A loud banging on the door shattered the silence of the room, jerking everyone awake. Sabir rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. The door creaked open, and Miguel’s imposing figure filled the frame, his muscular silhouette casting a long shadow.

“Rise and shine,” he shouted loudly, his deep voice reverberating through the room. “We are getting ready to leave. Get down quickly.”

Samantha and Max scrambled to their feet, their faces reflecting the same mix of dread and determination. Sabir pushed himself up from the floor, his body stiff from the uncomfortable night's sleep. Miguel didn’t wait for them to fully wake up; he turned and marched down the corridor, expecting them to follow.

The base was already abuzz with activity, but it was a disorganized, uneasy bustle. Members of the Wyrm Raiders stumbled about, their movements sluggish and unsteady. Many of them had bleary eyes and unkempt hair, evidence of a long night spent drinking heavily with Miguel. Their faces, flushed and worn, betrayed a mix of exhaustion and unease.

The air was thick with a palpable tension, as if the very walls of the base were holding their breath. Whispers and murmurs floated through the hallways, and the Raiders exchanged nervous glances whenever Miguel’s name was mentioned. It was clear they held a deep-seated fear of him, their previously boisterous bravado replaced by a hesitant wariness. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of impending dread, and Sabir couldn’t shake the feeling that today was not just another day—it was a turning point, fraught with uncertainty and danger.

As they descended the stairs, Max couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. “Why are the Triads here in the Wyrm Raiders' base and why are they so scared of you?” he asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.

Miguel glanced back at them, a sinister smile spreading across his face. “They had the biggest building we could use, so we killed all their leaders and took control of it,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact. “We let the grunts live in exchange for doing the house chores.” He laughed maniacally, the sound echoing off the walls and sending a chill down Sabir’s spine.

They reached the ground floor, where Cinder stood at a table, surrounded by maps and blueprints. Her fiery hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, her eyes sharp and alert. She looked up as they entered, giving them a curt nod.

“Good, you’re here,” she said briskly. “We don’t have much time. Gather around, and let’s go over the plan.”

Sabir couldn't help but notice that, besides Miguel who was wearing another Hawaiian shirt, the rest of the Triads were dressed in black suits. Cinder herself wore a long coat, giving her a commanding presence. Nia, on the other hand, had her shirt's top buttons undone, revealing her cleavage, and she wore a skirt. Max blushed when she looked at him, while Sabir couldn't help but question their choice of attire.

“Why are you all dressed like this?” Sabir asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

Cinder’s eyes met his, and she replied, “We need to be in uniform when we announce that the Triads are going to be returning to Havana.”

Sabir nodded, still feeling uneasy. His attention was drawn to three individuals he hadn't seen before.

Cinder noticed his gaze and introduced them.

“This is Kofi Mensah,” she said, gesturing to a well-dressed, imposing figure with salt-and-pepper hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and sharp features. His attire was impeccably tailored, reflecting a high status within the Triads.

“Omar Al-Farsi,” she continued, pointing to a medium-built man with a stealthy, almost ghost-like presence. He had dark, brooding eyes and a shaved head, his attire dark and functional.

“And this is Anaya Patel, Jai’s younger sister,” she said, her tone softening as she introduced the nine-year-old girl. Anaya had sleek black hair tied back and piercing green eyes just like Jai’s. Unlike the others, she was not wearing a suit but a cute little frilly dress.

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As they took in the new faces, Anaya suddenly stepped forward, her small frame seeming to grow larger with an intense, otherworldly energy. Her piercing green eyes locked onto Sabir, and she raised a trembling finger to point directly at him.

“Stay away from him!” Anaya's voice rang out, unnaturally loud for her age, echoing through the room with an eerie resonance. “He will lead the world into a nightmare. Cities will burn, and the skies will turn to ash. Blood will stain the streets, and no one will be safe. A terrible future awaits us all with him leading the way.”

As she spoke, her eyes began to glow with an unsettling, ethereal light, casting a ghostly hue over her delicate features. The room seemed to darken around her, the shadows deepening as if drawn to her prophetic vision. Sabir felt a chill run down his spine, his heart pounding in his chest.

The glow in Anaya's eyes intensified, filling the room with a strange, pulsating light. Her voice grew even more haunting, layered with a tone that seemed to reverberate from another realm. “You will betray those closest to you, Sabir. You will unleash a darkness that none can control. Destruction and despair will follow in your wake, and the world will never recover.”

Suddenly, the light in Anaya’s eyes flickered and died, leaving the room in an oppressive silence. She gasped, her small body shaking with the effort of the vision, before she turned and fled, hiding behind Cinder’s protective form.

The room remained still, the air thick with the weight of her words. Everyone turned to look at Sabir, their faces etched with a mix of confusion, fear, and suspicion. The foreboding prophecy hung heavy in the air, impossible to ignore.

“What was that?” Sabir asked, his voice barely above a whisper, laced with a trembling edge.

Jai stepped forward, his face pale and eyes wide with worry. “Anaya’s powers are... unique,” he began cautiously. “She can always discern truths and emotions about people, but she’s only seen the future, or some sort of vision, once before. And it was never anything like this.”

The group remained silent, absorbing the gravity of what had just transpired. Sabir could feel their eyes on him, judging, questioning. The ominous future Anaya had foretold loomed over them all, casting a shadow that no one could easily dismiss.

The weight of Anaya’s words hung heavy in the air. Sabir could see the doubt and fear in the eyes of his friends and the Triads alike, since when were the words of a little girl so valued? For now, though, there was no time to dwell on it.

As Sabir observed the scene, Jai approached Anaya, who had retreated behind Cinder. The young girl leaned against her, her small frame huddled between Cinder's long muscular legs, her earlier aura of eerie certainty replaced by a palpable sadness. Her piercing green eyes stared blankly ahead, a look of deep unease etched on her face.

Jai knelt beside her, his expression a mix of concern and gentle resolve. “Hey, Anaya,” he said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright?”

Anaya looked up, her eyes still glowing faintly with the remnants of her earlier vision. “I don’t like this place,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “I don’t like what I see.”

Jai’s brow furrowed with worry. “I know it’s scary. But remember, it’s just a vision. We'll be leaving soon now, don't worry.”

Cinder, sensing the tension, clapped her hands to regain everyone's attention. “Jai’s right, we've been out of Havana too long,” she said firmly. “We need to regroup and focus.” She addressed the Triads, her voice strong and confident. “You all know the plan.” The Triads nodded, their excitement palpable.

Then, Cinder turned to Sabir, Samantha, and Max. Her expression shifted to something more serious. “I lied to you slightly,” she admitted. “We aren’t going to help you get through to Havana.”

“What?” Max exclaimed, his face contorting in disbelief. “But you said—”

“I know what I said,” Cinder interrupted sharply. “But you see it's a matter of being precise.” Cinder said with a wide grin

Every member of the Triads, except for Anaya, wore sinister smiles. Anaya, however, continued to watch Sabir from behind Cinder, her eyes filled with an unsettling mix of fear and curiosity.

“From today, anyone will enter Havana,” Cinder continued, her voice carrying a dark promise. She pointed to the threshold marked on the map, then drew a cross right through it. “Because we’re going to destroy the threshold.”

The room fell into a stunned silence, the gravity of Cinder’s words sinking in. Sabir, Samantha, and Max exchanged worried glances, their minds racing with the implications of what they’d just heard.

Cinder’s gaze hardened, her resolve clear. “Get ready. We move out in fifteen minutes. Just stand back and watch, don't get in the fucking way.”

As the group dispersed, unphased by the plan. The trio huddled together, their earlier confusion giving way to a shared sense of panic. “These guys are psychos!”