"Fuck."
Ezekiel lowered his binoculars for only a second before raising them again. His hands were steady, but his heart was pounding, a frantic rhythm that matched the chaos unfolding before him. The compound had exploded into activity. The quiet forest had been shattered by the roar of engines and the shouts of guards.
Only minutes earlier, everything had been quiet. The building had stood dark and still, the guards maintaining their lazy patrols. Now powerful headlights cut through the darkness as one large van after another rolled into the building. The beams swept across the grounds, illuminating the frantic activity.
At least ten of them. Possibly more. Each one was large, windowless, designed to swallow as many victims as possible. Guards hurried in every direction, shouting orders as they dragged people out of the building. Their voices were sharp, urgent, laced with panic.
