The journey back to their safehouse was shrouded in silence. The rhythmic thrum of the helicopter blades created a steady backdrop, almost lulling Ethan and the others into a trance-like state. But their minds were far from quiet. Each member of the team was lost in their thoughts, replaying the events of the past few days, the battles fought, the near misses, and the ominous words of the Architect.
When they finally touched down on the outskirts of Shanghai, the sun was well into the sky, casting long shadows across the landscape. The extraction team had arranged for a discreet transport to take them to a safe location where they could regroup and assess their next move.
