Chapter 10: The Final Stand

The roar of approaching engines and the thud of boots on pavement reverberated through the streets as the syndicate closed in on the team's fallback spot. While James was a few miles away and racing against time to come back to his team with thoughts clouded with worry. He had struck a blow to Mathis, but the battle was only beginning.

At the fallback point Sarah, Hassan, and Lina prepared for what seemed an inevitable clash. Before them, on the table, the hard drives piled, containing the files, the mission of the people verifying the files now done, and not without cost. The syndicate desired blood, and they weren't walking away empty-handed.

Hassan was crouched by the window, his rifle by his side. "They're spreading out, circling the building," he said. "Theirs is an invading army, and we won't have much time when they breach."

Lina hastily took apart her laptop, stuffing the hard drives into a waterproof bag. "This data is our sole leverage. If they do, all of this was in vain."

Sarah took a handgun, her hands steady now. "They won't get it. "We'll stop them until James arrives."

Hassan glanced at her. "If he arrives here," he said grimly.

Sarah shot him a glare. "He'll come. He always does."

Outside, the syndicate's soldiers readied their attack. They were heavily armed and worked quickly and cleanly, closing off every exit and sealing off routes of escape. Their commander shouted orders over the radio with a voice full of confidence.

"They're trapped," he said. "Move in, but if possible take them alive. We need to know what they've disclosed and who else is involved."

A loudspeaker crackled on. "You are surrounded," the commander said. "Surrender now, and we may spare your lives."

Within, Hassan laughed darkly. "Might. That's reassuring."

"We're not giving up," Sarah said unequivocally. She looked at Lina. "Is there a way we can disrupt their comms? Slow them down?"

Lina nodded. "Before we left the safe house, I rigged a signal jammer. It won't be for long, but it should give us some time."

"Do it," Hassan said.

The moment Lina activated the jammer, the forces of the syndicate froze, their communications becoming abruptly dead. That was all the opening the team needed.

James came right when the first burst of gunfire erupted. He left his stolen motorcycle parked a block away and approached the building, taking advantage of the chaos. He saw the syndicate's vehicles and heavily armed men standing watch outside.

"Typical Mathis," James said under his breath. "Overkill as usual."

Taking stock of the scene, he cooked up a scheme. He pulled a smoke grenade from his vest and lobbed it at the closest group of operatives. He was in the cloud, moving quickly, dropping two guards before they could even respond.

On the other side, Sarah heard the commotion and felt a rush of hope. "I think that has to be James," she said.

Hassan nodded. "Sounds like his style."

Suddenly, the door burst open and James stepped through, face smudged with dirt and determination. "Miss me?" he asked, a slight smile on his face.

"Re cutting it close, ain't you? Hassan responded, handing James a spare rifle.

"Had to make entrance," James said. His face turned grave. "What's the plan?"

"We just keep them at bay as long as we can," Sarah said. "The files are leaking already, but they come here to erase us and the loop."

James nodded, his mind spinning. "Then we ensure we're not loose ends.

The next several minutes were a blur of activity. They fought as long as they could, legs quaking as they laid their defenses against one syndicate operative after the other flooded the chamber, while James and Hassan stood to cover the primary entrance, tape of their shots ripping open from wall to wall "Hold the rear," Sarah and Lina said, using the tight corridors of the building to their advantage.

But the consortium's troops were merciless. For every man they removed from power, two more seemed to rise to take his place.

"We're running out of ammo!" Hassan shouted.

James gritted his teeth. "Then we make every shot pay."

Just as we thought everything was going to shit, a boom echo diverted our eyes to the skyline. The building trembled, a scream-filled din permeating the air.

"What the hell was that?" Sarah asked.

James smiled grimly. "Backup."

Amid the smoke and carnage, a cadre of armed civilians emerged, led by some familiar ones men and women who James had once served with on peacekeeping missions. They were former soldiers and locals who had been lying low waiting for a chance to strike back at the syndicate.

"We thought you might need some help!" and took out a syndicate operative with deadly accuracy.

James's grin widened. "Took you long enough."

The arriving shot troops turned the tide of battle. Thanks to them, the syndicate's forces started to crumble, their numbers thinning as they suffered under the combined effort. Explosions lit up the night as the new arrivals brought heavier firepower to dismantle the syndicate's vehicles and cut off their escape.

James shook his head, disbelief washing over him. "You kept this up your sleeve the entire time?"

James shrugged. "Did not want to ruin the surprise."

Within the building, Sarah and Lina labored feverishly to eradicate all sensitive materials that remained. Sarah was given the waterproof bag with the hard drives by Lina. "Here, take this and get out of here. If something happens, these files must survive."

Sarah paused, looking toward the sound of gunfire outside. "I'm not leaving you."

"You won't," Lina told her. "But we need to have a contingency plan."

Sarah barely heard the door kick open as she instinctively pulled the trigger on the remaining operative, causing him to stumble backwards into the doorway, while Lina dove for cover, narrowly avoiding a hail of bullets. The second man presented his weapon at Sarah, but before he had time to pull the trigger, James popped up behind him and dropped him with one round.

"Guess I showed up just in time," James said, extending a hand to Sarah.

She smiled weakly. "You always do."

Outside, the conflict peaked with the last remnants of the syndicate fleeing from the bombardment. Mathis, bruised and bloodied, staggered from one of the SUVs, his face contorted with fury.

"This isn't over, Brown!" he yelled, shaking a quaking finger at James.

James stepped up, keeping his rifle aimed at the man who had betrayed all he stood for. "Oh, it's over," he said, in an icy voice. "The syndicate's done. Your secrets are out, your men are scattered and your reign is over."

Mathis sneered. "You think you've won? You have no idea what you've released."

James didn't waver. "Maybe not. But one thing, I know you won't be here to see it."

With that, Mathis dropped his gun and held his hands up in surrender. James called for one of the ex-soldiers to arrest him.

With dawn breaking over the city, the team regrouped. The safe house was destroyed, but they were alive, and the syndicate's hold had been broken.

Lina looked at her laptop, a smile breaking when confirmation popped up "The files are everywhere now. There are news outlets, whistleblower sites, government agencies. The syndicate's done for."

Sarah was leaning against a wall tired but glad. "We did it."

James turned to his team, pride gleaming in his eyes. "We did more than that. We gave people a way to fight back."

Hassan patted him on the back. "What now, Captain?"

For the first time in years, James watched the sunset and felt peace wash over him. "Now we rebuild. Together."

And as the city started to stir, James and his team stepped off the battlefield, preparing for whatever may come next. Together, they

had won a war along with a chance for a fresh start.