AN: Thank you for your reviews! :) This is a long one with a good amount of pew pew and boom boom, so put on your safety hats ;)

Pompeii: Bastille

The front door creaked open, and the heavy thud of boots echoed through the house as Emmett and Rosalie strode inside. The cold night air clung to them, and Rosalie was the first to pull off her gloves, tossing them onto the table with a quiet exhale. Emmett shut the door behind them with a little too much force, then shrugged unapologetically when Rosalie shot him a look.

"Perimeter's still clear," Rosalie announced, rubbing her hands together. "No signs of movement, no tracks. Either they got the message, or they're just waiting for a better opportunity."

Emmett snorted, his broad frame filling the space as he leaned against the wall. "Or they're just chickenshit. Honestly, if they wanna try us again, I'd welcome it. Give me something to do."

Edward, who had been sitting at the dining table with a map spread out in front of him, didn't look up. "We don't need you picking fights for entertainment."

Emmett smirked. "Speak for yourself, Eddie. I get antsy when there's nothing to break."

Jasper, seated on the couch with a half-eaten sandwich in his hand, glanced up lazily. "You have the patience of a toddler."

"And yet, here we are, still alive because of my talents," Emmett shot back, stealing a chip from Jasper's plate without remorse.

Jasper narrowed his eyes. "Touch my food again, and I'll break your fuckin' fingers."

"Yeah, yeah," Emmett drawled, stuffing the chip into his mouth. "Love you too, bud."

Bella sat on the floor beside Jake, scratching behind his ears as he finished his dinner. The warmth of his fur was comforting, but her stomach twisted as she processed Rosalie's words. No tracks. No movement. They're just waiting for a better opportunity.

Alice emerged from the loft, her expression sharper than usual, her eyes flicking between them all as she descended the stairs. She moved with purpose, a tablet in her hands.

"Well," she said, dropping onto the couch beside Jasper, "I figured out who your dead guy was."

Edward's head snapped up. Bella stilled, her fingers resting against Jake's collar.

Rosalie crossed her arms. "And?"

Alice swiped at her screen, her expression unreadable. "His name was William Cade. Former military. Dishonorably discharged for excessive force and some off-the-books contracts that no one could prove. He's been working freelance ever since—private security, merc work, the kind of guy people like Victoria keep in their back pocket."

Bella's stomach churned. "How do you know he was connected to her?"

Alice glanced at her. "Because I pulled his financials. The last deposit into his account came from a shell company linked to one of Victoria's offshore accounts. She paid him upfront."

Edward's jaw clenched. "So he wasn't just sent to grab Bella. He was invested."

Alice nodded. "Exactly. Which means if there's one, there's more. Victoria isn't in the habit of putting all her eggs in one basket."

Jasper took another bite of his sandwich, chewing thoughtfully. "How much did she pay him?"

Alice turned the tablet around so everyone could see. The number made Bella's breath hitch.

"Jesus," Emmett muttered. "That's not a 'bring her in for a chat' price. That's a 'make sure she disappears' price."

Bella swallowed hard. She had known, of course, that she was a target—but seeing the proof in black and white made it feel more real, more suffocating.

Edward's expression darkened, his fingers flexing against the table. "We need to move faster."

Rosalie leaned against the back of the couch, her sharp gaze flicking between them. "This means we've rattled her. She knows we're not just running. We're coming for her."

Alice nodded. "And she's scared. Otherwise, she wouldn't be throwing that much money at people like Cade."

Emmett grinned. "Good. Let her be scared. Won't help her in the end."

Edward exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down his face before turning back to the map. His mind was already a step ahead, recalculating everything.

Bella, though, found herself staring at the numbers on the screen, her pulse thrumming in her ears.

Alice must have noticed because her voice softened just slightly. "We're not letting that happen, Bella."

Bella nodded, forcing herself to breathe. "I know."

But she wasn't sure if she said it to convince Alice—or herself.

"Alright, so what're we looking at here?" Rosalie asked as they migrated towards the table.

Edward stood at the head of the table, shuffling schematics and plans around so they could all see. When he finally spoke, his voice was steady, commanding—leaving no room for uncertainty.

"Here's the plan," he began, tapping the map in front of him. "We hit the lab at midnight. The darkness gives us cover, but we're working with a tight window. In and out in under thirty minutes. No exceptions."

Edward continued. "Alice will disable the perimeter surveillance, giving us a ten-minute gap before their systems reboot. Jasper and Emmett will clear the hallways and secure the exit route. Rosalie will plant the charges in the prototype room." He looked at Bella then, holding her gaze "Bella and I will head to the server room to extract the data."

Bella's stomach clenched, her hands gripping the edge of the table. She'd known this was coming, had spent days preparing for it, but now that it was real—tangible—the weight of it pressed down hard.

I'm about to break into a heavily guarded lab, steal evidence that could save millions, and try not to get us all killed in the process.

She could feel her heartbeat in her throat. Her fingers twitched slightly, so she balled them into fists, hoping no one noticed.

Edward did.

"Bella." His voice cut through the fog of her spiraling thoughts. It wasn't sharp, but steady—reassuring. "You're the key to this. Once we're inside, you access the network and extract the files. No one knows that system better than you."

Bella swallowed, nodding. "I've got it." The words didn't feel strong enough, but they were all she had.

Edward studied her for a second longer, searching for any hesitation. When he found none, he continued. "Timing is everything. If anything goes wrong, we pull out. No heroics."

Jasper leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Damn, Ed, way to take all the fun out of it."

Edward ignored him. "There's an emergency exfil point here." He tapped another section of the map. "Worst case, if we get split up, you fall back to this location. No matter what."

Rosalie, arms crossed, nodded. "How many guards are we expecting?"

"Two at the main entrance, rotating shifts at the east and west doors, and a three-man patrol inside," Alice answered without missing a beat. "No automated defenses, but the locks are biometric. Bella will need access to the system before we can get through."

Bella inhaled slowly. "I can do that."

"I know," Edward said simply, like it was a fact.

Alice sat on the edge of the table, arms folded. "The only variable we can't control is what's happening inside when we get there. We can predict their security patterns, but if someone's pulling an all-nighter, things could get messy."

Jasper shrugged. "Messy's fine. We do messy."

"Not this kind of messy," Edward countered. "We keep this quiet."

Emmett, who had been remarkably restrained, finally huffed, dragging a hand down his face. "This is too fuckin' serious. I feel like I need to tell a joke just to keep from suffocating."

Rosalie shot him a look. "Don't."

"No, no, it's a good one," he insisted. "What's the best way to break into a high-security lab?" He paused for dramatic effect. "With an unhinged psychopath and a hot blonde carrying explosives."

Rosalie scoffed. "That's not a joke, that's just your dream scenario."

"Exactly," Emmett grinned.

Despite the tension, Bella let out a short laugh. Even Edward's mouth twitched, just barely.

Alice, ever practical, clapped her hands once. "Alright. Enough flirting, we've got work to do."

The atmosphere sobered again, the weight of the mission pressing back down.

Edward glanced at the group, his green eyes sharp. "Any last questions?"

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Jasper smirked. "Yeah. Who's bringing the midnight snacks?"

"Dibs on Emmett's protein bars," Alice said immediately.

"The fuck you are," Emmett shot back. "I need those. You know how much energy it takes to be this jacked?"

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Pretty sure all that muscle's just for decoration."

Emmett gasped. "Babe."

Edward exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "If we're done, go get ready."

The team dispersed then. Bella lingered at the table, her fingers tracing the map's edges. Every turn, every corridor, every potential escape route—she committed them to memory.

You have to do this, she reminded herself. For the people who have already died. For the ones who will if we fail.

As she stood to leave, Edward caught her wrist gently. She looked up, surprised at the quiet intensity in his expression.

"Bella," he said, his voice low. "You're ready for this. Don't doubt it."

Her throat tightened. Maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was the fact that she had no choice but to believe him—but she nodded, forcing a small smile. "Thanks."

He hesitated for a fraction of a second, then let go.

Midnight was closing in.

The house buzzed with quiet but deliberate movement—gears shifting, weapons being checked, final plans running through everyone's heads. Despite the outward efficiency, there was an unspoken energy in the air, heavy with anticipation, thick with the knowledge that once they left this house, there was no going back.

Bella tried to focus, to mirror the confidence the others seemed to wear so easily. She adjusted the tactical vest Alice had given her, tugging at the straps, her hands just slightly unsteady. Every time she thought about what was coming, the same thoughts circled back.

You have no real training. No combat experience. What if you fuck up? What if someone dies because of you?

She exhaled sharply, pressing her thumb and forefinger into her temples. She needed to pull herself together.

"You look like you're either about to pass out or throw up."

Bella's head snapped up to find Rosalie standing in front of her, arms crossed, an extra set of tactical gear slung over her shoulder. The blonde arched a perfectly shaped brow, assessing her.

Bella huffed a weak laugh. "No, just mentally cataloging all the ways this could go horribly wrong."

"Yeah, don't do that," Rosalie said dryly, stepping closer. She tossed the gear onto the table beside Bella. "Here. Figured you might need a hand getting set up."

Bella took the vest, trying not to let her nerves show. She tightened one of the straps, but her fingers fumbled slightly.

Rosalie watched for a second before shaking her head. "Jesus Christ, Einstein. Give me that before you cut off your own circulation."

Before Bella could argue, Rosalie grabbed the strap and yanked it into place with practiced ease, checking the fit. "It's not a corset, it's armor. You need to breathe."

Bella snorted. "Hard to do that when my entire body is screaming at me to run in the opposite direction."

"Yeah, well, you're not special. Everyone feels like that their first time." Rosalie said with a smirk. "My first mission, I was so nervous I put my vest on backward. Didn't even realize until I was standing in front of the team, looking like a goddamn idiot."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Oh, that's not that bad."

Rosalie leveled her with a look. "I also somehow managed to strap my thigh holster to the wrong leg and didn't notice until I tried to pull my gun and nearly pantsed myself in front of an entire tactical unit."

Bella's mouth fell open.

"Oh, and then I tripped over my own boot, landed flat on my ass, and Emmett—helpful asshole that he is—laughed so hard he fell out of the truck we were supposed to be deploying from. Right in front of our commanding officer."

Bella clapped a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her laugh. "Oh my god."

"Yeah. And the worst part? Emmett still does impressions of it. Full reenactment. Voice and everything."

As if on cue, Emmett's voice bellowed from across the room: "Oh no, I've been shot! Oh wait—false alarm, just an idiot with a holster malfunction!"

"I will murder you in your sleep, McCarty," she called, flipping Emmett off without even turning around.

Emmett grinned. "Oh, babe, I wish you'd sneak into my room at night."

Jasper, without looking up from his gun, muttered, "I'd rather get shot than listen to this again."

"So, yeah. He was a dick about it," Rosalie said, ignoring them both and turning back to Bella, rolling her eyes. "Wouldn't shut the hell up for weeks."

Bella laughed despite herself, the weight in her chest lifting, even if just slightly. "Thanks. I needed that."

Rosalie tilted her head, studying her. Then, her expression turned more serious. "Look, I get it. This isn't your world. And it's a lot to process."

Bella let out a breath, nodding. "Yeah. One minute, I'm in a lab running simulations. The next, I'm gearing up to break into a facility with a bunch of operatives who know exactly what they're doing, and I'm just…" She swallowed. "I don't know if I belong here."

Rosalie frowned. "That's the biggest load of bullshit I've heard all week, and I just spent three fucking hours listening to Emmett and Jasper argue over whether a bear or a gorilla would win in a fight."

Bella blinked. "Wait—"

"The point is," Rosalie interrupted, "you're not some helpless scientist, okay? You are the reason we're here. None of us know what we're looking for in that lab, but you do. That makes you the most important person in this entire op."

Bella looked down, trying to let those words sink in.

"You don't have to be a fighter to be useful," Rosalie continued, tone firm but not unkind. "You just have to be right when it counts. The rest? That's why we're here."

Bella exhaled slowly, nodding. "Okay."

"Good." Rosalie clapped her on the shoulder once before stepping back. Then, she grinned. "Also, if you get shot, try not to bleed all over me. I just cleaned my boots."

Bella scoffed, shaking her head. "Noted."

As Rosalie walked off, Bella felt a little steadier. Maybe she wasn't built for this world, but for better or worse, she was in it. And she was done doubting herself.

Bella wandered the house, the weight of the tactical gear settling uncomfortably on her shoulders.

She found herself moving toward the dining room, drawn by the quiet clinking of metal against metal. Edward was there, bent over the table, loading magazines with the kind of detached precision that made her stomach twist. He hadn't noticed her yet. His jaw was tight, his expression unreadable, and every movement he made was sharp, methodical, like he was channeling something into the repetitive action.

Bella hesitated in the doorway, suddenly unsure if she should even be here. But then she squared her shoulders, forcing herself forward. She had every right to be here. If she was supposed to be part of this mission, then she needed to stop acting like a bystander. And more than that—she needed to understand this, whatever this was, between them.

She took a deep breath and stepped closer. "Edward."

He didn't pause, didn't even glance up. "What's up, Bella?" His voice was casual. Too casual.

Bella clenched her fists. She had half a mind to turn around and pretend she never came in here, but something in her refused to back down. "Are we…" she exhaled sharply, trying to ignore the way her heart was picking up speed. "Are we going to talk about what happened earlier?"

That did it.

Edward's hands stilled, his grip tightening around the magazine before he let out a slow, controlled exhale. For a long beat, he didn't look at her. Just stared at the table, his jaw clenching and unclenching like he was chewing on his words before finally spitting them out.

"I'm sorry." His voice was quiet but firm. "I overstepped. It won't happen again."

He said it like a fact. Like a decision had already been made. No room for discussion, no room for her to challenge it.

Bella barely stopped herself from flinching. It wasn't what she expected him to say, and the certainty in his voice sent a sharp, unexpected ache through her ribs.

She opened her mouth, grasping for something—anything—to say. But nothing came.

So she nodded. Forced a tight, clipped, "Right. Okay."

And walked away before she could embarrass herself any further.

...

She didn't know where she was going, only that she needed to move. She found herself in an empty hallway, pressing her back against the cool wall, breathing hard like she'd just run a marathon.

Why did that hurt so much?

It wasn't like she had expectations—she barely knew what this thing between them even was. But still, Edward's words echoed in her head, replaying like a cruel taunt. I overstepped. It won't happen again.

God. She actually felt stupid. She wasn't this girl. She wasn't the type to get hung up on a guy, to spiral because of a single kiss. That wasn't who she was.

Wasn't it?

Her love life—if you could even call it that—had always been an afterthought. She'd spent her entire academic career avoiding distractions, keeping her head down, focused. The only real relationship she'd ever had was barely a blip on the radar—one month in undergrad with a guy who turned out to be very interested in spontaneous backpacking trips and notinterested in dating someone who lived in a lab.

And now here she was, in the middle of a goddamn war zone, getting her feelings hurt over a guy who had literally just saved her life. Who had bigger things to worry about. Who was right—because this was not the time for this.

She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her palms into them until she saw stars.

Jesus Christ, get a grip, Bella.

She hated that this was affecting her, that her body was betraying her with this tight, aching feeling in her chest. That even now, she could still feel the ghost of his hands on her, his lips against hers. It had felt real. Solid. And she wasn't sure what pissed her off more—the fact that she'd let herself believe in it for even a second, or the fact that Edward clearly hadn't.

Because that's what it boiled down to, wasn't it?

She had been wrong.

Bella swallowed hard, forcing the thought down. There was no time for this. No time to feel anything about it. They had a mission in a few hours. That was all that mattered.

She turned on her heel, pushing off the wall.

Focus. Survive. Then you can fall apart later.

...

By 11 p.m., the weight of what they were about to do settled over the group like a thick, suffocating fog. No one spoke much, but the energy in the air was palpable—tension coiled tight, nerves strung taut.

Alice's Jeep idled in the driveway, the low purr of the engine barely cutting through the heavy silence. A few feet away, Rosalie and Emmett were loading up their black BMW, their movements smooth and practiced. Bella adjusted her vest again for the fifth—maybe sixth—time, fingers fumbling with the straps. The gear still felt foreign, heavy, as if it belonged to someone else. The same could be said forherin this situation.

Edward finished double-checking the equipment and straightened. "Let's move," he said, his voice steady. No hesitation, no doubt.

Bella swallowed hard and climbed into the backseat of Alice's Jeep. Edward slid in beside her, their thighs brushing slightly in the confined space, while Alice took the driver's seat and Jasper rode shotgun. Jake settled between Bella's legs, his massive head resting against her knee, as if sensing she needed something to ground her.

They weren't coming back to Alice's house. They all knew that. No one said it out loud.

The ride started in silence, both vehicles cutting through the darkness, sticking to backroads, avoiding the highways and main routes that could have eyes on them. Bella stared out the window, the blur of trees casting eerie shadows under the faint glow of the moon. Every second that passed wound her nerves tighter, her thoughts spiraling into another series of catastrophic what ifs.

What if she froze? What if she made a mistake? What if she got someone killed?

She clenched her fists in her lap, her nails digging into her palms. Her breaths came shallow, uneven, and she was pretty sure if she didn't get a grip, she was going to hyperventilate.

Alice, who had been glancing between the road and the rearview mirror, caught the way Bella was gripping her own hands like she was trying to keep herself from unraveling.

"Jesus, you look like you're about to throw up," Alice said. "If you are, aim out the window. I just cleaned this thing."

Bella blinked, startled out of her spiral. "I'm not going to throw up," she muttered, though she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Alice or herself.

Jasper turned in his seat, his sharp blue eyes flicking to her. "You're doing that thing," he said.

Bella frowned. "What thing?"

"The thinking thing," Jasper said, shaking his head. "Overanalyzing. Spiral-mode. Classic."

Bella huffed. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'll jus tturn off my brain while we drive straight into a heavily guarded facility. Totally normal Tuesday."

"Thursday," Edward corrected absently, watching the road ahead.

She turned to glare at him. "Not the point."

Jasper smirked. "Look, you're running worst-case scenarios in your head right now, but let me make it easy for you—this is gonna be fucking awful."

Bella's stomach dropped. "Thanks. That's so reassuring."

"But," Jasper continued, ignoring her sarcasm, "you're walking into this with people who've done way dumber shit and somehow lived. So odds are, you're fine."

Bella opened her mouth, but Alice cut in before she could respond. "Jazz once broke into a government building because he thought he left his sunglasses inside," she said, deadpan.

Jasper turned in his seat, smirking. "First of all, they were expensive. And second, I was right. They were inside."

"Yeah, and then you got chased through three city blocks by armed security and had to hide in a dumpster," Alice shot back.

Jasper scoffed. "It was strategic concealment."

Bella let out a small, incredulous laugh. "You actually hid in a dumpster?"

Alice nodded solemnly. "He smelled like a dumpster for a week."

Jasper groaned. "I fuckin' showered—"

"Didn't help."

Bella shook her head, laughing despite the gnawing pit of anxiety in her stomach. The banter was ridiculous, completely inappropriate considering what they were about to do, but somehow, it helped. It loosened the iron grip around her chest, made her feel like she wasn't spiraling completely out of control.

She exhaled, letting her shoulders drop slightly. "Alright. So the plan is to avoid all ofthatand not end up in a dumpster."

"Excellent goal," Jasper said approvingly.

Alice flicked her turn signal, leading them down an even darker backroad, her grip steady on the wheel. The lab was still miles away, but the air inside the Jeep was thick with the weight of what was coming.

Edward, sitting beside her, had been scanning the darkened landscape with that unnerving level of vigilance he always carried—like he expected the worst to emerge from the treeline at any second. His sharp green eyes flickered everywhere all at once, his fingers twitching against his thigh like he was ready to reach for his weapon at the slightest sign of movement.

He hadn't said much during the drive. None of them really had, aside from Alice's occasional radio check-ins and Emmett's random bursts of commentary from the car behind them.

But then, after what felt like hours of tense silence, Edward shifted slightly, turning toward her.

"You're breathing too fast," he murmured.

Bella's head snapped up, caught off guard. "What?"

"You're panicking," he clarified, his voice calm but firm. "You're still overthinking. I can hear it."

Her first instinct was to argue, but when she actually listened to herself, she realized he was right. Her breaths were shallow, uneven. The kind of breathing that only made panic worse.

She forced herself to inhale deeply, trying to regain control, but her hands still wouldn't stop trembling. Jake shifted beneath her, looking up at her with sad, worried eyes.

Edward sighed and reached out, his fingers brushing against hers where they clutched the edge of her vest. It was barely a touch, but it was enough to jolt her.

"Bella. You're going to be fine," he said, and it wasn't a throwaway reassurance. He meant it. "Just focus on the objective. Stick to what you know."

Bella turned to look at him. His face was calm, but his eyes were sharp, watchful.

Her pulse kicked up, but not from fear this time.

Alice, always watching, smirked at her from the rearview mirror. "Yeah, and if all else fails, just stick close to Edward. He'll throw you over his shoulder and run."

Bella rolled her eyes, but Jasper nodded, completely serious. "Oh yeah. He's got that protective brooding thing going on. Very dramatic."

Edward sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Jesus Christ."

Bella took a deep breath. Her nerves were still there, but they were manageable now. Controlled.

Jasper reached back, giving her knee a quick, reassuring squeeze. "See? You're good."

She wasn't sure if she fully believed it, but for now, it was enough.

The lab was waiting.

And they were ready.

…

The Jeep rolled to a stop, its tires crunching softly over gravel before Alice killed the engine. Silence swallowed them whole. The BMW behind them followed suit, its headlights flicking off, plunging the forest road into darkness.

Bella barely had time to take a steadying breath before Alice's voice cut through the thick quiet. "We're a mile out," she murmured, checking her watch. "From here, we go on foot."

The shift in atmosphere was immediate. No more jokes, no more distractions—just quiet, razor-sharp focus. One by one, they slid out of their vehicles, the cool night air wrapping around them like a warning.

Bella smoothed Jake's ears back, nuzzling his face with hers as she whispered, "We'll be right back, Jake. You stay, okay? Stay. I love you."

Jake looked at her with his wide, unblinking eyes, and Bella hugged him to her once more before stepping fully onto the dirt road and shutting the door. She glanced up through the trees, catching a glimpse of the sky—moonless, black as ink. It felt fitting, given what they were about to do.

Edward pulled his rifle over his shoulder, while Jasper rolled his shoulders, loosening up. Rosalie and Emmett were already securing their packs, their silent efficiency a stark contrast to the usual chaos they brought.

Bella tightened the straps of her vest, her fingers trembling slightly. She clenched her jaw. Not the time.

Alice adjusted the tablet in her hands, the faint glow illuminating her face as she scanned the digital blueprint of the facility ahead. "We stick to the trees until we reach the perimeter fence," she said, voice low but firm. "No talking, no unnecessary movement. When I say freeze, you freeze."

A chorus of nods followed. No one needed reminding of what was at stake.

Edward caught Bella's eye and gestured for her to follow as he took the lead. She swallowed hard and fell into step behind him.

They moved quickly but carefully, their boots barely making a sound against the damp forest floor. The scent of earth and pine filled Bella's lungs, but it did nothing to calm the drumbeat of her heart. Every crunch of a leaf, every distant hoot of an owl, made her flinch. She gripped the strap of her rifle, her palms slick inside her gloves.

She had read about operations like this—covert infiltration, timed breaches—but reading about it in theory and living it were two completely different things. The weight of the gun at her hip felt unnatural, heavy. She wasn't a soldier. She wasn't a fighter.

But you don't have a choice, do you?

Up ahead, Edward signaled with a sharp hand movement, and everyone halted instantly. Bella barely managed to stop in time before running into his back. She crouched low, mimicking the others, her breath shallow.

Through the trees, the lab loomed in the near distance—cold, sterile, built for function, not form. Tall fencing surrounded the perimeter, broken only by a single guard booth near the entrance. Floodlights swept the grounds in slow, predictable arcs. The distant hum of electricity buzzed through the air.

Alice knelt, pulling out her tablet again, her fingers moving swiftly over the screen. A faint blue glow flickered over her face, making her eyes look eerily bright.

"Give me thirty seconds," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves.

Emmett shifted beside Bella, rolling his neck. "Feels too easy," he muttered under his breath.

"It's never easy," Rosalie shot back, scanning the perimeter. "Stay sharp."

Bella tried to control her breathing, but the anticipation was suffocating. The tension in her chest tightened like a coiled spring.

Edward leaned in slightly, his breath warm against her ear. "Deep breaths," he murmured, voice steady, like he could sense the panic clawing at her ribs. "We're ready for this. You're ready."

Bella wasn't sure if she believed him, but she nodded anyway, focusing on inhaling slowly through her nose.

Alice's fingers danced over the screen one last time before she whispered, "Surveillance is down." She didn't look up as she continued. "We've got a ten-minute window before the backup systems reboot. We movenow."

The urgency in her voice sent a fresh spike of adrenaline through Bella's veins.

Edward rose first, signaling them forward.

No turning back now.

The group moved as one, slipping through the dense underbrush with practiced ease, their footsteps muffled by the damp forest floor. The night air was thick, heavy with the scent of wet earth and pine. Bella's breath came slow and measured, but her pulse hammered against her ribs. Every step forward felt like crossing an invisible threshold she could never return from.

Alice led them to the section of the fence she'd identified earlier—hidden beneath a tangle of overgrown branches. She pulled out a compact tool, the small blue light at its tip flickering as she worked to override the electrical current running through the chain-link.

"Two minutes," she whispered, her fingers moving fast over the control panel.

Bella crouched beside Edward, her hands gripping her thighs to keep from fidgeting. She forced herself to breathe slow and deep, to push down the gnawing tension clawing at the back of her throat.

Jasper and Emmett positioned themselves at the fence, Emmett unsheathing a pair of bolt cutters. With one swift motion, he cut through the steel links, the metallic snap unnervingly loud in the silence. Jasper pulled the severed section aside, creating a gap just wide enough for them to slip through.

Rosalie went first, moving like a shadow, low and silent. She scanned the area before giving the all-clear with a quick, precise hand signal. One by one, they followed.

Inside the perimeter, the air felt even heavier. The lab stood ahead of them—a squat, gray structure, all function and no design. Tall fencing stretched in either direction, guard towers stationed far enough apart that they had just enough of a blind spot to move undetected.

Edward motioned for Bella to stay close, and she obeyed, her eyes flicking between the shifting shadows and the cold glow of the facility's floodlights.

When they reached the service entrance, Alice was already crouched by the keypad, her tools spread out beside her. She worked fast, her fingers deftly disarming the security system.

Jasper and Emmett flanked the door, their weapons drawn. Emmett gave Jasper a cocky smirk. "Bet I take down more than you."

Jasper snorted. "Not a chance."

"Want to put money on it?"

"Are you two idiots seriously gambling in the middle of a covert op?" Rosalie hissed.

Edward sighed. "Focus."

The keypad beeped softly, and the door slid open with a quiet hiss. Jasper and Emmett slipped inside first, clearing the immediate hallway before signaling for the others to follow.

The lab was even colder inside. Bella shivered as they entered, the sterile scent of disinfectant and ozone clogging the air. Overhead, fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, casting the concrete walls in an eerie, washed-out glow. Somewhere in the distance, machinery hummed, a quiet but constant reminder that they weren't alone in this building.

Jasper and Emmett moved swiftly, sweeping each corridor before waving them forward. Rosalie trailed behind them, her sharp gaze flicking to every blind spot.

At the entrance, Alice's fingers danced over her tablet, her focus absolute. "I'm in their system," she whispered through comms. "You're clear, but make it fast—I'm setting up a loop, but I can't hold it forever."

Edward tapped Bella's arm, nodding toward a branching hallway to their left. "Server room's this way," he murmured.

Bella swallowed hard and followed, her heartbeat thudding in her ears.

They moved in silence, their steps careful, precise. Edward reached the server room first, pulling a small device from his pocket and attaching it to the door's security lock. A soft beep, and the mechanism disengaged.

Edward pushed the door open, scanning the space before motioning Bella inside.

The room was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from the blinking lights of the massive server racks lining the walls. The soft thrum of electronics filled the air, a constant, pulsing sound.

Bella moved quickly, pulling the drive Alice had given her from her vest pocket. She plugged it into the main terminal, her fingers steady despite the adrenaline flooding her veins.

Lines of code scrolled rapidly across the screen.

Edward stayed by the door, his gun raised, his body coiled tight like a spring. "How long?" he asked, his voice low.

Bella's eyes flicked between the terminal and the door, her pulse quickening as she saw the security encryption fighting back against Alice's override. "Three minutes," she murmured. "Maybe four."

Edward's jaw clenched. "Make it three."

Bella let out a breath through her nose, fingers flying over the keyboard.

No pressure, right?

The seconds crawled. Every click of the keys, every flickering light on the server racks, felt amplified in the dead silence. Bella's mind raced through every possible way this could go wrong.

What if the data was corrupted? What if security picked up on Alice's override? What if—

A sharp sound crackled through the comms.

Alice's voice came through, clipped and urgent. "You've got company. Two guards just entered the east hallway—headed your way."

Edward didn't hesitate. "Lock the door."

Bella's hands were already moving before he finished speaking, her fingers pulling up the access menu and engaging the lockdown. The door mechanism clicked, a small red light blinking to indicate it was sealed.

Edward took a position against the wall, gun raised toward the entrance. His expression remained impassive, but his grip on the weapon was tight.

Bella kept her focus on the screen, her breath coming in shallow bursts. Almost there. Almost—

The distant sound of heavy boots echoed down the hall.

Bella's heart lurched.

Edward didn't move, didn't even blink. He simply adjusted his stance, his finger hovering over the trigger. The quiet, controlled intensity of it should've been terrifying, but instead, it felt oddly reassuring. Like no matter what, he wasn't letting anything happen to her.

The footsteps grew louder, more deliberate. They stopped just outside the server room door.

Edward held up a hand, his expression sharp and focused, signaling her to stay quiet. He adjusted his grip on the gun, eyes narrowing.

Bella crouched lower behind the terminal, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might give them away. The progress bar was agonizingly close to completion—94%, 95%, 96%—but she couldn't risk making a sound.

The door handle rattled slightly, and Bella's breath hitched. Edward's finger hovered over the trigger, his entire body coiled and ready. The air was thick with tension, every second stretching unbearably long.

Suddenly, the footsteps retreated, the sound fading down the hallway. Bella exhaled slowly, her hands trembling as she turned back to the screen. 97%, 98%, 99%...

"Almost there," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Edward didn't respond, his attention still locked on the hallway, every muscle in his body poised for action. Bella forced herself to focus on the screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard, ready for the final input.

100%. The screen flashed a confirmation message, and Bella exhaled through her nose and pressed the final command.

"Done," she whispered, yanking the drive free.

Edward didn't acknowledge it right away. He was still listening, waiting.

Then, Alice's voice crackled back in. "Hold. They stopped—checking something on the opposite wall." A brief pause. "Okay. They're moving again, but heading west. You're clear to go."

Edward wasted no time. He was at Bella's side in an instant, his hand closing over her wrist, tugging her toward the door. "Let's move."

Bella followed, gripping the drive so tightly it might have left an imprint on her palm.

Once they regrouped, the team moved as a unit, their boots whispering over the tiled floor as they navigated the labyrinth of hallways toward the exit. The walls felt like they were closing in, the weight of the stolen data in Bella's pocket growing heavier with every passing second.

She focused on the rhythm of Edward's movements just ahead of her, trying to match his quiet, controlled pace. If he wasn't panicking, she wouldn't either.

Almost there.

Then—a noise.

Faint but unmistakable. The rhythmic clatter of boots against concrete, drawing closer.

Bella froze.

Edward's fist shot up, a silent command to halt. The team obeyed instantly, weapons raised, eyes sharp. The tension snapped tight like a tripwire, everyone holding their breath.

Jasper tilted his head, listening. The sound was deliberate. Organized. Not some lone guard making rounds—this was a response team.

"Shit," Rosalie whispered, gripping her rifle tighter.

Jasper's smirk was razor-sharp. "Looks like someone tripped the alarm."

Edward's eyes flicked to Bella. "Stay close," he murmured.

She nodded, fingers tightening around her gun, even though her hands were slick with sweat. She wasn't sure if she'd even be able to fire it. But she'd be damned if she was going to be a liability.

The footsteps quickened.

Then—flashlights.

A voice barked in the distance. "There! Move!"

Everything happened at once.

Gunfire shattered the silence. The first bullet hit the wall just inches from Bella's head, sending a sharp spray of concrete dust into the air. She gasped, instinctively ducking as Edward grabbed her wrist and yanked her behind cover.

Jasper and Emmett didn't hesitate. They moved like lightning, returning fire, the muzzle flashes momentarily illuminating their faces. Rosalie fired a clean shot, dropping one of the guards before he could even react.

"Move, move, move!" Edward shouted.

Bella forced herself into motion, crouching low as she followed Edward's lead. The smell of gunpowder filled the air, acrid and metallic, burning the back of her throat.

A guard fired wildly, the bullet whizzing past Bella's shoulder. Before she could even react, Emmett slammed into the guy like a freight train, sending him crashing into the wall. There was a sickening crunch—bone against concrete—before the man collapsed, motionless.

"Goddamn," Jasper muttered. "That was excessive."

Emmett grinned, wiping his knuckles on his pants. "Effective."

Rosalie's voice snapped through the comms. "The charges are live. Four minutes."

No time to waste.

Edward led them toward the service door, his movements sharp, controlled. The alarms were blaring now, echoing through the facility. They could hear more guards converging, but they were too far behind.

They burst through the exit, the cold night air like a slap to the face.

Alice was already waiting, perched on the hood of the Jeep like she didn't have a care in the world. Her tablet was balanced on her knee, eyes glued to the screen.

She barely looked up. "Took you long enough."

Rosalie skidded to a stop beside her, chest heaving. "We've got three minutes."

Edward turned back just in time to see more guards pouring out of the building, weapons raised.

"Down!" he barked, shoving Bella behind the Jeep.

Gunfire erupted again, the night lighting up with flashes of orange and white. Emmett and Jasper returned fire, forcing the guards to duck behind cover.

Alice, completely unfazed, continued working. "I've got one more trick up my sleeve," she said, typing rapidly. "Buying us an extra thirty seconds."

"Make it count," Edward growled.

Bella's breath was coming too fast, her heart hammering so hard it felt like it might crack her ribs. She opened the Jeep door and Jake jumped down. Bella whispered good boy to him, and placed a gentle hand over his muzzle to keep him calm.

Then—a dull boom rumbled through the night.

One of the prototype rooms was gone.

Rosalie didn't even turn around. "That's one."

"Two minutes," Alice reminded them.

The forest was right there, just beyond the clearing. A few hundred yards of open space stood between them and the safety of the trees.

Edward glanced at the team. "On my signal, we run."

Bella could barely nod, her whole body buzzing with adrenaline.

The second explosion hit, fire and debris rocketing into the air.

"Now!" Edward barked.

They ran.

Bella sprinted, her legs screaming in protest as she tore across the field. Jake darted ahead of her, his powerful strides carrying him effortlessly toward the trees. The others followed, gunfire still ringing out behind them.

A bullet zipped past Bella's arm, close enough that she could feel the heat of it. She stumbled, her momentum nearly breaking—but Edward was right there, catching her by the elbow, shoving her forward.

"Don't stop!" he urged her.

The trees loomed closer.

Thirty more feet.

Fifteen.

Another explosion tore through the air, and suddenly, Bella wasn't running—she was flying. The shockwave lifted her off the ground, and she hit the dirt hard, pain radiating through her ribs. She gasped, struggling to push herself up.

A hand grabbed her arm—Edward.

"Hey, you're okay—up," he ordered, hauling her to her feet.

She stumbled after him, her lungs burning, and finally—finally—they were under the cover of the trees.

They didn't stop running until the gunfire faded into the distance.

Only then did Edward signal for them to halt. Everyone doubled over, panting, their bodies shaking with exhaustion and adrenaline.

Bella pressed a hand to her ribs, wincing. Her whole body ached, but they were alive. They had done it.

Edward's breathing was still heavy, but the second he noticed the tear in Bella's sleeve, something shifted. His expression darkened, his jaw tightening as he reached for her arm.

"Hold still," he murmured, his voice low but firm.

Bella barely had a second to react before he was rolling up her sleeve, his fingers careful but urgent as he inspected the wound. The bullet had only grazed her, a shallow cut streaked with dirt and smeared blood. But that didn't seem to ease the tension in Edward's shoulders.

His thumb brushed just below the wound, his touch featherlight. He exhaled sharply through his nose, his grip tightening almost imperceptibly before he forced himself to let go. "Jesus, Bella," he muttered, shaking his head.

"I'm fine," she said, even though her pulse was racing for entirely different reasons now.

Edward didn't look convinced. He ran a hand through his hair, the movement rigid, his eyes flicking back to the wound like he wasn't quite done being mad about it. "That was too fucking close." His voice was tight, raw with frustration.

Bella swallowed hard, feeling suddenly unsteady—not from the injury, but from the intensity radiating off of him. "It barely got me. I didn't even feel it."

Edward let out a quiet, humorless laugh. "Yeah, that's what happens when you're running for your life." His gaze finally met hers, and there was something fierce in it, something that made her stomach flip. "It could have been worse, Bella. A hell of a lot worse."

She didn't know what to say to that, because he was right. They'd been seconds away from disaster. The memory of the gunfire, the way she could almost feel the bullets slicing through the air, sent a delayed shudder through her.

Edward noticed. His expression softened, his frustration melting into something else—something almost regretful. He sighed, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose before looking at her again. "Come here."

Bella blinked, surprised, but before she could process it, Edward had already stepped closer. His hand found her wrist again, guiding her arm gently as he pulled a small cloth from one of the pouches on his vest. He pressed it to the wound, his touch careful but firm.

Bella winced, sucking in a sharp breath. Edward stilled immediately, his eyes darting to hers. "Sorry," he murmured, his voice quieter now.

She shook her head quickly. "It's fine. Just stings."

Edward held the cloth there for another moment before nodding. "We'll clean it properly when we get somewhere safe." His tone had softened, the sharp edge of his earlier frustration giving way to something steadier, more reassuring.

Bella found herself nodding, her throat suddenly dry. "Okay."

Edward lingered for a second longer than necessary, his fingers still wrapped loosely around her wrist. Then, as if realizing it at the same time she did, he let go, stepping back just enough to put distance between them. His expression was unreadable now, his features schooled back into something careful, controlled.

But Bella had seen it—felt it. The quiet worry. The intensity of his relief when he realized she was really okay. She wouldn't dwell on it, though—not now.

Rosalie sat back on her heels, letting out a breath. "That's a job well done."

"Fuck yeah," Emmett grinned, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. "I bet my bomb went off first."

Rosalie gave him a pointed look. "Do you even know which one was yours?"

"Obviously the biggest one." Emmett gestured vaguely toward the destruction. "That had me written all over it."

Jasper snorted. "Dumbass."

Bella barely heard them. She had urned around and now couldn't take her eyes off the blaze in the distance, the reality of what they'd done settling deep in her bones.

That was a building full of people. People who had been working on something awful, something that could kill millions—but people nonetheless.

And they had just obliterated it.

She swallowed hard.

She knew what they were doing was necessary. The alternative—allowing this weapon to exist—was far worse. But the weight of it pressed against her chest, suffocating.

Edward was watching her again. He didn't say anything, but the way his gaze lingered told her he saw it—the war waging in her head.

"We need to keep moving," Jasper said, scanning the tree line. "They'll send a search team."

Alice grinned, holding up her tablet. "Not for a while. I rerouted their security feed—they think we ran east."

Edward didn't waste time. "Then we go west."

They pressed on, deeper into the forest, the smoldering lab still visible in the distance.

Bella clutched the drive in her pocket.

They did good, for now, but this was only just the beginning.

Still with me? :)