Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 114 (Cylan's POV) The air was thick with tension, the kind that prickled at the back of your neck and made every sound feel like a threat. The patients aroundwhispered nervously as their eyes darted betweenand the dark corridor that stretched ahead. This was it. The culmination of weeks of quiet planning, covert meetings, and stolen supplies. We were finally ready to make our move.

"Listen up," I said. "Once we hit the East Wing, we split into two groups. Lena, Marcus, and the others will cause a diversion in the cafeteria. The rest of us head straight for the West Wing. If we stick to the plan, we'll avoid the guards and get through undetected." "What if the guards don't take the bait?" Lena asked.

"They will," I replied, injecting more confidence than I felt. "They won't expect patients to organize like this. Just remember your role, and we'll be fine." We moved in silence and hugged more walls than I could count as we made our way through the endless corridors. The center was a labyrinth, but I'd memorized every twist and turn. Past the infirmary, we turned right into a utility hall. The flickering fluorescent lights made the space feel smaller than it was.

The sound of boots echoing down the main corridor made us freeze. My heart hammered as I motioned for everyone to hide. We pressed ourselves against the walls, barely breathing as two guards walked past. Their voices were muffled by the buzz of machinery.

As soon as they were out of earshot, I gestured for us to move.

We reached the East Wing without incident, and I nodded to Marcus. "You know what to do." He gavea grim smile and led his group down the adjacent corridor. Seconds later, the faint sound of shouting echoed back to us.

"That's our cue," I whispered.

The West Wing was right ahead, with its heavy double doors standing like a barrier between us and freedom. I swiped the stolen keycard against the scanner, and the light blinked green. "Let's go," I said and pushed the door open.

But as we entered, I froze.

Angel, Hendrix, Thomas, and the rest of their group were already there.

"Cylan?" Angel's voice was a mix of shock and relief. "What are you doing here?" "Sas you," I replied sharply. "Trying to get out of this hellhole." Hendrix frowned. "You didn't think to tell us?" "I didn't think I needed your permission," I shot back.

"Enough," Angel said and stepped between us. "We don't have tfor this. If we're both heading for the West Wing exit, we'll need to work together." For a moment, the tension was palpable. Then I nodded. "Fine. Let's move." Our combined group moved quickly as we went through the West Wing's maze of hallways. Thomas and I took the lead as his knowledge of the center's layout adequately complimented my own.

"We need to avoid the security hub," he said as he pointed to a map he'd sketched on a scrap of paper. "It's heavily monitored. If we go through the storage area instead, we can bypass it." I nodded and adjusted our route accordingly.

We slipped through the storage area and ducked behind shelves stacked with medical supplies. The air was stale.

"Hold up," Thomas said and held out his hand.

Ahead, a guard stood at the end of the corridor, his back to us.

"Leave this to me," Hendrix muttered and stepped forward.

Before any of us could stop him, he approached the guard, moving with the quiet confidence of someone who had nothing to lose. In a moment, he grabbed the guard from behind and locked an arm around his throat until he slumped unconscious.

"Let's go," Hendrix said.

(Dilara's POV) As the others pressed on, I hung back.

"Angel," I called softly and pulled her aside.

She turned and furrowed her brow. "What is it?" "I need to handle something," I said steadily despite the turmoil in my chest.

Her eyes widened. "Dilara, this isn't the tfor side missions. We need everyone together." "I know," I said and placed a hand on her arm. "But this is something I have to do. I'll catch up, I promise." Angel hesitated, then nodded. She finally understood. "Be careful." "I will."; I made my way toward the administrative offices, where I knew Ethan would be.

The route was risky, but I'd memorized the guard rotations.

m Ducking into side corridors and slipping through unmarked doors, I moved like a ghost through the building. Finally, I reached the office. The door was ajar, and I could hear Ethan's voice inside. He was speaking smugly on the phone.

I slipped inside and closed the door quietly behind me.

"Whoever you're talking to, hang up," I said coldly.

Ethan turned and narrowed his eyes. "Dilara. What a surprise." "Not for long," I said and stepped closer.

He smirked. "What's this? Another attempt to scare me? You should know by now, sweetheart, that doesn't work."

I didn't reply. Instead, I reached into my bag and pulled out a out a small m device-a taser I'd stolen from the guards supply closet. His smirk faltered. "You wouldn't." "Watch me," I said and pressed the button.

The jolt sent him crashing to the floor, his body convulsing.

As he lay there, gasping for breath, I leaned down.

"This is for everything you did to me," I said as my voice shook with rage. "You thought you'd get away with it.

But not this time."

I reached into my bag again and pulled out a USB drive. Plugging it into his computer, I downloaded every incriminating file I could find-evidence of his involvement in the center's experiments, his assaults, his shady deals. By the the recovered, it was too late. "You're finished, Ethan," I said. "Enjoy the fallout." As I left the office, I felt a strange sense of calm.

The fight wasn't over, but I'd won this battle. And I wasn't done yet.