entire building felt alive furious, shaking, reacting to a threat she couldn’t yet see.Cole grabbed the railing and swung himself around the corner. “Harrison must’ve realized we stopped the data dump. He’s activating the purge protocol!”Savannah’s heart hammered. “What’s that?!”“A full system wipe,” Cole shouted. “It’ll destroy every record including whatever evidence is on that drive!”And possibly kill them if they were still inside when the purge reached the server core.Jackson didn’t slow. He pushed open the service door, and cold air blasted them from the elevator shaft. “In. Now.”Savannah rushed in beside him. Her legs felt like fire. The elevator cage below was three floors down, blocked by an emergency ha

Savannah braced her hands against the cool metal railing as the elevator doors rattled shut behind them. For a moment, the dim emergency lights of the sub-level corridor cast deep shadows across the concrete walls, warping their shapes into something almost alive. Cole led the way, tension in every line of his shoulders, and Jackson walked beside her close enough for their arms to brush whenever the narrow corridor forced them together. The secrecy of this floor, buried beneath Sterling Tower, carried a weight that pressed against her ribs. This was where Harrison hid secrets. This was where the origins of the entire scheme lived. And this was where Cole insisted they had to go if they wanted the upper hand.“Keep your steps quiet,” Cole murmured without looking back. “This part of the building wasn’t designed for civilian access. If the wrong system picks up our movement, we’re done.”Savannah took a steady breath and matched his pace. Jackson slowed slightly, adjusting his stride to

Savannah didn’t look back. She couldn’t. The hallway behind them crackled with sparks, lights glitching violently as the tower’s compromised systems fought for control. Smoke crawled along the ceiling like a living thing, drifting toward them in thick gray ribbons. The air tasted metallic, electrically charged, as if the whole building was holding its breath.Jackson pulled her forward, his fingers tight around hers, guiding her through the dim corridor with instinctive precision. Cole followed behind them, coughing as the haze thickened. The building’s alarms blared in rising, chaotic patterns no longer rhythmic, no longer controlled. Whatever Harrison had activated was pushing the tower toward full meltdown.“Left!” Jackson barked, yanking Savannah before she could fully register the turn.She stumbled but recovered quickly, matching his pace. Her legs shook, not from fear alone but from exhaustion the physical and emotional kind that gnawed at bone. Hours had blurred into chaos. Fr

Savannah didn’t breathe until the elevator doors sealed shut behind them. The metallic thud echoed through the dim emergency shaft, vibrating through the cold steel walls. The tower around them hummed with warning sirens deep below, a sound that pulsed like a heartbeat a countdown they couldn’t outrun.Jackson stood in front of her, one arm braced against the elevator wall, the other still gripping her hand. His palm was warm despite everything they’d just survived. His knuckles were scraped, maybe bruised, but his hold didn’t falter.“Savannah,” he said, his voice low, rough, urgent. “Once we step out, there’s no going back.”“I know,” she whispered.“You’re sure?”She met his gaze. Even in the dim red emergency light, she saw the storm behind his eyes fury, fear, determination, and something deeper he never spoke aloud. Something she felt more than she understood.“Yes,” she said. “I’m with you.”The elevator shuddered as it descended. Sparks flashed in the exposed wiring overhead,