An hour later, Shadow's commanding voice cut through the silence. "Everyone, gather around."
Cipher sat at the central console, eyes glued to the holographic screen displaying the newly decoded drive's contents. His fingers danced across the interface, revealing an old blueprint or perhaps a map. The digital display flickered, showing fragmented lines and cryptic symbols.
"Almost there," Cipher muttered, tapping rapidly. With a final keystroke, the blueprint stabilized.
Shadow's sharp gaze scrutinized the screen. "An old map... not surprising. But what's this?"
Cipher leaned in, pointing to the upper edge of the map. "It's not clear, but here—at the top—it says CB.0BAC°- and to the left, pM.DCCM°. Looks like some kind of code."
Shadow's expression hardened. "Top and left mean north and west."
Cipher nodded. "Right. If we decode it... C=3, B=4, and zero, then B again, 4, A=5, C=3. That gives us 34.0453° N. For west, p is lowercase, so it's likely two numbers. P=11, M=8, D=2, C=3, M=8. That's 118.2338° W."
The holographic map zoomed in, aligning with the coordinates. Cipher's voice crackled through the comms. "Got it. The location is a warehouse district, two clicks south of the central water tower. Coordinates place it off 6th Avenue, beneath the old overpass."
Shadow studied the flashing point on the map. "What's there?"
Cipher's tone grew serious. "Satellite feed shows a dead zone. No activity. No heat signatures. Just... nothing."
Bullseye smirked. "A dead zone with a signal? Totally normal."
Shadow's voice turned cold. "Approach quietly. If this blueprint is right, that warehouse is hiding more than shadows. It's a trap waiting to spring."
Viper grinned. "Good. Let's spring it."
Before the team could move, their boss, Agent Inferno, stepped into the room, his imposing figure demanding attention. His glare landed squarely on Bullseye.
"I heard you blew up the entire building. Care to explain?"
Bullseye stepped forward without hesitation. "It was me."
Inferno's voice was sharp, but controlled. "Because of your recklessness, the police are sniffing around the blast site. We don't involve law enforcement, ever. Listen up, team. This agency operates in the shadows for a reason. We're unseen, unknown. Our mission is national security—protecting what others can't even comprehend. If you mess up, you don't just fail the mission; you put all of us at risk. Our secrecy is our strength. Break it, and chaos wins. I expect better."
The team nodded, chastened but determined. Inferno turned to Shadow. "Any progress?"
Shadow replied curtly. "The map leads to a warehouse. Something off the grid, hidden from satellites."
Inferno's tone softened slightly. "Good. Start working on it."
As Inferno left, the team prepared. Cipher stayed in the car, monitoring comms. The rest split into pairs: Shadow with Ghost, and Viper with Bullseye.
"Check your earpieces," Cipher said. "And wear your bulletproof vests. If anything goes wrong, use the code word Omega. Got it?"
Viper rolled his eyes. "Why not something cooler? Like the name of a snake? These code words are so boring."
Bullseye snorted as he adjusted his weapons. "Says the guy who trips over his own jokes."
Shadow ignored them, calmly loading his gun. "Focus."
As the team moved out, Cipher called out, "Ghost, wait." He handed him a sleek wristband. "Wear this. It's experimental tech. Might help with that wound."
Ghost frowned. "I'm fine."
Cipher didn't budge. "Just wear it."
With a roll of his eyes, Ghost strapped it on and left.
The car fell silent as the team approached the coordinates. The air was thick with tension, and the only sound was the faint hum of the car's engine. They parked a block away, slipping into the shadows of the night.
The warehouse loomed ahead, its silhouette jagged against the dark sky. Cipher's voice broke the silence. "You're at the entry point. Stay sharp."
The mission had begun.