The safe house was alive with tension, but Hayes and Wallace barely exchanged words as they prepared for the mission. The clock ticked toward midnight, and the dim glow from the laptop cast eerie shadows on the wall. Hayes' mind was running on fumes, the adrenaline masking the exhaustion from days of sleepless nights.
In just a few hours, they would be charging into the heart of Reed's operation. The docks. The thought of it gnawed at Hayes' mind like a warning bell that wouldn't stop ringing.
A sharp knock on the door jolted them both into action. Wallace was up in a second, gun drawn and aimed at the door. Hayes nodded, signaling him to stand by as they cautiously approached. They exchanged a quick glance before Hayes cracked the door open just enough to see who was on the other side.
"Relax. It's me," came a familiar voice.
Hayes opened the door wider to reveal a short, scruffy man wearing a leather jacket and a baseball cap pulled low over his face. Despite his unassuming appearance, this was Jimmy 'Blaze,' one of the best arms dealers in the underground. He wasn't someone you wanted to mess with, but he'd always been reliable when the stakes were high.
Blaze sauntered in, his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets. "You're lucky I like you, Hayes. Getting this gear in under 12 hours wasn't easy."
"I'm not in the mood for small talk," Hayes said, eyes scanning Blaze for any sign of betrayal. They trusted Blaze, but the stakes were too high to leave anything to chance. "Did you bring everything?"
Blaze grinned and waved a hand toward the hallway, where two large duffel bags sat waiting. "Everything you asked for—and then some. You're going to war, right? Figured you might want a little extra firepower."
Wallace stepped over, unzipping one of the bags. Inside were gleaming weapons, tactical gear, and a few surprises—grenades, smoke bombs, even a small drone for surveillance.
"You came through, Blaze," Wallace said, pulling out a bulletproof vest and inspecting it. "Let's hope this keeps us alive."
Blaze chuckled, but there was an edge to his voice. "Yeah, well, you're going to need it. Word on the street is Reed knows you're coming. He's doubling down on security at the docks. I heard he's even got some new guys—real professionals, not the usual muscle."
Hayes exchanged a look with Wallace. That wasn't good news. They'd already expected heavy resistance, but if Reed was bringing in experts, this mission just got a lot more dangerous.
"You have any other useful intel?" Hayes asked, their voice tight.
Blaze shrugged. "Nothing you don't already know. Reed's paranoid, but he's got every reason to be with you two on his tail. If you're going to take him down, you need to hit fast, hit hard, and get out before the place turns into a war zone."
"Thanks, Blaze," Hayes said, pulling out a roll of cash and tossing it to him. "Get out of here. We don't want you caught in the crossfire."
Blaze caught the money with a wink and tipped his cap. "Stay safe, Hayes. I like doing business with you, and I'd hate to lose a good customer."
With that, he disappeared into the night, leaving Hayes and Wallace alone with the arsenal they'd need to confront Reed.
The weight of what was coming next settled over them. This was it. No more running, no more hiding. It was time to face Reed head-on.
Wallace began laying out the gear on the table, organizing weapons, ammo, and equipment. "We need more than just the two of us," he muttered, his eyes dark with concern. "We're walking into a fortress. Even with all this gear, it won't be enough."
Hayes knew he was right. Going up against Reed's men with just the two of them was suicide, no matter how well-prepared they were. They needed backup. But the question was, who could they trust?
"I'll make some calls," Hayes said after a moment of consideration. "There are still a few people I can count on."
As Wallace continued prepping, Hayes stepped into the other room, phone in hand. This wasn't going to be easy. Most of the people they used to work with either feared Reed too much or had already been bought off. But there were still a few outliers—people who had scores to settle and weren't afraid to stand up to Reed's empire.
The first call went out to Mia Torres, a former detective turned private investigator. She had been one of Hayes' closest allies before Reed's rise to power forced her to go underground. Mia picked up after a couple of rings, her voice as sharp and business-like as ever.
"Hayes. Been a while," she said, skipping any pleasantries.
"I need your help," Hayes said bluntly. "We're taking down Reed. Tonight."
Mia didn't miss a beat. "You sure you're ready for this? Reed's no small-time crook. If you miss, he'll bury you."
"That's why I need someone who knows how to hit," Hayes replied. "You in?"
There was a pause on the other end, and then Mia's answer came, firm and decisive. "I'm in. Send me the details."
With Mia on board, Hayes made two more calls. One to a man named Ivan, a former special ops soldier turned mercenary, and another to a tech expert named Kira, who had helped them break into Reed's network before. Both agreed to meet at the docks.
After making the calls, Hayes returned to Wallace, who was just finishing up with the gear. "We've got a team," Hayes said, pulling on a tactical vest. "Mia, Ivan, and Kira. They'll meet us at the docks in an hour."
Wallace nodded, strapping a pistol to his side. "Good. We'll need all the help we can get."
The next hour passed in a blur of preparation. Weapons were loaded, plans were finalized, and the safe house became a staging ground for what felt like the final battle in a war they'd been fighting for too long.
As the clock struck midnight, Hayes and Wallace climbed into the car, their minds focused, their nerves steeled for what was coming. The streets were quiet as they made their way toward the docks, but the silence was deceiving. Tonight would be anything but calm.
The docks loomed ahead, dark and foreboding. Hayes' pulse quickened as they spotted the familiar figures waiting for them in the shadows—Mia, Ivan, and Kira. They were armed, ready, and just as determined to bring Reed down.
Mia gave a nod of acknowledgment as Hayes and Wallace approached. "You're cutting it close," she said, but there was no hint of hesitation in her tone.
"We work best under pressure," Wallace quipped, though his voice lacked its usual humor.
Ivan, a hulking figure with a scar running down the side of his face, cracked his knuckles. "Let's get this over with. I'm not getting any younger."
Kira, a slim woman with sharp eyes, held up a tablet. "I've hacked into the dock's security system. I can give you eyes on the cameras and disable the alarms. But once we're inside, it's up to you."
Hayes nodded, grateful for the support. "Let's move. We hit hard, fast, and we don't stop until Reed's out of the picture."
They made their way to the entrance of the docks, moving through the shadows like ghosts. The tension in the air was thick, every sound amplified in the stillness of the night.
Hayes felt the weight of their gun pressing against their side as they approached the perimeter. This was it. The moment they had been building toward for weeks, months even. Everything was riding on tonight.
Wallace glanced at Hayes, his expression serious. "Ready?"
Hayes took a deep breath, the weight of what lay ahead sinking in. "Ready."
With a single motion, they stepped into the darkness, their team close behind.
The hunt for Reed had officially begun.