Chapter 58: The Chase for the Crate
The convoy slowed as it approached the gates of an isolated industrial facility on the edge of the city. Henry and Sophie stayed a safe distance behind, their car idling just beyond the line of sight. A pair of armed guards stepped out of a small booth, scanning the vans with handheld devices before waving them through.
"This place looks like a fortress," Sophie murmured, watching the gates close behind the last van.
Henry frowned. "We're not getting in through the front door. What's the play, boss?"
Adam's voice crackled through their earpiece. "Stay put for now. Ellen's working on pulling the building's blueprints. If we can find a weak point, you'll sneak in while their team is still distracted by the decoy."
<TIME IS LIMITED. CHAMBERS WILL REALIZE THE DECOY IS A DIVERSION SOON. YOU NEED TO ACT BEFORE HE REDIRECTS HIS FORCES.>
Sophie glanced at Henry, her grip tightening on the walkie-talkie. "We'll need to move fast. Once they figure out we're onto them, this whole place is going on lockdown."
Henry nodded. "Let's just hope Ellen finds us an opening before then."
Back at the office, Ellen's fingers flew across her keyboard as she accessed the facility's digital records. After what felt like an eternity, a set of blueprints appeared on her screen.
"Got it!" Ellen called out.
Adam leaned over her shoulder, scanning the layout. The facility was sprawling, with several warehouses and underground storage units.
"There," Adam said, pointing to a section on the map. "That loading bay connects to an old service tunnel. If Henry and Sophie can get inside, they can bypass the main security checkpoints and reach the shipment directly."
Ellen relayed the information to Henry and Sophie, who were already moving toward the side of the facility.
The service tunnel entrance was hidden behind a stack of rusted barrels, its metal door secured with a heavy padlock. Henry produced a pair of bolt cutters from the trunk of their car and made quick work of it.
Sophie pushed the door open, revealing a narrow passageway lit by flickering fluorescent lights. The air was damp, carrying the faint scent of oil and rust.
"This is like something out of a horror movie," Henry muttered as they stepped inside.
"Let's hope it doesn't have the same ending," Sophie quipped, her voice tense.
They moved cautiously, their footsteps echoing in the confined space. The tunnel eventually opened into a storage area filled with crates and machinery.
"There it is," Sophie whispered, pointing to a familiar circle-and-X symbol on a large crate.
Henry approached the crate, running his hand along its surface. "This has to be the one. Let's grab it and get out of here."
"Wait," Sophie said, her eyes scanning the room. "Something's off. Where's the security?"
Henry froze, his instincts kicking in. "It's too quiet."
As if on cue, the door on the far side of the room burst open, and a group of guards stormed in, their weapons raised.
"Drop everything and put your hands up!" one of them barked.
"Run!" Sophie shouted, grabbing Henry's arm.
They sprinted toward the service tunnel, bullets ricocheting off the walls behind them. Henry reached into his bag and tossed a smoke grenade, filling the room with a dense, choking fog.
"Keep moving!" he yelled as they stumbled through the haze.
The guards shouted orders, their movements disoriented by the smoke. Henry and Sophie made it back to the tunnel, slamming the door shut behind them.
"That was way too close," Henry panted.
Sophie nodded, her heart racing. "We can't leave without the crate. We need another plan."
Meanwhile, Adam monitored the situation from the office, his jaw tightening as Ellen relayed updates.
"They were spotted," Ellen said. "Guards are sweeping the facility."
<THE OPERATION IS COMPROMISED. EXTRACT YOUR TEAM BEFORE CHAMBERS' FORCES ARRIVE.>
"No," Adam said firmly. "We're not leaving without that crate. Sophie, can you create another distraction?"
Sophie's voice crackled over the radio. "We'll try. What do you have in mind?"
Adam quickly scanned the facility map. "There's a fuel storage area near your position. If you can cause a controlled fire, it'll draw the guards away from the crate."
Henry's voice cut in. "A fire? Are you serious?"
"It doesn't have to be big," Adam said. "Just enough to make them panic. Can you do it?"
Henry sighed. "Guess we don't have a choice."
Using a small canister of gasoline they found in the tunnel, Henry and Sophie created a makeshift fire near the fuel storage tanks. The flames roared to life, setting off alarms throughout the facility.
The guards immediately shifted their focus, rushing toward the blaze with extinguishers and shouting into their radios.
"Now's our chance," Sophie said, darting back into the storage area.
With the guards distracted, they managed to reach the crate. Sophie attached a tracking device to its underside while Henry secured it with a set of straps.
"We've got it," Sophie said into the radio. "But we can't carry this thing out on foot. It's too heavy."
<YOU'LL NEED A VEHICLE. THERE'S A LOADING DOCK NEAR YOUR POSITION. FIND ONE OF THEIR TRUCKS AND USE IT TO EXTRACT THE CRATE.>
"On it," Henry said.
Minutes later, Henry hotwired one of the facility's trucks while Sophie kept watch. The engine roared to life, and they quickly loaded the crate into the back.
"Let's move!" Sophie shouted as Henry floored the gas pedal.
The truck barreled through the facility's gates, crashing into one of the security barriers as alarms blared behind them.
Back at the office, Adam and Ellen watched the tracking signal on their screen.
"They're clear," Ellen said, exhaling in relief.
Adam leaned back in his chair, his heart pounding. "Good. Have them bring the crate straight to Eddie's workshop. We need to know what's inside."
<YOU ACHIEVED THE OBJECTIVE, BUT CHAMBERS WON'T LET THIS GO. EXPECT A COUNTERATTACK SOON.>
"I know," Adam said. "But for now, we've got the upper hand."
End of Chapter 58