<h4>Chapter 67: The Price of Love</h4>


    The scream tore through the hallway like a jagged de, shattering the tense silence and slicing through Cambria’s focus.


    Her body froze mid-stride as the desperate cry of her son echoed sharply through them in her ear. It was a sound that twisted her insides and turned her blood to ice.


    "Cam?" Maddox’s voice came urgently beside her, catching her sudden halt.


    She didn’t answer. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes darted wildly, searching for the source of that terrible sound.


    "Cambria," Maddox pressed again, his tone tighter now,ced with fear. "What is it?"


    Her hands trembled as she yanked the earpiece free, ripping it from her ear as if to silence the nightmare.


    "They’re inside," she whispered, voice breaking.


    Maddox cursed under his breath and activated his ownm. Julian’s voice came through, clipped and breathless, the panic unmistakable.


    "We’ve lost sight of the safe house. Evelyn was never ounted for. Cambria, she "


    But Cambria was already running, the sting of dread fueling every step.


    Back at the safe house, Evelyn Stone moved like a shadow through the sterile corridors, heels clicking softly against the cold steel floor. Her calm was the mask of a predator closing in on her prey.


    The little boy blinked up at her, confusion knitting his tiny brows as he instinctively shrank back. He didn’t understand the strange woman approaching with a syringe gleaming like a threat in her gloved hand.


    "Shh," she whispered, voice honey-smooth yet edged with menace. "This won’t hurt. Not much."


    Before she could reach him, a sudden sh of movement startled her. A small hand grabbed the nearest shlight and swung it with surprising force, striking her wrist.


    She hissed in pain, the syringe slipping from her grasp and ttering to the floor.


    "You little "


    Footsteps thundered closer. The safe house door crashed open with violent force.


    Cambria burst in like a tempest, eyes zing with fury, weapon drawn and ready.


    "Step away from him!" Her voice cracked like a whip, fierce and protective.


    Evelyn rose slowly to her full height, a cruel smile curling her blood-red lips. "You always were dramatic, Cami."


    Cambria advanced, every step measured, her anger barely contained. "You always were a snake."


    Evelyn’s gaze flickered to the boy. "He doesn’t even know who you are. You’ve been gone his whole life. I’ve been far more present in his story than you ever were."


    "That ends now," Cambria growled, her voice trembling with rage. "Back away."


    The two women locked eyes, tension spiraling between them like a live wire.


    Then Evelyn did something unexpected. Sheughed a cold, bitter sound that echoed with menace and despair.


    "You think love is going to save you?" she whispered, voice heavy with dark truth. "Love is the currency we pay for our destruction."


    Cambria didn’t flinch. "Then consider this my price."


    She raised her gun ready to end the threat


    But Evelyn tossed something onto the floor at her feet.


    A phone.


    The screen red to life, showing a live video feed.


    Grayson ckwood, smiling with wicked satisfaction. Behind him, rows upon rows of children caged, drugged, hooked to machines.


    Cambria’s hands shook uncontrobly.


    "You didn’t think your son was the only leverage, did you?" Evelyn taunted. "You set out to save one. What will you do now, knowing there are hundreds?"


    Outside, the cityy wrapped in cold stillness, but inside the safe house, a fire ignited in Cambria’s chest a furious, desperate ze.


    Maddox entered silently, Julian close behind with weapons raised.


    But Cambria didn’t move. Her eyes were glued to the screen.


    Maddox’s face was drained of color. "What the hell is this?"


    Julian stepped forward, his expression darkening with grim recognition. "Project Genesis... it wasn’t about power. It was about children. Conditioning. Creating a legacy of loyal soldiers, politicians, CEOs bred, not born."


    Cambria stared down at her son, her breath catching in her throat. "We only found the tip of the iceberg."


    Julian turned toward Evelyn. "Where are they?"


    She smiled a slow, chilling curl of lips. "Ask Grayson. Or better yet... ask your friend in Parliament."


    Cambria raised the gun once more. "Tell me where they are."


    Evelyn’s smile deepened, colder than ice. "You kill me, the information dies. You let me go, and maybe... maybe you find them before it’s toote."


    Maddox stepped between them, firm and unyielding. "You don’t get to bargain anymore."


    "I’m not bargaining," Evelyn said calmly, her voice steady as death. "I’m making a point. You win this battle, Cambria, but the war will cost you more than you’re willing to pay."


    Julian whispered, eyes sharp. "She’s stalling."


    Suddenly, a deafening st shook the house.


    Windows exploded inward, shards flying like deadly rain.


    Smoke surged through the rooms.


    Evelyn vanished into the chaos.


    They moved fast, relocating immediately to a new safe house provided by Julian’s most loyal contacts.


    The Brooklyn warehouse loft was dark and sparsely quiet except for the steady breathing of the people inside.


    Cambria held her son close, mind racing with a single relentless question: What have we unleashed?


    Maddox approached her hourster, pressing a tablet into her hand.


    "Intercepted data," he said softly. "The locations match the video background. A rural facility... hidden beneath an old research center."


    She blinked away from exhaustion. "We have to go in."


    "You’re not going alone," he said.


    "I wasn’t asking permission."


    He stepped back, concern etched deep. "You’re nning to give yourself up."


    She looked away, voice low. "If it ends this... if it saves them... then yes."


    Maddox knelt beside her, taking her hand in his. "You asked me once if love was enough. It’s not. But you are. And I’m not letting you do this without a n."


    She met his gaze, fierce and unwavering. "You’re still willing to follow me?"


    He squeezed her hand gently. "To the end."


    She squeezed back. "Then let’s end it."


    Deep underground in ckwood’s newmand center, Evelyn Stone stood by his side, her arm in a sling, a bruised lip twisted in a cruel smile.


    "She’sing," she said quietly.


    ckwood nodded slowly. "Let her. The Queen will walk into her own checkmate. And this time, I won’t just take her crown."


    He turned toward the ss chamber.


    Inside, a teenage boy opened his eyes.


    "Prepare the heir."