The faint hum of muffled voices grew louder as they moved deeper. Every door they passed seemed like a potential ambush site, and Zara couldn't help the quick glances she shot into every shadowed corner.
Her stomach tightened as they neared the end of the hallway, where two guards stood outside a heavy steel door, their rifles slung across their shoulders. They exchanged no pleasantries, their cold stares cutting through the silence like a warning.
Winter gave them a tight nod, his broad shoulders relaxed, his hands loose at his sides. Zara envied his calm. She tried to emulate it, though her hands curled into nervous fists at her sides.
Their wiry escort rapped on it twice, a coded knock that reverberated like a challenge. A small slot slid open, revealing a pair of sharp, suspicious eyes before the door creaked inward.
