Outside, the storm raged, but it was nothing compared to the chaos inside. Wind howled through the cracks in the dilapidated store, carrying with it the scent of rain, smoke, and the unmistakable tension of the battle that loomed just outside. Adrian's mind was a storm of its own, the relentless roar of his thoughts drowning out the world. They were cornered. They had no backup, no easy way out. But they had each other.
And for now, that would have to be enough.
The flickering fluorescent lights overhead cast long shadows over the small convenience store. The shelves were bare, long picked over by scavengers. The faint smell of stale chips and old canned goods clung to the air, but Adrian could barely notice it. His focus was on the door, the windows, the air growing heavier with each passing second.
"Everyone stay low," Adrian ordered, his voice firm over the din. "If they're coming, they'll be here soon."
Claire was already peering into the darkness, leaning her back against the cracked drywall. She was calm, eerily so, but Adrian knew that fire in her eyes. She was calculating, always did, thinking ahead of every move their foes would make. Her gun was ready, fingers poised above the trigger.
"Emma," Adrian called out, his gaze flicking toward her. She was crouched beside the doorway, peeking out through the cracked blinds. Her expression was a mask of controlled urgency.
"They're coming in from the east side," she said, her voice low, tight with focus. "I can hear them—moving fast, trying to surround us."
"Perfect," Claire muttered under her breath. "They'll think we're trapped. Let's give them a surprise."
Adrian wasn't so sure. He'd lived through enough ambushes to know nothing ever went according to plan. But they had little choice. They couldn't wait here forever. They must push through, or else they would never make it out alive.
He turned to Sofia, who was still clutching the file like it was a lifeline. Her eyes were wide, but there was a coldness to her expression now, a hard resolve that mirrored his own.
"Don't worry," he said softly, his voice barely audible above the sound of the wind outside. "We're not losing you. Not today."
Sofia nodded, though she said nothing. She didn't need to. She knew. The weight of the file wasn't just physical-it was what they were fighting for. It held the key to tearing down the system that had brought them to this point, and knowing their mission was so much bigger than themselves was a constant reminder of what they stood to lose.
Outside, the sounds of movement grew louder. Footsteps, the scrape of metal on concrete, the low murmur of voices. The mercenaries were closing in, and there was no time left.
"We make our stand here," Adrian said, his voice hardening with determination. "They want us dead, fine. Let's make them work for it."
Claire's lips twisted into a wry smile. "About damn time."
Adrian was already up, repositioning himself by the back exit of the store. It led out to a small alley that, in turn, connected into other streets. It wasn't a great escape route. They'd have to fight their way through. He motioned Sofia and Emma to follow; Claire stayed up front, eyes narrowed, peering out at the street for any sign of movement.
"On my signal, we make a break for the alley," Adrian ordered. "Claire, left side, Emma, you go right. I take center. Stay in your lanes and for the love of God, keep your heads down."
Sofia's fingers gripped the file harder, her knuckles whitening. Her pulse raced in her ears. She wasn't afraid to fight, but fear still lurked, lurking in the back of her mind. Fear of failure, of losing her team, of the unknown storm that was about to hit.
She would push through. They all would.
"I'm ready," Emma said, her voice clipped but steady.
Sofia's eyes flashed towards Claire, who stood in position like a panther about to leap. Her eyes were unwavering, not one twitch, one falter. A woman who had battled for her life countless times shone out of those eyes.
Seconds dragged into infinity.
The first shot cut the air, a sharp crack that reverberated in Sofia's chest; it was followed by a second, then a third. The mercenaries had made their move. They weren't waiting anymore.
Adrian didn't hesitate. With a burst of adrenaline, he charged toward the alley, raising his gun. Claire quickly followed him, taking position by the window, her gun spitting out a series of controlled bursts at the advancing mercenaries.
Sofia and Emma were close behind; as they reached the alley, a burst of gunfire rattled the brick wall beside them, forcing them to duck for cover. Sofia's heart hammered in her chest as she pressed herself against the cold, rough surface of the wall.
"Go!" Adrian yelled, his voice slicing through the tension. He was already running, dodging between the narrow alleys, making the mercenaries give chase.
They ran through dark streets, dodging bullets coming from every direction in zigzag motions. Mercenaries seemed endless, pressing on to make them an easy catch once again. Yet Adrian, Claire, Emma, and Sofia proved to be faster. For this, they had been trained; they had seen the worst.
And yet, even as they ran, a sense of dread gnawed at the edges of their thoughts.
The storm outside was nothing compared to the storm within. The knowledge Sofia carried in her hands, the knowledge that could bring down corrupt corporations and governments, was their only bargaining chip. If it fell into the wrong hands, the world would fall apart. And with every second passing, the stakes only seemed to grow higher.
"Head for the bridge!" Adrian barked, leading them toward a narrow path that would take them over the river into a safer district. "We cross there, and we can lose them in the underground."
Sofia's heart skipped a beat. The underground was their best shot. It was a maze of old tunnels and passages, places the mercenaries wouldn't think to search. But it was also a death trap. They could get lost in those tunnels, or worse-caught by another faction that didn't care who they were.
But there was no choice now.
They were crossing the bridge in a blur, the cold wind biting into their skin as they moved, their bodies propelled by adrenaline. The shadows of the mercenaries loomed ahead, but for now, they were losing ground.
"Take the stairs!" Adrian yelled as they reached the entrance to the underground. His eyes darted in every direction, peering for any sign of their pursuers. "Quickly!"
The group descended into the dark, musty depths of the tunnel, their footsteps echoing off the cold concrete walls. The air was damp, heavy with the scent of decay. But the silence was a welcome reprieve, the pounding of their hearts the only sound that mattered.
They kept moving, deeper and deeper into the maze of tunnels, not looking back. They couldn't afford to.
Adrian's mind was clear, thinking of the next move they needed to make. They had to get the file to safety. They needed to reach the extraction point. If not, all they fought for would be lost. Outside, the storm wasn't the only one. It was inside too, and it came for all of them.
As they rounded a corner, Sofia's breath caught in her throat. A figure was standing in the shadows ahead, cloaked in darkness. Her pulse quickened, her hand going to the gun at her hip.
Adrian held up a hand, signaling for them to stop. The figure stepped into the dim light, and Sofia felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
It was a face she knew. A face from the past.
"Thought you could run forever, didn't you?" it said, its voice a low, menacing growl.
Adrian's face turned dark. "Talon," he growled low, clamping his jaw tight. "I thought you were dead."
The storm had finally come, and this time it was personal.