Chapter 131: Target Destroyed - Avalanche

The icy wind howled through the frozen tunnels, carrying with it the faint metallic clatter of Syndicate patrols. Ethan stood at the tunnel's edge, his helmet's visor glowing faintly as it scanned for movement beyond the icy veil. The Syndicate supply depot loomed ahead, carved into the mountain's heart, its camouflaged bulkhead faintly visible beneath layers of frost. Inside, the Syndicate's cache of alloy-enhanced weapons and cold-adapted gear lay waiting to fuel Drakor's war machine. Ethan knew this operation was critical. The depot had to be destroyed, no matter the cost.

The icy tunnels winding around the depot served as both an obstacle and an opportunity. Thalor took point, his Velkran senses tuned to the faint vibrations of enemy patrols. His dual plasma blades hummed softly at his side, ready to spring to life at the first sign of trouble. Ethan followed closely, with Rourke and the Resistance fighters bringing up the rear.

"Two guards, 15 meters ahead, stationary," Thalor muttered, his voice a low growl. His predatory instincts thrived in the dark, and his pale eyes scanned the shadows with eerie precision.

Ethan raised a fist to halt the group. The guards' positions flashed on his HUD as he signaled for a silent takedown. The team moved in sync, each step calculated. Ethan's plasma dagger shimmered faintly as he lunged forward, incapacitating one guard with a precise strike to the throat. Thalor dispatched the other with brutal efficiency, the faint hiss of his blade the only sound.

The group advanced carefully, their breath fogging the freezing air. Rourke paused to examine a cluster of automated turrets embedded in the ice. "Give me a minute," he grumbled, crouching beside the controls. His fingers danced over the turret's interface, sparks flying as he bypassed its circuits.

"Minute's all you've got," Ethan said, scanning the tunnel for movement.

A faint click signaled success. The turret powered down, and Rourke stood, brushing frost from his gloves. "Let's move."

The team reached a thick, reinforced bulkhead blocking their path. A faint red glow emanated from the security locks, an ominous reminder of the depot's advanced defenses.

"Can you hack it?" Ethan asked Rourke.

"Not a chance," Rourke muttered, examining the lock. "This thing's got layered encryption... Best we blow it."

Ethan nodded. He pulled a small charge from his belt and attached it to the bulkhead, positioning it to direct the blast inward. "Everyone back."

The muffled explosion reverberated through the ice, the bulkhead crumpling inward. The depot's interior lay beyond, dimly lit and buzzing with activity. Syndicate guards shouted orders as they scrambled to respond to the breach. The team moved swiftly, slipping through the wreckage before reinforcements arrived.

The depot's interior was a labyrinth of steel and ice. Crates of weapons and fuel lined the walls, while drones buzzed overhead, their lights slicing through the dimness. Ethan quickly divided the team into roles.

"Thalor, take the left flank and handle those enforcers. Rourke, get the charges set on the fuel reserves. Resistance, cover our exit," Ethan barked.

Thalor charged ahead, a blur of motion as his plasma blades ignited. Syndicate enforcers rushed to meet him, their alloy-enhanced strength making them formidable foes. Thalor's blades cut through them with precision, his movements fluid and deadly.

Meanwhile, Rourke crouched near a row of fuel drums, planting charges with swift precision. "Cover me," he shouted as guards closed in. Ethan leapt into the fray, his plasma dagger slicing through a guard's alloy armor. Another lunged at him with a serrated blade, but Ethan ducked, delivering a precise counterstrike.

Resistance fighters fired from behind cover, their blasters lighting up the depot's cold interior. The sound of gunfire echoed through the cavern, mingling with the Syndicate's shouts.

The depot trembled as Syndicate reinforcements stormed in, their boots crunching on the icy floor. Among them were cybernetic soldiers outfitted with cold-adapted exosuits, their glowing visors scanning for targets.

One of the soldiers charged at Ethan, its enhanced limbs propelling it forward with terrifying speed. Ethan dodged, his psychic reflexes giving him a split-second edge. He countered with his plasma dagger, striking at the exosuit's joints. Sparks flew as the soldier faltered, giving Ethan an opening to disable it completely.

Rourke, still planting charges, took a hit to the shoulder from a stray shot. He gritted his teeth, refusing to stop. "Almost... done!" he shouted as Ethan covered him, taking down another wave of guards.

Thalor roared as he clashed with a cybernetic enforcer, his blades carving through alloy plating. The Velkran's ferocity turned the tide, giving the team the upper hand.

The final charge was set, and Ethan gave the signal. "Fall back!"

The team sprinted toward the tunnel entrance as Rourke activated the detonator. The depot erupted in a blinding explosion, the shockwave collapsing the icy mountain. A deafening rumble filled the air as snow and debris cascaded down, triggering an avalanche.

"Move, move, move!" Ethan shouted, dragging a wounded Rourke to his feet. The team raced through the collapsing tunnels, the walls trembling with each aftershock. Thalor stayed at the rear, ensuring no one was left behind.

The team burst out into the open tundra just as the avalanche roared past, burying the depot under tons of snow and ice. They collapsed in the snow, breathing heavily but alive.

Ethan stood and turned back toward the now-buried depot, his visor dimming as the HUD powered down. The Syndicate's loss of such a critical supply point was a major victory, but he knew it wouldn't go unanswered. The Syndicate was cornered and cornered animals were the most dangerous.

"They're desperate," Thalor said, brushing snow from his armor. "You saw those cybernetic soldiers. They're throwing everything they've got at us."

"Let them," Ethan replied, his voice steady. "We'll be ready."

As the team regrouped, Ethan's communicator buzzed with a coded transmission from Darrik Voss. "Mission complete," Ethan reported. "Returning to Valeris."

Ethan gazed northward, where Drakor's stronghold awaited. The final battle loomed, and Ethan's resolve had never been stronger.