As we settled into the van, a sudden headache twisted in my temples, and fragments of what awaited us on this operation flickered in my mind—gunfire, explosions, chaos—it felt like we were heading straight into hell.
"Are you nervous about today?" Arthur nudged me, glancing sideways.
"I have a bad feeling about this," I confessed, rubbing my temples in an attempt to ward off the impending doom.
Arthur's expression shifted to seriousness. "Are you sure? You were almost right about the last one."
I bit my lip, recalling the unsettling silence on the comms. "Hawthorne has been off comms for a while now. I don't trust the higher-ups and the new guys they sent us."
"What can you do?" Arthur shrugged. "This whole organization seems suspicious to me. Why are there just five of us on this operation? It feels off."
"Yeah, I agree," I muttered, the tension in the air thickening. "Just pay extra attention. I don't want you to die on me."
"Dude, that's not funny," he shot back, half-serious but with a lingering smirk.
"Well, we just have to regroup with the two unknowns," I said, trying to steady my nerves.
We exited the van, making our way toward the factory, the night air filled with tension.
"There's a zip line for us to infiltrate. Jones and Scott are dwindling the partrolling guards for us."
As we approached the window leading to the zip line, I couldn't shake the growing unease. "Wait," I whispered, halting mid-step. "It's too quiet. Something's off."
I peered out, scanning the area. The street was eerily deserted, and a creeping sense of dread washed over me.
"You don't think Hawthorne sold us out?" Arthur asked, concern threading through his words.
"No," I replied quickly, trying to quell my apprehension. "He wouldn't do that. He's the richest man I know. I think it's the higher-ups and their grunts."
"We need to leave now," I urged, grabbing Arthur's arm. Without waiting for another word, we sprinted down the stairs.
Just as we reached the exit, an explosion erupted behind us, shaking the ground and throwing us off balance. The factory started to crumble, debris raining down around us.
"Move!" I shouted as two more explosions detonated, the sound booming like thunder. Tires screeched to a halt outside, followed by shouting and the echoing footsteps of guards rushing toward our position.
"What the hell is going on?!" Arthur shouted, panic setting in.
Tearing through the back door, we barely made it outside as gunfire erupted, bullets whizzing past our heads. "Duck!" I barked, and we plunged into a nearby alley, hearts racing.
The chaos was suffocating, memories of past operations flooding my mind—the familiar sensation of being hunted. Adrenaline surged as we turned the corner, running deeper into the shadows, desperate to evade our pursuers.
As we sprinted through the alley, everything felt hauntingly familiar. I could feel the weight of past mistakes pressing down on me, reminding me of times when I'd barely escaped similar situations. Each explosion that rattled the ground echoed like a grim reminder of what we stood to lose.
"Alex, focus!" Arthur shouted, breaking through my reverie. "We can't let them catch us!"
I nodded, forcing myself back to the present, aware that we needed to stay ahead of the chaos unfolding behind us. The dim lights of the city flickered in the distance, but for now, we were just two men running for our lives—fighting to uncover the truth behind this treacherous betrayal.
"Let's find Hawthorne and regroup," I urged, determination gripping me. We turned sharply down another path, hoping to find a way out of the chaos before it consumed us entirely.