Just as Sean and the hostages disappeared around the corner, Yeongsoo felt the vibration of heavy footsteps drawing closer. He steadied himself, listening closely. Suddenly, the sound of metal boots on concrete quickened, and he realized more guards were coming than he had anticipated—at least six, maybe more.
"Sean, I might have a bit of a problem here," he muttered into his earpiece, adjusting his grip on his weapon.
"What's the situation?" Sean replied, his voice strained as he pushed forward with the hostages.
"More guards. Six, maybe eight. Heavily armed," Yeongsoo replied, eyeing the narrow corridor, calculating his options.
"Hang tight, I'll double back," Sean said.
But before Sean could turn around, an explosion rocked the facility. The ceiling above trembled as pieces of concrete and dust rained down, scattering debris across the corridor. Yeongsoo threw himself against the wall, shielding his face as a cloud of smoke filled the air.
