The metallic tang of the compound's air hit Alistair the moment they slipped inside, mingling with the faint hum of machinery and the distant echo of shifting gears. Sparks stayed close behind him, her tablet glowing faintly as she worked to scan the area. The walls around them seemed to close in, their cold steel surfaces reflecting the flicker of their headlamps.
"It's quiet," Sparks whispered, her voice tense. "Too quiet."
"It's a trap," Cross muttered over the comms. From his overwatch position, he had a clear view of the facility's exterior and entry points. "Guards on the east side are regrouping. You're walking into a setup."
"We don't have a choice," Alistair replied, his voice steady. "Sparks, find us a path forward. Ox, you're on her six."
"Copy that," Ox rumbled, shifting his grip on his weapon. His presence was a reassuring wall of muscle, his sharp eyes constantly scanning for threats.
The group advanced deeper into the compound, the corridors twisting and turning in a labyrinth of metal and shadows. Sparks paused frequently, her tablet flashing as she bypassed security measures and scanned for heat signatures.
"There's a large cluster up ahead," she said, her brow furrowed. "Looks like the main chamber. Multiple guards. They've fortified their position."
"Good," Alistair said, his grip tightening on his rifle. "We'll hit them head-on. Cross, give us cover from above. Zara, stay close to Sparks."
As they approached the chamber, the air seemed to grow heavier, charged with a tension that pressed down on them. Sparks glanced at Alistair, her voice quieter now. "Whatever they're hiding in there… it's big."
---
The chamber opened before them like a gaping maw, its high ceiling disappearing into darkness. Conveyor belts crisscrossed the space, their skeletal frames holding half-finished machines that looked more like weapons of war than tools. Crates of ammunition and supplies were stacked high against the walls, and in the center of it all stood the insurgent leader, flanked by a squad of heavily armed enforcers.
"Welcome," the leader said, his voice calm and mocking. "You've saved me the trouble of finding you."
Alistair didn't waste time with a reply. "Engage!" he barked.
The room exploded into chaos. Sparks dove behind a console, her fingers flying over her tablet as she worked to breach the system. Cross's rifle cracked from the shadows above, dropping targets with deadly precision. Ox unleashed a barrage of fire, his heavy machine gun roaring as he tore through waves of advancing guards. Zara moved like a shadow, patching wounds and firing her sidearm with practiced ease.
"Keep the pressure on!" Alistair shouted, his own weapon spitting bursts of fire as he advanced toward the leader.
But the enemy fought back with precision, their movements coordinated and relentless. Sparks cursed under her breath, her screen flashing red.
"They've got layers of encryption!" she shouted. "I can break it, but it's going to take time!"
"Then we'll buy you time," Alistair said, firing another burst into the advancing enemy.
---
High above, Cross shifted position, his sharp eyes scanning for threats. He saw them before anyone else—the flankers moving silently along the catwalks, their weapons trained on the team below.
"Flankers coming in from the east," he called over the comms. "I've got the first two, but I'm pinned."
Alistair glanced upward, his stomach tightening as he caught sight of the advancing enemies. "Fall back, Cross!"
"Negative," Cross replied, his voice calm. "I've got this."
The sharp crack of his rifle echoed through the chamber, and two more guards fell. But as he lined up his next shot, a flash of movement caught his eye—a third flanker, too close. The shot rang out, and Cross slumped against the railing, his rifle slipping from his grasp. The flanker fell with him, Cross's final bullet finding its mark.
---
On the ground, the team pushed forward, unaware of Cross's fate. Ox let out a roar as a grenade rolled toward Sparks' position. Without hesitation, he charged forward, scooping it up and hurling it back toward the enemy.
"Come on!" he bellowed, his laughter booming as he fired another burst. Sparks barely had time to flinch as the grenade exploded, scattering debris across the room.
Ox's laughter turned to a grunt as gunfire riddled his body, but he didn't stop. He pressed forward, his massive frame shielding Sparks and Zara from the brunt of the enemy fire. Finally, with one last growl of defiance, he collapsed, his weapon still clenched in his hands.
"Damn it, Ox," Alistair muttered, his chest tightening. But there was no time to grieve.
---
Zara knelt beside Sparks, her hands steady as she patched a wound on the younger woman's arm. "You're almost there," she said, her voice calm despite the chaos.
"I-I can't—" Sparks stammered, her fingers trembling.
"Yes, you can," Zara interrupted firmly. "Focus."
A bullet tore through Zara's shoulder, knocking her backward. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself upright as she fired her sidearm into the advancing enemy. Another shot hit her side, and she crumpled forward, her hand brushing Sparks' arm.
"Finish it," Zara whispered, her breathing labored. "You've got this."
Sparks let out a choked sob, her hands shaking as she typed the final command. The terminal chimed softly, and the screen flashed green.
"It's done!" she cried. "The intel's secure—"
Her words were cut short as a single gunshot echoed through the chamber. Sparks fell into Alistair's arms, the drive slipping from her hand. She looked up at him, her eyes glassy with tears.
"Make it count," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Alistair's jaw clenched as he laid her gently on the ground. He rose, the drive gripped tightly in his hand, and turned to face the insurgent leader.
---
The leader's smirk was gone, replaced by cold disdain. "You've lost everything, Commander. This mission is over."
Alistair's gaze shifted to the orange cat, now perched silently on a broken console. Its amber eyes glinted in the dim light, calm and unwavering. Something about its presence steadied him, like a hand on his shoulder.
"For my team," Alistair said quietly, pulling the pin on his final grenade.
The explosion tore through the chamber, silencing the chaos in an instant.
---
When the dust settled, the compound was in ruins. The faint glow of a transmission beacon flickered on the shattered terminal, confirming the success of the upload. MISSION SUCCESSFUL.
The orange cat padded silently through the wreckage, weaving between twisted metal and fallen bodies. It stopped beside Alistair's still form, curling up against his side. For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then the cat rose, its amber eyes fixed on the horizon, before vanishing into the shadows.