The clock struck midnight, and tension filled The Phoenix's headquarters. Everyone was prepared to move— the first attack on Blue Shadow was imminent.
Will stood in the center of the room, clad in his long black coat, his sharp gaze fixed on the map hanging before him. Each marked point represented a strategic location belonging to the rival mafia, and targeting the right ones was crucial for the mission's success.
"Jack, is everyone in position?" Will asked, his voice low but carrying undeniable authority.
Jack, standing beside him, nodded. "Yes, everyone is ready. We're just waiting for your signal."
Before Will could respond, the door suddenly swung open, and one of his men rushed in. "There's unusual movement near the harbor. It looks like Blue Shadow knows about our plan!"
Will's eyes flickered between Jack and the map. If their plan had been exposed, it meant there was a traitor among them. But there was no time to uncover the rat now—he had to adapt quickly.
"We're changing positions immediately. Jack, take a small team and head to the eastern warehouse. I'll lead the main assault myself."
No one had expected this decision, but there was no time to argue. Everyone knew that Will was not a leader who backed down at the critical moment.
"Let's begin the operation," Will said as he slid on his leather gloves, ready to move.
The Phoenix's men moved swiftly through the dark alleys of the city. The streets were eerily quiet, but Will knew the enemy was watching. He had an instinct that always warned him of incoming danger, and tonight was no exception.
When they arrived at the warehouse, the air was thick with silence. Will raised his hand, signaling his men to halt.
"Something's off…" Jack whispered, scanning the area.
Suddenly, gunfire erupted from the rooftops!
"Ambush!" one of the men shouted before collapsing, hit by a sniper's bullet.
Will didn't hesitate. He drew his pistol and fired a precise shot, taking down one of the snipers instantly. This was his first direct clash with Blue Shadow, and he knew it wouldn't be easy.
"Spread out! Don't stay in one place!" Will commanded, leading his men into the fray.
After an intense firefight, Will and his men secured the warehouse. The place was stocked with weapons and equipment, but that wasn't the most shocking discovery of the night.
In the center of the room, bound in chains, was a woman with long red hair and sharp eyes… Ruby!
"What the hell are you doing here?" Will asked coldly, his gun aimed at her cautiously.
Despite her exhausted state, Ruby smirked. "I was investigating illegal arms deals… but it seems I walked straight into a trap."
Will studied her for a moment before signaling one of his men to free her.
"Why are you helping me?" Ruby asked, eyeing him warily.
Will didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at her with his usual unreadable expression before saying, "Because I don't like anyone getting caught before me."
Ruby wasn't sure if he was joking or serious, but she knew one thing for certain… this man was more enigmatic than she had ever imagined.
After freeing Ruby, there was no time to rest. They had to leave the warehouse before Blue Shadow reinforcements arrived.
Jack walked beside Will as they exited, whispering, "I don't trust her. This could be another trap."
Will didn't respond immediately. Instead, he glanced at Ruby, who was rubbing her wrists after being unchained. She didn't seem like someone playing the victim, but the timing of her presence here didn't make sense.
"We'll find out soon enough if she's trustworthy," Will said calmly, focusing on getting out safely.
But before they could move further, a violent explosion erupted behind them, shaking the entire warehouse!
"What the hell?!" one of the men shouted.
Will quickly turned around, watching as flames burst from the building. It was clear that Blue Shadow had blown up the place on purpose!
"This means they knew we were here…" Jack said angrily.
All eyes turned to Ruby, but Will stopped them with a wave of his hand. "Not now. Our priority is getting out of here. We'll talk later."
The group rushed through the back alleys, but they weren't alone.
Gunfire erupted behind them, forcing them to seek cover.
Will ran alongside Ruby, pressing a button on his jacket to activate his earpiece. "Jack, have you secured an escape route?"
"Not yet—there are snipers in the surrounding buildings!" Jack replied, firing back at the enemy.
"Damn it… We'll have to fight our way out," Will muttered. His eyes flicked to Ruby, who picked up a gun from the ground, ready for battle.
"Do you even know how to use that?" he asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.
Ruby fired a single shot, hitting an enemy directly in the head. Then she turned to Will and said, "I think you got your answer."
Will smirked slightly. "Not bad. Just don't shoot us by mistake."
The battle raged on for what felt like an eternity. Finally, they managed to escape into a narrow alley, where Jack was waiting in a black car.
"Get in, now!" Jack yelled, throwing open the back door.
Before stepping in, Will glanced back at the glowing city behind him. Something told him… this was only the beginning.
Back at The Phoenix headquarters, everyone gathered in the meeting room to discuss what had happened.
Jack was the first to speak. "Either we have a traitor, or Blue Shadow has a way to track our movements."
Ruby, sitting on a chair with her arms crossed, interjected, "Or maybe you exposed yourselves without realizing it."
Jack slammed his hand on the table. "Easy to say when you're the only unexpected factor in all of this!"
Will raised his hand, silencing the argument. "Blaming each other won't help. The important thing is that we survived. Now, we need to figure out how we were exposed."
His cold gaze swept over everyone before he continued, "We'll start investigating immediately. If there's a traitor, we'll find them."
Ruby took a deep breath before saying, "I might have some useful information."
Everyone turned to her as she continued, "There's someone within Blue Shadow known as The Black Fox. He's the one responsible for gathering intelligence. If anyone exposed you… it was probably him."
Will closed his eyes for a brief moment, then said, "Then we have a new target."
Somewhere else in the city, inside a dark skyscraper, a tall man stood by a window, gazing at the city lights.
He wore a deep blue trench coat, and his black hair fell slightly over his forehead.
"So… they managed to escape," the man said quietly, though his tone carried a dangerous edge.
A subordinate approached him and reported, "Yes, but we've planted doubt among them. Suspicion is already spreading within their ranks."
The man smirked slightly, then said, "Good. Let them destroy themselves from within. And when the time is right… we'll end it."