168. Scared

Tiffany pushed past Marco without waiting for another word. Her mind raced as her feet carried her toward the front door. The thought of Jacob lying among the casualties tore through her like a blade, and she couldn’t bear the uncertainty. “Tiff, wait!” Riley called, hurrying after her. “I can’t,” Tiffany snapped over her shoulder, her voice tight with emotion. “I have to know if he’s okay.” River appeared at the end of the hallway, his face darkening when he saw the panic in his daughter’s eyes. “What’s going on?” Riley quickly filled him in, her voice trembling as she explained the situation. River’s jaw clenched, and he stepped forward, grabbing Tiffany’s arm to stop her. “Slow down,” he ordered. “Running in without a plan isn’t going to help anyone. You don’t even know what you’re walking into.” “I don’t care!” Tiffany shouted, tears welling in her eyes. “If something happened to Jacob—” River’s grip tightened just enough to keep her grounded. “And what if you get yourself killed t