66 The Rescue

With the situation rapidly deteriorating and time slipping through my fingers like grains of sand, I knew hesitation could cost lives.

The AS50, now secured in my pack, felt like a weight of responsibility on my back as I prepared for a move that defied reason.

Every second mattered, and conventional methods would no longer suffice.

Positioning myself at the opposite end of the building, I took a moment to gauge the distance, the expanse between the rooftop and the shopping centre yawning like a chasm below.

Then, driven by a mix of desperation and determination, I broke into a sprint, the rooftop beneath my feet a blur as I charged towards the precipice.

The edge of the building approached rapidly, and with a final, forceful stride, I launched myself into the void.

The world seemed to shift into slow motion, the roar of the wind a deafening silence in my ears as I soared through the air.