(Author's POV)
The base was silent.
Not because everyone was asleep.
Because everyone was focused.
The clock on the wall read 9:47 PM.
The mission would begin in thirteen minutes.
No one spoke much.
There was nothing left to discuss.
Eight days of planning had already answered every possible question.
Now…
They simply had to trust each other.
Alex stood in front of the digital map one last time.
His eyes moved across each member of the team.
Jay.
Cora.
Luna.
Deniel.
"Our objective hasn't changed."
His calm voice filled the room.
"We observe."
"We gather information."
"We leave."
He looked directly at Jay.
"No heroes."
Jay immediately raised both hands.
"I promise."
Deniel snorted.
"I don't believe her."
Jay shot him a look.
"I said I promise."
"You also promised to rest your stitches."
"…That was different."
Luna laughed quietly.
Alex sighed.
"I've lost control of this team."
"You never had it," Cora replied with a grin.
Even Alex couldn't hide the small smile that appeared on his face.
"Helmets."
Immediately everyone reached for their equipment.
Black tactical jackets.
Gloves.
Light body armor.
Communication earpieces.
Each movement was practiced.
Efficient.
Nobody needed instructions anymore.
Luna walked over to Jay.
"Turn around."
Jay frowned.
"What now?"
"I'm checking your bandage."
"It's fine."
"I'm checking anyway."
Jay rolled her eyes dramatically before turning around.
Luna carefully lifted the edge of the protective wrap beneath Jay's tactical shirt.
The stitches were still there.
Healing well.
No swelling.
No bleeding.
She nodded in satisfaction.
"Good."
Jay smiled proudly.
"See?"
Luna immediately pointed a finger at her.
"Don't make me regret saying that."
Cora adjusted the strap on Jay's shoulder.
"If you feel even the slightest pain…"
"I'll tell you."
"If your stitches pull…"
"I'll tell you."
"If you try fighting—"
"I won't."
The three girls stared at each other.
Jay slowly looked away.
"…Probably."
"Jay."
"Kidding."
"…Mostly."
Cora sighed dramatically.
"We're adopting a child."
"I'm older than you."
"Mentally?"
"No."
Alex walked over carrying a long black case.
Without a word, he handed it to Jay.
She opened it.
Her rifle.
She carefully checked every part.
Scope.
Magazine.
Bolt.
Safety.
Perfect.
She closed the case again.
Alex watched quietly.
"You ready?"
Jay met his eyes.
"I've been ready."
Alex nodded once.
"I know."
Across the room Deniel was struggling with his earpiece.
"Why does this thing hate me?"
Luna didn't even look up from her tablet.
"It doesn't."
"It definitely does."
"You put it in backwards."
Deniel froze.
"…Oh."
Cora burst into laughter.
Alex pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I trained professionals."
Jay whispered,
"Debatable."
Deniel heard her.
"I heard that."
"Good."
The room filled with quiet laughter.
The tension eased.
Only for a moment.
The elevator doors opened.
Five…
Four…
Three…
Two…
One…
Ground level.
A matte-black SUV waited outside.
Another followed behind it.
No logos.
No license plates.
Nothing that could identify them.
The city lights stretched endlessly ahead.
New York never truly slept.
Tonight—
neither would they.
Alex climbed into the driver's seat.
Deniel took the passenger side.
Luna opened her laptop the moment she sat down.
Multiple camera feeds instantly appeared.
Traffic.
Street intersections.
Police scanners.
Everything.
Cora climbed into the back beside Jay.
The drive began.
For several minutes…
Nobody spoke.
The only sound was the quiet hum of the engine.
Jay rested her forehead lightly against the cool window.
Watching the city pass by.
Bright lights.
Crowded sidewalks.
People laughing.
Eating.
Living normal lives.
For a second…
She wondered what that felt like.
Her thoughts were interrupted.
Alex's voice echoed through the earpieces.
"Comms check."
"Luna."
"Loud and clear."
"Deniel."
"Ready."
"Cora."
"Clear."
A brief pause.
"Jay."
She reached up and adjusted the earpiece.
"Reading you perfectly."
Alex nodded.
"Good."
Luna suddenly looked up from her screen.
"I've tapped into the cameras around the warehouse."
Everyone immediately focused.
"No unusual movement."
"Six visible guards."
"Two vehicles."
"No sign of Marcus yet."
Alex's grip tightened slightly on the steering wheel.
"Keep watching."
"We're five minutes out."
Jay quietly opened the rifle case beside her.
Not to aim.
Not to prepare for a fight.
Simply to check it one last time.
She ran her fingers lightly across the cold metal.
Then closed the case again.
Cora noticed.
"Nervous?"
Jay smiled faintly.
"No."
"What then?"
"I'm making sure that if tonight changes everything…"
She looked out at the dark city again.
"…I'm ready."
The SUV slowed.
Alex killed the headlights.
The warehouse appeared in the distance.
Old.
Silent.
Almost abandoned.
Almost.
Luna looked up sharply.
"Movement."
Everyone froze.
One figure.
Then another.
A truck rolled through the large rusted gate.
Alex immediately turned off the engine.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Jay slowly lifted the binoculars.
Focusing on the entrance.
The truck stopped.
The gates began closing behind it.
She adjusted the focus.
Then…
Her expression changed.
Quietly.
Almost too quietly.
"Alex…"
"What?"
Jay lowered the binoculars only enough to look at him.
"Marcus is here."
Silence.
No one breathed.
After eight days…
After weeks of searching…
Their first real lead had finally stepped into the light.
The warehouse was almost completely dark.
Only thin beams of moonlight slipped through the broken windows, stretching across the dusty concrete floor.
Jay and Alex moved silently through the second floor while Luna, Cora, and Deniel searched the lower level.
Their earpieces remained quiet.
For now.
Alex stopped beside a rusted office door and slowly pushed it open.
The old hinge gave a faint creak.
Nobody.
He motioned for Jay to stay behind him before stepping inside.
The room was filled with abandoned filing cabinets and broken furniture.
Nothing useful.
Just as Alex turned to leave—
Scrrrt.
A jagged piece of rusted metal sticking out from the broken doorframe scraped across his shoulder.
He hissed quietly.
"Tch…"
Jay immediately looked over.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
Alex glanced down.
A thin line had appeared across his shoulder.
Not deep.
Just enough for a few drops of blood to soak through his black sleeve.
He barely reacted.
"It'll be fi—"
His words stopped.
Jay hadn't moved.
She was staring at the blood.
Completely still.
Her breathing had become shallow.
Too shallow.
Alex's expression changed instantly.
He knew that look.
"Jay."
No response.
Her fingers tightened around her rifle.
Another shaky breath escaped her lips.
Alex took one careful step toward her.
"Hey."
She blinked, but her eyes never left the blood on his shoulder.
"I-…"
Her voice caught in her throat.
Alex understood immediately.
Without another word, he removed one glove and gently placed his hand on top of her rifle, lowering it slightly.
Then he stepped forward and pulled her into a gentle hug.
One hand rested carefully against the back of her head.
The other stayed around her shoulders, making sure not to touch her healing stitches.
"It's okay."
His voice was calm.
Steady.
"It's just a scratch."
Jay closed her eyes tightly.
"I know…"
"But—"
"I know."
He didn't let her finish.
"It's not like before."
Her breathing was still uneven.
Alex stayed exactly where he was.
"You hear me?"
A small nod.
"I'm fine."
Another nod.
"It doesn't even need stitches."
That earned the tiniest laugh.
Barely noticeable.
Alex smiled.
"There she is."
Jay slowly pulled away, wiping quickly at the corner of her eye before anyone could see.
"I'm okay now."
"I know."
Alex reached into one of his pouches, pulled out a small bandage, and stuck it over the cut.
"There."
He shrugged.
"Problem solved."
Jay looked at him for another second before letting out a quiet sigh.
"…Don't scare me like that again."
Alex chuckled softly.
"I'll try not to lose a fight against a rusty door."
That finally made Jay smile.
A crackle came through the earpiece.
"Alex?" Luna's voice whispered.
"Status?"
Alex pressed a finger against his earpiece.
"Second floor clear."
He glanced toward Jay.
She gave him a small nod, her breathing finally steady again.
Alex nodded back.
"We're moving."
Without another word, the two of them slipped back into the shadows, continuing the mission