She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew) novel Chapter 413

As Athena made her way back, in the quiet of Hillcrest's small-town military hospital, far from Kitmore City, an elderly man lay in bed, his white hair lending a gentle dignity to his worn face.

Looking at his granddaughter by his side, he began in a rough, nostalgic voice, "The one I let down most in my life was that boy.

"He joined the army at nineteen—sharp, full of energy. He could write, he could fight. Like a young tree, growing strong, ready to stand tall one day.

"On the training grounds, he always stood out. Every time I visited, he was the first one I would spot. It made me feel like the world was worth living again."

His gaze drifted as he recalled, his voice softer. "He had an older brother on the front lines, and he could've stayed behind, somewhere safer. But I admired him too much, so I brought him close, wanted him by my side.

"One day, during patrol, we ran into rebels disguised as refugees. He was the first to sense something was wrong. He shouted and stepped right in front of me, took two bullets without hesitation. Even as he fell, he managed to kill three of them."

Tears gathered in his eyes. "If it weren't for him, I would have been gone long ago. I'd have missed out on marriage, on a family—and you would not even be here.

"He was only twenty-one. Two short years in the service, and his older and younger brothers... they gave their lives too. The Donovan family—they were loyal to the end."

His granddaughter had heard this story time and time again, but she still listened intently, taking it all in as if it were new.

"Grandpa," she said, kneeling down and holding his hand firmly, "I understand. And I promise, I will protect Zayn, no matter what it takes."

The old man looked her straight in the eye. "The Jackal gang is there for Zayn. They are likely not planning to come back alive. When it's time, they'll try to take as many people down with them. Are you really ready for this?"

"Absolutely," she replied, her face calm. "I'm ready."

At that moment, the door opened, and her guard stepped in. "Major General, the helicopter is ready."

The woman stood up and saluted the old man. "I will head out now. I won't come back until the mission is complete."

With a shaking hand, he returned her salute. "Go on, then."

Without looking back, she walked out of the room.

Outside, behind the inpatient building, a high-speed military helicopter was already waiting. She climbed aboard and piloted it out of Hillcrest toward Gringger City.

On the outskirts of Gringger City stood an infamous unfinished complex. Once the future of luxury tourism, Wyomarlo City was an ambitious 20 billion dollars project by Infinity Group, set to span eight thousand acres.

But as the giant company crumbled, construction halted, leaving the city abandoned with only 70 to 80 percent completed.

From above, it was a maze of empty streets, rough buildings, abandoned hotels, shopping centers, and amusement parks—all covered in tall weeds and crumbling from neglect. The place looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie.

Wyomarlo City was perfect for filming action scenes—and equally suited to real-life military versus terrorist operations.

The mission was not just to neutralize the terrorists; it was about rescuing hostages and, most importantly, keeping Zayn safe.