Chapter 41 : Losing Home

Kate adjusted her position, trying to hear more of their conversation. What she heard made her blood run cold.

"Where's the damn radio?" barked one of the men near the fire, his frustration cutting through the still air. "We haven't heard from Morrison all day!"

Another man, clearly younger and more nervous, shuffled toward the table near the edge of the firelight, fumbling with a radio. "It's—it's here, boss. But I think it's… off."

"Off?" The leader strode over, snatching the radio from the man's trembling hands. "You idiot! How are we supposed to know what's happening if the damn thing's not on?"

He flicked the switch, and the radio crackled to life with a hiss of static. The man glared at the younger ruffian. "Next time you screw up, I'll make sure it's your last."

"…That station's ours for the taking," a man growled, his voice rough with confidence. "…and Morrison says they'll be vulnerable," one of the ruffians was saying, his voice a mix of confidence and disdain. "Most of their fighters are gone, headed to the west base."

Another man laughed, a low, guttural sound. "Idiots. That's why I always say, it's better to have someone on the inside."

The Boss, spoke up next. His voice was calm but authoritative. "Once Morrison gives the signal, we hit the station. Quick and clean. No dragging it out this time."

"And if something goes wrong?" one of the younger ruffians asked hesitantly.

The scarred man turned to him, his scarred face twisting into a cold grin. "It won't. They think they've outsmarted us. But by the time they realize it's a trap, we'll already have their precious station locked down."

"Too bad the other didn't live to see this," another ruffian muttered, tossing a stick into the fire. "But hey, revenge is sweeter when we make them watch their people burn."

The Boss smirked. "Exactly. And when they come crawling back, they'll find their precious little fortress is ours."

The group erupted in laughter.

Kate slipped back to Chris and Daniels, her movements as silent as the shadows around her. When she reached them, her face was grim.

Kate felt a surge of nausea at the smug satisfaction in his voice. She turned her head slightly, whispering to Chris and Daniels, "We've got confirmation. They mentioned Morrison. Apparently, he told them most of our fighters went west—to their other base. But they haven't heard from him. The radio he gave them was off, and they just turned it on."

Daniels frowned, her brow furrowing. "So he really is working with them."

Chris clenched his jaw, his knuckles white against the barrel of his rifle. "That bastard. He was feeding them our moves the whole time."

Daniels whispered back, her tone laced with anger. "So what now? They're waiting for Morrison's signal.That means they're going to find out something's wrong. Fast."

Kate glanced back toward the campfire, then at the column of smoke rising into the sky. "We head back. Marcus needs to know what we're up against. We don't have the numbers to take them on here, not without a plan."

Chris hesitated. "What if they see us leaving? We could lead them straight to the others."

"That's why we move fast and stick to the shadows," Kate replied. "No unnecessary risks. Let's go."

The journey back felt longer than the one there, the weight of their discovery adding to the tension. The trio moved in near silence, their eyes darting to every shadow, their ears straining for any sound out of place. As they approached the office building, Kate raised her hand, signaling them to stop.

"Hold up," she whispered, scanning the area. "Something feels off."

Chris frowned. "You think they followed us?"

"No," Kate replied, her eyes narrowing. "But stay sharp anyway."

When they reached the office building, the group was immediately ushered inside by Victor, who had been keeping watch. His face lit with relief when he saw them, but it quickly shifted to concern when he noticed their expressions.

"What happened?" he asked.

"No time," Kate said quickly. "Where's Marcus?"

"Upstairs," Victor replied, stepping aside to let them pass.

The trio hurried to the top floor, where Marcus and the others were gathered, waiting anxiously. The moment Marcus saw them, he stood, his expression shifting to one of concern.

"You're back," he asked."What did you find?"

The group convened on the second floor, where the others had gathered. Victor and Amelia kept watch over Morrison, who sat in a corner, bound and scowling. Lucas lingered nearby, watching nervously but keeping his distance.

Kate didn't waste time. She stepped forward, addressing Marcus and the others. "We found their camp. They've been regrouping near an old warehouse, and they're planning to hit the station again. But there's more. They're still relying on the intel Morrison gave them—they think most of our fighting force went west."

Marcus frowned, his hand resting on his rifle. "And?"

"And," Kate continued, her tone grave, "the radio Morrison gave them was off. They just turned it on while we were there. That means they haven't figured out that Morrison's been caught. Yet."

Chris leaned forward, his arms crossed. "But it's only a matter of time before they do."

Daniels nodded. "Which means we need to act now."

Kate hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath. "I have a plan. But before I say anything, Marcus, you need to know—it's extreme. If we go through with this, the station will be gone. We won't be able to use it again."

The room fell silent. Marcus studied her, his expression unreadable. "Go on."

Kate squared her shoulders, her voice steady despite the weight of her words. "The station is what they want. It's their entire focus. If we use it as bait, we can draw them in—and take them all out in one move. Here's how it works."

She gestured to the others. "We'll leave a few signs of activity around the station—things that make it look like we're still there. Once they move in to attack, we'll have rigged the place with traps, fire hazards, whatever we can set up. As soon as they're inside, we trigger it."

Chris's eyes widened. "You're talking about burning the station."

Kate nodded. "Exactly. If we time it right, we can catch most of them off guard. And because they think most of us are gone, they won't expect a counterattack."

Henry rubbed the back of his neck, his brow furrowed. "It's risky. What if some of them don't take the bait?"

"That's why we'll position ourselves nearby," Kate said. "If any of them get out, we take them down before they can regroup. But we need to move fast. If they figure out Morrison's betrayal before we're ready, this won't work."

Marcus remained silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the floor. The others waited, the tension in the room palpable. Finally, he looked up at Kate.

"You're right. It's extreme. The station has been our home, our stronghold. But if we stay there, we're sitting ducks. If this plan works, we won't lose anyone—and that's what matters."

Kate nodded, her expression resolute. "It's not an easy choice. But it's the best shot we've got."

Marcus sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright. We'll do it. But we need to make sure everyone's on the same page. We can't afford any mistakes."

He turned to the group. "the station is our home but now we need to sacrifice our home to make sure we not loosing a single person to the ruffian, today we lost our home but we will find a better home after this, soon..."

The group nodded at Marcus and starting to prepare, Kate lingered for a moment, her eyes meeting Marcus's. "You made the right call."

"I hope so," Marcus replied quietly. "For all our sakes."