The heavy, metallic click of the *MASTER PLAY* button echoed in the soundproof VIP control booth, a sharp punctuation mark at the end of Julian’s countdown.

Instantly, the stadium beneath them erupted.

Eighty thousand screaming fans surged forward as the massive stage lights flared to life, pain

Julian didn't hesitate. He launched himself across the narrow space of the control booth like a rabid animal, his polished veneer entirely shredded.

Lyra barely had time to brace herself before his hands clamped around her throat. The sheer force of his momentum drove her backward. Her spine slamm

The VIP control booth was a capsule of absolute silence, suspended high above a sea of pandemonium.

Through the reinforced glass, Lyra watched the stadium floor below devolve into a chaotic frenzy. Tens of thousands of fans were screaming, surging against the barricades, holding up their phones to