Just then, a row of metal spikes glinted across the road ahead. Rowan''s hands tightened on the wheel; he mmed the brakes hard. The tires shrieked, and the car jerked to a stop-mere inches from disaster.


    Calliope''s hand shot to the pistol at her side. Her eyes were cold as steel as she stared into the darkness up ahead.


    "Damn it!" she cursed under her breath. "Trust Uriah to not bother with backup when he knows we''re driving into trouble."


    Her mouth tightened as she scanned the treeline. “We''re in ck Spider''s territory now," she muttered. “I can''t believe I almost forgot that idiot runs this stretch."


    "ck Spider? That outfit that sprang up a few years back?" Rowan asked, frowning. Through the windshield, he watched armed figures melt out of the jungle— more than a dozen. Some wielded rifles, one hefted a rocketuncher onto his shoulder.


    "That''s them," Calliope replied, her annoyance obvious. "I warned that thick-skulled fool to knock this off, but he still hasn''t learned his lesson."


    At that, the ambushers opened fire.


    The barrage smacked into the SUV, bullets thumping against reinforced metal. Calliope and her team kept their positions, waiting. Soon enough, someone yanked a door open-and just like that, chaos erupted.


    Gunfire, shouts, the sharp crack of skull against metal. Calliope''s thoughts raced, but all she could focus on was Mavis waiting for her. Every minute lost could be fatal —there was no time for negotiation. She knew ck Spider personally, but exnations took too long. They needed to punch through now.


    She barked orders at Rowan and the rest. As the others fired back and swept the obstacles aside, Calliope swung into the driver''s seat. The moment the road was clear, she floored it, shooting past the spike strip and barreling down the road. Rowan and the team watched her speed away, relief flickering on their faces before they turned their full attention back to the firefight raging around them.


    "Are you sure this is the right road?" Damien asked, stealing a nce at Nigel as they rattled along in an SUV of their own. He tried to appear calm, but the tension in his jaw betrayed his anxiety.


    From the moment they''d crossed into Stormgard, danger seemed to thicken the air. Calliope was out here with only a skeleton crew, a handful of guns at best certainly not enough to feel safe in this godforsaken ce. He couldn''t stop himself from worrying that she was in over her head.


    Nigel shrugged, nonchnt behind the wheel. "If you don''t trust my directions, feel free to get out and walk," he drawled. "But if you don''t trust me, you should at least trust Calliope. She knows what she''s doing-and she''s got some real tough guys with her. Unless something''s gone seriously


    sideways, I''d bet she''s already


    closing in on Uriah."


    "I''ll stick with you," Damien replied. Right now, following Nigel was his only real option. He nced down at his phone, frustration simmering. He still couldn''t reach


    Ss Mr. Myers had been radio silent all day, and that gnawed at him.


    Suddenly, Nigel shot him a sideways look. "You know, I could make you a hell of an offer. High sry, good benefits, actually being able to call your boss when you need him He smirked. You''re clearly wasted Wa Myers. Why note work for me?"


    Damien arched a brow at him but didn''t bother hiding his skepticism. "Nice try. I


    work for Mr. Myers—and you''re a littlete to start poaching."


    Nigel grinned, undeterred. "What''s got you so loyal? Does he pay you that much?”


    Damien nodded. "The money''s good, sure. But honestly-Myers looks after his people. None of us would ever turn our backs on him."