The faint buzz of the servers was drowned out by the distant sound of boots—dozens of them—echoing down the metallic hallway. Marcus crouched by the door to the server room, his gun drawn, his sharp gaze fixed on the corridor beyond.

Theo stood behind him, gripping the edge of the desk tightly. His pulse thundered in his ears as he stared at Marcus, who exuded an unsettling calm despite the imminent threat.

“They’re coming,” Rebecca’s voice crackled through the earpiece. “At least a dozen, maybe more. Armed to the teeth.”

“Great,” Theo muttered under his breath. “Any other good news?”

“I managed to upload the virus,” Rebecca replied. “But it’ll take a few minutes to fully purge Orion from their system. You just need to hold them off until then.”

Marcus’s lips pressed into a thin line. “A few minutes might as well be a lifetime right now.”

He glanced back at Theo, his tone firm. “Stay behind me. If they breach the door, you get down and stay out of sight. Do not engage.”

Theo scoffed, trying to mask the fear clawing at his chest. “As if I was planning on joining the fight.”

Marcus’s eyes softened slightly, his voice lowering. “You’ll be fine, Montgomery. Just stick with me.”

Theo met his gaze, something unspoken passing between them. For a moment, the chaos of the situation melted away, replaced by a fragile trust that had been forged in fire.

The sound of boots grew louder.

“Here they come,” Marcus muttered, tightening his grip on the gun.

The door to the server room burst open with a deafening crash, splinters of metal and wood flying inward. The first guard through didn’t stand a chance—Marcus fired two precise shots, dropping him instantly.

“Down!” Marcus barked, shoving Theo behind the desk as more guards poured into the room.

Theo scrambled into cover, his heart pounding as gunfire erupted around him. He peeked over the edge of the desk, watching as Marcus moved like a machine—calculated, efficient, deadly.

Each shot was deliberate, each movement controlled. Marcus ducked behind a server rack, firing over his shoulder to take out another guard.

“Montgomery!” Marcus called, his voice cutting through the chaos. “Stay low!”

“I’m trying!” Theo shouted back, flattening himself against the floor.

One of the guards moved toward Theo’s position, his rifle aimed squarely at him. Theo froze, his mind racing.

Before the guard could fire, Marcus appeared like a shadow, slamming the man into the wall with a bone-crunching thud. He disarmed him in one swift motion and knocked him unconscious with the butt of his gun.

“You okay?” Marcus asked, his voice tight as he crouched next to Theo.

“Define ‘okay,’” Theo replied breathlessly.

Marcus smirked faintly, his hand brushing Theo’s shoulder in a fleeting, grounding touch. “Hang in there.”

More guards swarmed into the room, forcing Marcus to retreat further into the server racks. Gunfire ricocheted off the metal walls, sparks flying in every direction.

Rebecca’s voice crackled through the earpiece. “The virus is 70% uploaded. Almost there!”

“Almost isn’t good enough!” Marcus snapped, firing at another guard.

Theo peeked over the edge of the desk, adrenaline surging as he spotted one of the guards flanking Marcus’s position. Without thinking, Theo grabbed a heavy server tool from the desk and hurled it at the guard’s head.

The tool struck its mark, sending the man stumbling into a rack.

Marcus glanced back at Theo, his eyes narrowing. “What part of ‘don’t engage’ didn’t you understand?”

Theo smirked, his chest heaving. “The part where I let them kill you.”

Marcus’s lips twitched, the faintest ghost of a smile, before he turned back to the fight.

As the gunfire died down, Marcus moved to Theo’s side, crouching beside him behind the desk. For a moment, the tension in the air seemed to hold its breath.

“You’re not exactly following orders,” Marcus said quietly, his tone somewhere between amused and exasperated.

Theo’s smirk faded, replaced by something softer. “I’m not used to taking orders.”

Marcus studied him, his sharp eyes softening as they met Theo’s. Despite the chaos surrounding them, there was an undeniable pull between them, a fragile connection that had grown stronger with every shared moment.

“You’re reckless,” Marcus murmured.

“And you’re impossible,” Theo shot back, his voice barely above a whisper.

Marcus leaned in slightly, his gaze flicking to Theo’s lips for the briefest second. The air between them crackled, charged with unspoken tension.

Theo’s breath hitched. “This... probably isn’t the best time.”

Marcus smirked faintly. “Probably not.”

The sound of boots in the hallway snapped them back to reality.

Marcus straightened, his expression hardening. “Stay here. I’ll finish this.”

Theo watched him go, his chest tight with emotions he didn’t have time to untangle.

The last wave of guards stormed into the room, but Marcus was ready. He moved like a predator, his every shot precise and devastating. Theo stayed low, watching as Marcus single-handedly turned the tide of the fight.

Finally, the room fell silent, the last guard crumpling to the floor.

Rebecca’s voice came through the earpiece, triumphant. “Virus uploaded! Orion has been wiped!”

Marcus exhaled slowly, lowering his gun. He turned to Theo, who stood shakily, his hands braced against the desk.

“It’s done,” Marcus said.

Theo met his gaze, a weary smile breaking across his face. “We actually pulled it off.”

Marcus stepped closer, his intense gaze locking onto Theo’s. “We’re not out yet. Let’s move.”

Theo nodded, his trust in Marcus absolute. Together, they stepped over the unconscious guards, heading for the exit.

And though the battle was won, Theo couldn’t shake the feeling that their war was far from over.