The tactical briefing room was bathed in a cold blue glow from the holographic screens projecting maps, layouts, and shifting red markers. The recruits sat silently in rows, still bearing the bruises and cuts from their previous training. Ethan's jaw ached every time he clenched it, a lingering reminder of his clash with Marcus Wren.
At the front of the room stood Alexander Graves, hands clasped behind his back, his dark suit perfectly pressed despite the faint scent of gun oil lingering on him.
"Today's exercise is called Operation Lockdown," Graves began, his voice calm yet sharp enough to slice through glass. "The objective is simple: infiltrate, secure the hostage, and extract without being detected. Failure will result in consequences."
The word consequences hung in the air like a blade suspended over their heads.
A 3D hologram flickered into view, a warehouse facility, littered with obstacles, multi-level scaffolding, and narrow corridors. The hostage was marked by a glowing green dot deep in the center. Red dots, enemy guards moved in synchronized patrol routes.
"You'll be split into two teams," Graves continued. "Team A: Ethan Cross, Elise Laurent, Zara Khan, and Damian Cruz. Team B: Marcus Wren, Ryan Locke, Natalia Petrov, and Felix Morven."
Ethan's stomach tightened. He'd been paired with Elise, which was good but Zara and Damian? Both were wild cards.
Graves raised a single finger. "One rule: You cannot under any circumstances abandon your team."
He stared directly at Ethan and Marcus as he said it.
"Suit up. You leave in ten minutes."
The warehouse facility loomed ahead, a hulking steel structure bathed in pale moonlight. The recruits crouched in the shadows near the perimeter fence, their breaths visible in the frigid night air.
Ethan checked his silenced pistol, the cold metal reassuring in his gloved hands. Elise crouched beside him, adjusting the scope on her compact rifle.
Zara Khan, a lean girl with sharp brown eyes and a confident smirk, spun a throwing knife between her fingers. Damian Cruz, taller and wiry with a scar running across his eyebrow, cracked his knuckles and flashed Ethan a grin.
"Stick to the plan," Ethan whispered. "No heroics."
Damian grinned wider. "Where's the fun in that, Cross?"
Ethan shook his head and signaled forward. They slipped through a gap in the fence, their movements precise and controlled.
Inside, the air was heavy with dust and the faint scent of gasoline. Rows of steel shipping containers created a maze of narrow passageways, and faint flashlight beams cut through the darkness ahead.
Ethan led the group, crouched low as they crept along the shadows. Elise covered their rear, her rifle aimed and ready.
Through their earpieces, Graves's voice crackled softly.
"Team A, you have twelve minutes before reinforcements arrive. Move swiftly."
They rounded a corner, only to freeze as two guards appeared ahead, their rifles slung casually over their shoulders.
Ethan held up his hand, signaling the team to stop.
"Zara," he whispered.
Zara grinned, flipped her knife once, and slipped into the shadows.
A faint thunk broke the silence, followed by a muffled gasp. Moments later, Zara emerged from the darkness, wiping her blade on her sleeve.
"All clear."
They pressed on.
The group reached the central chamber, a wide-open space lit by flickering industrial lights. At the far end, tied to a chair, was the hostage, a young man with a bloody face and torn clothing.
Damian let out a low whistle. "Well, there's our guy."
But something felt… off.
Ethan scanned the area. The guard patrols were too sparse, the angles too exposed.
"It's a trap," Elise said, her voice steady.
Ethan nodded. "We have to move fast. Zara, cover the south exit. Damian, you and I will get the hostage. Elise, watch our six."
The team split into their positions. Ethan and Damian crept forward, their weapons raised.
As they reached the hostage, Ethan knelt down. "Hey, we're getting you out of here."
But the hostage's head snapped up, his eyes wide with terror.
"It's a setup!" he gasped.
The lights blared to full brightness. Alarm sirens wailed. Gunfire erupted from the catwalks above as guards poured in from every entrance.
"Ambush!" Ethan shouted.
Bullets rained down as the team dove for cover behind crates and steel pillars. Elise fired precise shots from her position, dropping guards with every squeeze of the trigger. Zara flung knives with deadly accuracy, while Damian fired his pistol in rapid bursts.
Ethan's mind raced as he reloaded his weapon. "We need an exit route!"
"South corridor!" Elise shouted. "Go!"
The team broke into a sprint, the hostage struggling to keep up as bullets ricocheted around them. Damian took a grazing shot to the arm, stumbling before Ethan grabbed him and pulled him forward.
They reached the corridor just as a grenade landed nearby.
"Get down!" Ethan roared.
The explosion rocked the facility, sending shockwaves and debris in every direction.
Ethan's ears rang as he staggered to his feet, pulling Damian with him. Elise and Zara were already ahead, the hostage between them.
But then Ethan saw it, a guard emerging from the smoke, rifle aimed directly at Damian.
Time slowed.
Ethan lunged forward, shoving Damian aside just as the rifle fired. The bullet seared across Ethan's side, tearing through his tactical vest and burning into his flesh.
"Ethan!" Elise screamed.
Ethan hit the ground hard, his breath leaving him in a sharp gasp. The guard reloaded, but Damian shot him twice in the chest before dragging Ethan to his feet.
"Come on, man! Move!" Damian shouted.
The team burst through the south exit, emerging into the cold night air. Floodlights illuminated the perimeter as a black evac vehicle screeched to a halt nearby.
"Go! Go!" Elise shouted, hauling the hostage into the vehicle.
Damian practically threw Ethan into the back seat before climbing in after him. Zara fired a final shot at a pursuing guard before diving inside.
The doors slammed shut, and the vehicle sped off into the darkness.
Back at the Helix Institute, the team sat in the debriefing room once again. Ethan's side was bandaged tightly, the pain a dull throb with every breath.
Alexander Graves stood before them, his expression unreadable.
"The hostage was recovered. The drive was destroyed during the ambush. You completed the mission… but at a cost."
His eyes lingered on Ethan.
"You risked your life for Damian. That kind of instinct can't be taught."
Graves turned away, hands clasped behind his back. "You survived tonight. But next time, survival might not be enough."
The recruits were dismissed, but Ethan lingered behind, staring at his bloodstained gloves.
Elise placed a hand on his shoulder. "You did good, Ethan."
Ethan nodded weakly.
But deep down, he knew next time, he might not be so lucky.
Lex's words echoed in his mind:
"Once you're in… there's no turning back."
End of Chapter 8.