Arc 5: The Veil of Betrayal Chapter 14: Smoke and Shadows
The air was thick with dust and smoke. Chunks of concrete and broken glass littered the ground, making every step a cautious one. Jae-min crouched behind a fallen support beam, his breathing shallow as he scanned the wreckage for signs of movement.
"Yuna, Kai, report!" he barked into his comm device, his voice tense but composed.
"Still pinned down," Yuna responded through the crackling static. "We've got debris blocking our exit, and the smoke's making it impossible to see. Kai's working on clearing a path."
Jae-min clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. They had underestimated Nexus, and now they were paying the price. This wasn't just an ambush—it was a calculated move to lure them into the heart of the trap.
"Stay where you are," Jae-min said, his voice steady despite the rising tension. "We're coming to you."
He turned to the two remaining members of his rooftop team. Both wore grim expressions, their weapons ready but their postures tense. They had fought hard to secure the upper level, but now it was clear that the real fight was only beginning.
"Plan's changed," Jae-min said. "We need to regroup with Yuna and Kai before Nexus reinforcements arrive. Stay alert."
The team moved cautiously, picking their way through the wreckage. Every creak of metal and shift of rubble set Jae-min's nerves on edge. He knew Nexus wouldn't leave them alone for long. They had to move fast.
Meanwhile, on the lower level, Yuna wiped the sweat from her brow as she helped Kai shove aside a large piece of debris blocking their path. The smoke was thick, stinging her eyes and throat, but she forced herself to stay focused.
"This is taking too long," Kai muttered, his voice muffled by the cloth he had tied around his face to filter the worst of the smoke. "If Nexus sends another wave, we're sitting ducks."
"We don't have a choice," Yuna replied. "Jae-min's on his way. We just need to hold out until he gets here."
Kai didn't look convinced, but he didn't argue. He knew Yuna was right. Still, the tension in the air was palpable. They were running out of time.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor. Yuna and Kai snapped to attention, weapons raised. For a moment, all they could hear was the pounding of their own hearts.
"It's us," Jae-min's voice called out from the shadows, and moments later he and his team emerged from the smoke.
Relief washed over Yuna's face, though she didn't lower her weapon until Jae-min was standing right in front of her. "Took you long enough," she said, her voice laced with dry humor.
"Had to fight through half the building to get here," Jae-min replied. "You good?"
"We're fine. Just a little smoked out." Yuna coughed slightly, waving a hand in front of her face. "What's the plan?"
Jae-min didn't hesitate. "We need to get out of here. This place is coming down, and we don't want to be inside when it does. There's an emergency stairwell on the north side—if we can reach it, we can get out before Nexus realizes we're still alive."
"And if they've already got it covered?" Kai asked.
"Then we make them regret it," Jae-min said simply.
Yuna smirked, some of the tension easing from her shoulders. "Sounds like a plan."
The team moved quickly but carefully, sticking close together as they navigated the crumbling building. The air was filled with the groaning of stressed metal and the occasional crash of falling debris. Every sound made Yuna's heart race, but she kept moving, trusting Jae-min's leadership.
They were halfway to the stairwell when the first shots rang out.
"Ambush!" Kai shouted, diving behind a fallen support beam as bullets ricocheted off the walls around them.
Jae-min didn't need to be told twice. He and the others quickly took cover, returning fire in short, controlled bursts. Nexus operatives had taken up positions ahead, blocking their path to the stairwell.
"Looks like they were expecting us," Yuna muttered, ducking as another volley of bullets whizzed past her head.
"Then we give them something they didn't expect," Jae-min said, his mind already racing through their options. He glanced at Kai, who was crouched behind cover nearby. "Got any grenades left?"
"Just one," Kai replied, patting his vest. "But it's a flashbang, not explosive."
"That's perfect. Toss it on my signal."
Kai nodded, pulling the flashbang from his vest and holding it at the ready.
"On three," Jae-min said, his eyes locked on the enemy positions. "One… two… three!"
Kai popped up from behind cover, hurling the flashbang with practiced precision. It sailed through the air and landed right in the middle of the Nexus operatives.
A blinding flash and deafening bang filled the corridor, disorienting the enemy long enough for Jae-min and his team to move.
"Go, go, go!" Jae-min shouted, leading the charge toward the stairwell.
They hit the enemy line hard, taking down the disoriented operatives with swift efficiency. Within moments, they had cleared the way and reached the stairwell.
"Move!" Jae-min urged, ushering everyone through the door and onto the stairs.
By the time they reached the ground level, the building was beginning to collapse in earnest. They burst out into the open air just as the upper floors caved in behind them, sending up a massive cloud of dust and debris.
For a moment, all they could do was stand there, catching their breath as they watched the building crumble. They had made it out, but just barely.
"That was too close," Yuna said, her voice hoarse from the smoke and dust.
Jae-min didn't respond right away. He was scanning the area, his senses on high alert. Even though they had escaped the building, he knew they weren't out of danger yet.
"We need to keep moving," he said finally. "Nexus won't stop just because we made it out. They'll come after us again."
Yuna nodded, and the rest of the team fell into step behind Jae-min as they made their way toward a safehouse on the outskirts of the city. They had survived the ambush, but the fight was far from over.
And Jae-min knew that if they wanted to win, they couldn't afford to let their guard down—not even for a moment.
End of Chapter 14