Chapter 57

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Victor, grim, finished locking down his gear. "Everyone ready?"

Julian nodded, fiddling with the earpiece in his ear. "Surveillance is set. We have eyes on the warehouse, and the blueprints Kian's contact made for us are solid. We know the layout, and we know the weak points."

Emma checked her weapon, then turned to Fiona. "Gregor's safe, right? No one can get to him?

Fiona nodded reassuringly. "Safe. Kian's team is well prepared, and their safe house has been tripled since the day they brought him in. He's as good as secure."

Kian, keeping their back to the shadows while going over what little preparation remained to be done for this last push, finally stepped forward to speak. "Time is of the essence. Cross is a shadow, and if he so much as gets a whiff of what we're doing, he'll be gone, and we will never have another chance at this."

Victor's fist clenched around his weapon, eyes hard. "Then we don't give him that chance. We go in, take out his communication hubs, and cut off his escape routes. No hesitation.

Fiona's voice was calm as she spoke. "Let's remember, we don't go in just to take down Cross. We go in to finish it—to take out his threat once and for all. This is about more than justice. It's about protecting the people we care about.

The group nodded as one—clear, steely-eyed. No place for doubt or fear here. All in; all committed to see it through.

"Let's go," said Fiona as she pushed open the door.

They filed out into the night, their footsteps soft and purposeful. The forest around them was horribly still, as if it held its breath. The team made its way toward the vehicles, their attention completely on the task ahead.

There was a tension in the SUV, almost palpable, as they drove towards the warehouse. There was no desire to speak; it was thick with thoughts unsaid. Everyone could feel the intensity of what was at stake—what failure might mean.

Julian was the first to break it, speaking under his breath, his voice taut with control. "Be at the warehouse in five minutes. We go in fast, quietly take out the guards, and disable all the security systems. When we are inside the warehouse, we split into teams. Kian and I will go straight to the control room to take down the servers, and Fiona, you and Victor secure the perimeter. Emma, you cover the entrances.

Fiona eyed Julian through the rearview mirror. "What about Cross? If he's there, he's not going down without a fight."

Julian's jaw set firmly. "If he's in, we take him down. Without hesitation."

The warehouse stood in front of them, its brooding mass casting a frame against the night. They parked a short distance away, the vehicles blending into the shadows. The team exited quietly, weapons at the ready, and moved toward the building.

Once they reached the perimeter fence, Kian signalled them to stop and showed them where the barbed wire was cut, according to the preplanning: "This way is in. Keep up tight and low tones."

One by one they slipped through the gap in the fence; their movement was swift and soundless. Of course, the place was guarded, as they had reasoned. Julian and Victor took point, neutralizing the first two guards before they could raise an alarm.

Emma pushed forward, taking down the next wave of guards with carefully placed, measured shots. The team moved—everything in front of them handled themselves as if the choreography of their lives depended on this operation.

They all got to the side entrance, where Kian hacked the security, shutting down the cameras and alarms. "We're in. Follow the plan.

Julian and Kian took first entrance into the control room. Fiona, Victor and Emma sprawled out to take up positions in every direction of the warehouse. Her heart hammering in her chest, Fiona pushed the adrenaline aside and focused on what she had to do.

Inside the warehouse, Julian and Kian dashed through dim corridors. They ran into a few more guards, but the element of surprise was on their side. By the time the guards had time to figure out what was going on, it was too late.

Julian nodded to a door at the end of the hallway. "Control room's just ahead. We take out the servers, and Cross's entire operation goes dark.

Kian nodded firmly. "Let's do it."

They kicked in the door to the control room and downed the two technicians present before they could alert anyone. Kian dived straight to the servers and got his fingers to work on the keyboard like a concert pianist on a grand piano.

"Julian, take the door," he ordered through the tense calm in his voice.

Julian nodded, taking position near the entrance, just on one knee, gun in hand, and eyes down the sights. "How long's it gonna be?

Kian didn't look up from his work. "In a few minutes. Just keep them off my back."

Outside, Fiona and Victor lined the perimeter, holding it firm, but something was off. The guards were far too easy to take. The warehouse was far too quiet for his liking.

Victor moved closer to Fiona, his voice low. "Do you hear that?

Fiona heard everything with her senses alert to high alert. Too many footsteps for just a few patrolling guards they had already taken out, then she heard it. Her eyes widened in realization of the events happening.

"Victor, it's a trap! They knew we were coming!"

No sooner had the words left her mouth than what sounded like a stampede of charging feet burst through the doors at the opposite end of the warehouse. Fiona and Victor went down, scrambling for cover and opening fire as soon as they could on the advancing enemy troops.

"We need backup!" she yelled into her earpiece, her voice tense even as she shot another round. "Julian, Kian—get out of there!"

Julian's voice crackled over the comms. " We're almost done! Hold them off! "

Victor fired another shot; his jaw was clenched in determination. " We'll buy you time, but you need to hurry! "

In the control room, Kian's fingers worked rapidly over the keyboard, trying to take down the servers. The tension was almost unbearable, but he forced it not to get to him.

"Come on, come on," he muttered silently to himself, dropping a few beads of sweat off his brow.

Julian waited, eyes locked on the door, weapon steady and ready. He could hear blusterings of gunfire from the outside, but he knew they wouldn't leave until the job was finished.

Suddenly, Kian hit the final key, and the servers shut down with the lights in the control room flickering off. "It's done! Let's move!"

Julian needed no second telling. He and Kian fled the control room, dashing down the corridors that would lead them out. Gunfire was getting louder and louder—very soon they would be on the main floor.

As they burst onto the open, they caught sight of Fiona and Victor, held back by enemy attack. Julian and Kian jumped right in, shielding them as Fiona and Victor began to make their bodies move towards them.

"We have to fall back!" Fiona shouted frantically. Her voice could hardly be heard over the noise.

Julian just nodded with a grim expression on his face. "Let's go!"

The team shifted collectively en masse, out through the side entrance where they had infiltrated the building. But no sooner had they reached outside than another group of enemy forces confronted them.

Emma was at the doors, firing as she took the first few down by strings of shots.

"Go! I'll hold them off!"

"EMMA, NOOO!" Fiona shouted, but Emma was already pushing through to meet the enemy.

The team had no chance but to push through the doors. They hacked their way through the enemy, and it was the prevailing tension and fear that fueled their determination.

Finally, they reached the vehicles, the sound of gunfire still echoing in the night. Fiona looked over her shoulder, her heart pounding in her chest while Emma held the line.

"Emma get out of there!" Fiona shouted down the comms, though there was no response.

Victor grabbed Fiona's arm, dragging her toward the SUV.
"WE need to go! NOW!

She hesitated for a moment, looking at the warehouse, but deep down, she knew that Victor was right. They dawdled any second longer, and they'd all be gone. With a heavy heart, she turned and climbed into the vehicle.

They sped away, and the warehouse where they had been was rocked by explosions and then burst into flames that lighted up the night sky. The team looked back in total silence, letting in little by little the reality of what they had just gone through.

Fiona's hands trembled on the steering wheel as a whirl of thoughts passed through her mind. They had brought Cross's operation down successfully, but now at what cost? Emma was still out there, and they had no idea whether she came out of it alive or not.