Riley's boots crunched over the broken fragments of concrete, glass, and splintered wood as he moved through what was once a mall and was now nothing more than a collapsed building. The ground still trembled faintly beneath his feet after the earthquake had struck so suddenly, leaving the city in ruins.

He scanned the rubble methodically, sweeping his flashlight across twisted steel and shattered walls. Every second mattered. Every call for help could be the last one someone had strength for.

Then—a sound.

Riley turned sharply toward it, heart hammering in his chest. His eyes caught a movement—a person, half-buried beneath the remains of a fallen building. He rushed forward, dropping to his knees without hesitation. "I'm Riley," he said, leaning close, making sure they could hear him over the dull roar of distant sirens and shifting debris. His voice was calm—he'd trained it to be. Even when adrenaline surged, even when time was against him. “I've got you.”