Chapter 17
The Sacrifice Play
To disarm the weapon, a critical sacrifice is needed. Stevie is forced to make a difficult choice, potentially risking her own life or the life of an ally to prevent global catastrophe.
The air in the bunker crackled with a frantic energy, a stark contrast to the sterile, metallic hum that usually permeated the subterranean command center. Red lights pulsed, casting an eerie glow on the grim faces of the assembled team. Stevie Green, codename America, stood at the holographic display, her gaze fixed on the intricate, pulsating diagram of Julliana Dilige’s doomsday device. The countdown timer, a relentless red slash against the dark background, ticked down with agonizing slowness. Each second felt like a hammer blow against the fragile shield of hope.
“Status report,” Stevie