THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE

The gunfire raged inside the warehouse, echoing off the steel walls and sending sparks into the air. Jack sprinted between rows of crates, taking cover behind a stack of metal containers as bullets ricocheted around him. He needed to focus, but Andrei was circling him like a predator, and the weight of their unfinished past hung heavy between them.

On the other side of the warehouse, Sophia crouched behind a forklift, taking shots at Orlov's men who were trying to load the last of the stolen tech into a shipping container. She glanced over her shoulder, trying to track Jack's movements, but it was chaos—too many moving parts.

Alyssa, perched atop a stack of crates, was using her sniper rifle to pick off the guards from a distance. Each shot was precise, as she cleared a path for Jack and Sophia to move deeper into the warehouse.

But it wasn't enough.

Orlov was slipping through their fingers.

Andrei closed in on Jack, his steps measured and his gun steady. Jack could see the cold, calculating fury in Andrei's eyes. This wasn't just a professional rivalry; it was personal. Years ago, Jack had foiled one of Andrei's most important contracts, and ever since, Andrei had been hunting him.

Jack knew Andrei was faster—his reflexes razor-sharp. The only advantage Jack had was his ability to think on his feet, to turn the environment against his enemies. He needed a distraction, something to throw Andrei off-balance, if only for a moment.

"You've got nowhere to run, Adams," Andrei called, his voice smooth, predatory. "This ends tonight."

Jack ducked behind another stack of crates, his mind racing. He could see a rusted gas canister lying just a few feet away. If he could trigger an explosion, it might give him the opening he needed.

"You always were too cocky, Andrei," Jack replied, his voice steady as he reached for his gun. "That's why you never finished the job."

With a quick motion, Jack fired a shot at the gas canister. The bullet struck through, and the canister erupted in a burst of flames, sending a shockwave through the warehouse. The explosion knocked Andrei off his feet, giving Jack the split-second he needed to charge forward.

On the far side of the warehouse, Orlov seized the opportunity created by the explosion. He barked orders in Russian to his men, signaling them to continue loading the stolen tech into the waiting shipping container. The convoy was almost ready to move, and if Orlov made it out of Saint Petersburg, Jack knew they'd lose him for good.

Sophia, regaining her footing after the explosion, locked eyes with Orlov across the room. She raised her gun, but one of Orlov's guards tackled her before she could take the shot. The two of them crashed to the ground in a flurry of fists and elbows, struggling for control of the weapon.

As Sophia fought off the guard, she heard Alyssa's voice in her earpiece. "We need to stop that container from leaving! They've got all the tech!"

Sophia gritted her teeth, throwing the guard off her and firing a shot into his chest. She raced toward the container, her mind focused on one thing—stopping Orlov at all costs.

Jack and Andrei's fight had escalated into a brutal hand-to-hand combat, both men trading blows with deadly precision. Jack's knuckles were bruised, his body aching from the sheer force of Andrei's strikes. But he wasn't done yet. Not even close.

Andrei lunged at Jack with a knife, the blade gleaming in the dim light. Jack narrowly dodged, grabbing Andrei's arm and twisting it behind him in one fluid motion. The knife clattered to the floor, but Andrei didn't stop. He spun around, delivering a sharp kick to Jack's ribs, sending him crashing into a stack of crates.

As Jack struggled to catch his breath, he saw Andrei reaching for his gun, which had been knocked aside during the explosion. Jack knew he couldn't let Andrei get his hands on it. Summoning every ounce of strength he had left, Jack launched himself forward, tackling Andrei to the ground.

The two men grappled for control, fists flying as they fought for dominance. But this time, Jack was ready. With a swift, calculated move, he locked Andrei's arm in a chokehold, cutting off his air supply.

Andrei's face contorted with rage, but slowly, the fight drained from his body. His eyes flickered with hatred as his consciousness faded.

"I told you," Jack whispered, his voice cold. "You're too cocky."

With one final, crushing twist, Andrei fell limp in Jack's arms.

The Race Against Time

While Jack finished off Andrei, Alyssa had made her way across the warehouse's upper rafters, positioning herself for the perfect shot. Below her, Orlov was making his final move, ordering his men to secure the container for transport.

"I've got a shot," Alyssa whispered into her mic.

"Take it," Jack responded, his voice strained as he picked himself up from the fight with Andrei.

Alyssa's finger hovered over the trigger, her sniper rifle lined up with Orlov's head. She took a deep breath, steadying her aim. But just as she was about to fire, Orlov's phone rang, and he ducked into the SUV, disappearing from her line of sight.

"Damn it," Alyssa muttered.

Orlov's men finished loading the last of the stolen tech into the container, and the massive steel doors began to close. Jack and Sophia sprinted toward the loading bay, desperately trying to intercept the convoy before it could leave the docks.

Sophia fired a few shots at the truck's tires, but the armored vehicle was built to withstand gunfire. The engine roared to life, and the convoy began pulling out of the warehouse.

"We're losing them!" Sophia shouted.

Jack glanced at the container, then at the rows of cars nearby. His mind raced. They couldn't let that tech leave Saint Petersburg, not after everything they'd been through.

"Get in the car!" Jack barked. "We're going after them!"

The Chase Begins

Jack, Sophia, and Alyssa piled into a black sedan that Zane had arranged for them. The tires screeched as Jack floored the accelerator, weaving through the narrow dockside streets in hot pursuit of Orlov's convoy. The shipping container rumbled ahead, flanked by two SUVs filled with heavily armed guards.

Sophia reloaded her gun, leaning out the window to take shots at the tires of the convoy vehicles. Alyssa was in the backseat, furiously hacking into the convoy's GPS system, trying to anticipate their next move.

"They're heading for the border!" Alyssa shouted over the roar of the engine. "We have to stop them before they reach the checkpoint. If they cross into Finland, we'll lose them."

Jack gritted his teeth, pushing the car to its limits. The convoy was faster, but Jack knew these streets better. They had one shot at stopping Orlov before he disappeared into the cold Russian night.

As they neared a sharp turn, Jack spotted a narrow alleyway cutting through to the next street. It was risky, but it would allow them to cut off the convoy and force a confrontation.

"Hold on!" Jack yelled, wrenching the steering wheel hard to the left. The sedan skidded through the alley, narrowly avoiding a pile of crates as they sped toward the convoy's escape route.

Sophia glanced at Jack, her eyes filled with both fear and determination. "We're not letting them get away, Jack."

Jack nodded. "No. We're not."