#Chapter 274 Gone

Grace The clock on my office wall mocked me with its glowing red digits – 3:14 am. It had been another night spent hunched over my laptop, fueled by coffee and determination. The pressure was relentless, the weight of getting the production numbers up was almost overwhelming. A sudden, shrill shriek filled the air. My heart hammered against my ribs, a jolt of adrenaline shot through me. Fire? Security breach? Panic threatened to engulf me. Just as I was about to grab my stuff and head for the door, a dark figure materialized from the shadows in the corner of the lab. A woman, clad in black leather armor that glinted faintly in the overhead lights, her face obscured by a dark hood. She moved with a silent grace that spoke of honed skill and deadly efficiency. My breath hitched in my throat, a primal scream trapped behind my lips. The shrill of the alarm cut through my concentration like a rusty knife. Panic clawed at my throat, constricting my airways. My eyes darted around the lab,