The stairwell shook beneath Rowan's feet as he led Roselyn upward, shielding her from the smoke curling through the metal shafts. Each explosion rattled the ship like a beast thrashing in its death throes. Roselyn stumbled behind him, holding onto the back of his vest with trembling fingers, terrified that if she let go—even for a second—she'd lose him in the choking darkness.
"Stay close," Rowan ordered, glancing back just long enough to make sure she was still there.
She nodded, but her throat was too tight to speak. The metallic taste of fear coated her tongue. Her legs felt like they were on the verge of collapsing, but she forced herself to climb—one shaky step at a time.
Above them, gunfire echoed through the stairwell.
Rowan pushed her against the inner wall. "Down!"
Three bullets pierced the air where her head had been seconds earlier. Rowan returned fire with swift, sharp movements—no hesitation, no wasted bullets. The bodies of Rambo's men thudded against the staircase, their weapons clattering uselessly down the metal steps.
Roselyn flinched at the sound. She had seen too many corpses in the labs. Too many screams. Too many bodies on cold tables. Her mind recoiled, wanting to retreat, to shut down.
Rowan noticed the distant look creeping into her eyes.
"Roselyn," he said firmly, "look at me."
She did. Barely.
"You're not down there anymore," he said, voice low but steady. "You're with me. I'll get you out."
She swallowed hard and nodded again. His words anchored her—just enough to keep moving.
They reached the upper deck, where smoke poured through vents like black serpents. The sharp scent of burning chemicals stung Roselyn's nose. Flames licked hungrily along the walls, illuminating the chaos like a hellish sunrise.
Rowan guided her to a narrow maintenance corridor.
"This way. It avoids most of their patrol routes."
"Why… why aren't the others coming this way?" Roselyn managed to ask, her voice raw from smoke.
"Because their mission is to secure evidence," Rowan answered. "Mine is to secure you."
Her breath caught. No one had ever prioritized her like that—not genuinely. Not without hidden intentions.
Before she could respond, a new voice echoed through the corridor speakers.
Cold. Ruthless. Familiar.
Rambo.
"Roselyn."
She froze instantly. Every bone in her body turned to ice.
"That soldier can't protect you," Rambo drawled. "Bring yourself to me, and I won't hurt him."
Rowan snorted. "He's lying. Keep moving."
Rambo continued, his tone syrupy and deceptive."You remember what happened last time you ran, don't you? Come back, and I'll make the pain stop."
Roselyn's chest tightened. Her mind flashed images she didn't want—needles forced under her skin, restraints biting into her wrists, cold hands holding her down.
She pressed her palms to her ears. "Stop—please stop—"
Rowan stepped closer, blocking the wall speakers with his hand as if he could shield her from the voice.
"Listen to me," he said quietly. "You don't belong to him. You don't belong to any of them."
Her breath trembled.
"You belong to yourself," Rowan added.
She blinked, tears threatening to spill—but not from fear this time. From something unfamiliar. Something that felt dangerously like hope.
But Rambo wasn't done.
"And Rowan…" Rambo's voice sharpened, laced with venom. "Do you know what she is? What she carries inside her? You think you're rescuing an innocent hostage?"
Rowan's jaw clenched.
"She's the culmination of years of work," Rambo hissed. "My masterpiece. Bring her back, or your entire team dies tonight."
Rowan raised his rifle. "He talks too much."
He smashed the nearest speaker with the butt of his weapon, sparks flying.
"Move," he ordered.
They pressed forward into a narrow hall, the floor vibrating beneath their feet as the ship groaned. Water was rushing into the lower decks; Roselyn could hear it—a deep, rhythmic pulse like the heartbeat of a drowning beast.
"Rowan?" she whispered. "Is the ship sinking?"
"Yes," he answered. "We need to reach the extraction point before it goes down."
They reached a final door leading to the main deck.
But as Rowan pushed it open—
A massive figure blocked their path.
Rambo.
His muscular silhouette loomed under the flickering emergency lights, one hand wrapped around an assault rifle, the other clenched around the guardrail as if he owned the very steel under his feet.
He smirked.
"Going somewhere?"
Roselyn stumbled back, slamming into Rowan's chest.
Rowan raised his gun instantly. "Step aside."
Rambo laughed. "You think I'm letting you walk away with my research?"
"She's not your research," Rowan growled.
Rambo tilted his head. "Tell me, soldier… has she told you yet what she really is? What we did to her?"
Roselyn shook violently.
Rowan didn't look away from Rambo. "I don't care."
"Then you're a fool." Rambo leveled his rifle. "Move away from her."
Rowan fired without hesitation.
Three rapid shots.
Rambo dodged behind a metal crate, returning fire with explosive force that rattled the entire deck.
Rowan grabbed Roselyn, pulling her behind an overturned container. "Stay low!"
Bullets shredded the metal around them. Roselyn covered her ears, trembling. The world felt like it was imploding around her—but Rowan's body shielded hers completely, refusing to let anything touch her.
He leaned in close. "On my signal, run to the left. There's a hatch that leads straight outside."
"And you?" she whispered.
"I'll be right behind you."
Something in his voice—steady, unwavering—cut through her panic. She nodded.
Rowan counted under his breath.
"Three… two… one—GO!"
Roselyn sprinted.
Rambo's attention snapped to her instantly.
"There you are," he growled.
He aimed—
But Rowan slammed into him from behind, tackling him with brutal force. Their weapons clattered across the deck as they crashed against the steel floor, fists flying, elbows striking, grunts echoing between gunshots.
"Run, Roselyn!" Rowan shouted.
She reached the hatch—
A bullet grazed her calf. She fell with a cry, gripping the metal edge.
"ROSELYN!" Rowan roared.
He shoved Rambo off with a final blow and sprinted toward her. Water surged onto the deck. Fire raged overhead. The ship screamed as if alive.
Rowan slid beside her, hooking his arm around her waist. "I've got you—jump!"
Together, they leapt from the burning ship into the freezing black sea below.
Rambo reached the railing just as they vanished into the waves.
His furious scream was drowned by the explosion as the ship began to collapse into itself, flames devouring the last of his empire.
But Rambo wasn't done.
Not even close.