Above—
Charles didn't speak.
Didn't explain what he saw.
He just acted.
He angled downward sharply, wings adjusting as he dropped toward the injured operative whose leg had been pierced earlier.
The man was barely conscious, clutching at the wound as blood soaked through his uniform.
Charles grabbed him cleanly.
Lifted.
And took off again, flying low and fast toward the tower, keeping close to the ground to avoid exposure.
—
Don ran.
One step—
And the ground shattered beneath him.
CRRSH—!
The force behind it propelled him forward in a burst, his body cutting through the distance rapidly. The ruined entrance grew larger in his view—
Closer—
Closer—
Charles reached it first, flying straight through the broken frame without obstruction.
Don followed.
Another step—
And he was there.
He slowed just enough to stop beside the entrance, where the two officers had already taken position, rifles raised outward despite the retreat order.
