Chapter 19: Tigers Hit

The flight to Istanbul proceeded without incident, but the mood among the team was tense. The only sounds were the hum of the engines and occasional turbulence as each member of the group prepared in his own way. For James, this mission was more than just the next step it was the final leg of an odyssey of betrayal, loss and an unflinching quest for justice.

From the opposite end of the cabin, Sarah was cleaning her rifle, her movements deliberate and methodical. She had a placid expression, but James knew her well enough to feel the storm writhe underneath. Next to her, Hassan sat wearing headphones and poring over blueprints of the syndicate's hub in Istanbul. At a fold-out table, Lina was typing frantically on her laptop, working on cracking the last barriers of Erebus's encryption.

And then there was the broker. Seated in the back on the far right, bound to their seat with steel cuffs, they observed the team with a watchful eye. And yet there seemed to be a calm confidence about them somehow for unspoken knowledge they had confronted and triumphed over at least as many dangers before.

"You're all so certain this is going to work," the Broker said finally, filling the silence. There was mockery in their voice. "But you don't know what you're walking into. Erebus isn't just a network, Erebus is a living thing, a system designed to adapt and respond."

James faced them, his expression frigid. "Keep talking. The more information you give us, the lesser the chance that Erebus has."

The Broker smirked. "I'm not telling you anything you can't guess. Istanbul is not just another operation for Erebus it's the center of it all. You're going into their lair, their nerve center. Do you really think you're going to survive?"

"Follow us," Sarah said, not looking up.

When that plane landed, the team was assembled. Lina had pinpointed the general location of the syndicate's hub: what appeared to be an abandoned shipping warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The warehouse was located on a stretch near the Bosphorus Strait, surrounded by other decaying buildings and decaying docks. An ideal location for a hidden stronghold.

The city's frenetic energy washed over them when they stepped off the plane. Istanbul was a living thing, its narrow thoroughfares packed with people, street merchants and the never-ending rhythm of traffic. James noticed the contrast between the vibrant city and their deadly mission.

"Don't lose your concentration," he said as they tumbled into an unmarked van that Lina had procured. "We stick to the plan. No unnecessary risks."

In the back, nestled between Hassan and Sarah, the Broker laughed. "Unnecessary risks? You have the gall to say that when you're about to raid Erebus's stronghold with a crew of four."

Sarah shoved the butt of her rifle against the Broker's side. "Talk some more, and you'll be the first through the door."

The Broker fell wisely silent.

Just as the van neared the target area, Lina's voice came through the comms. "We're in luck or something like it. The syndicate's outer security is active, but they don't seem to be on a lookout for visitors. We have only a small window to get inside before their system compensates for our presence."

"How do you define 'narrow,' " Hassan said.

"About 15 minutes," Lina said, "more or less."

James parked the van a couple blocks away, and the team, hustled out on foot. There was the warehouse, ahead of us, just like all the other dilapidated buildings surrounding it, the rusted shells, the broken glass.

Sarah lifted her binoculars to search the area. "Guards on the roof. Two patrolling the perimeter. No movement at all, just what Lina described and how."

"Let's move," James said.

The first stage of the mission went well. Hassan turned off the external alarms, letting the team enter unseen. Inside the warehouse was like day and night from the outside. The walls were lined with state-of-the-art equipment, while rows of servers hummed in the middle of the room.

"This is it," Lina said on the comms. "You're looking at the guts of the operation of Erebus. Just give me access to those servers, and I'll take care of the rest."

James pointed toward Sarah and Hassan. "Cover the entrances. I'll handle the upload."

The Broker stood in the center of the room, still wrapped in his cloak and guarded on all sides, inspecting his surroundings with unholy ease. "You've sat down and studied, but you've missed the bigger picture. Erebus isn't only about technology. It's about people. Loyal operatives across the world, each one able to rush in the second this chill out goes down."

James paid them no mind as he plugged Lina's device into the main server. "Lina, you're up."

"Got it," Lina said. "Give me five minutes to get everything out."

The Broker's smirk returned. "Five minutes? You won't have one."

Then the lights went out, and a shrill alarm filled the air.

"They're coming," Sarah said, readying her stance beside the entrance.

Hassan cursed softly to himself. "How did they know we're here?"

The Broker laughed. "I told you, Erebus adapts. You didn't think they would let you walk in here without notice, did you?"

James aimed his gun at the Broker. "If we don't get out of here, neither do you. Remember that."

The next few minutes were a blur. Syndicate operatives poured into the warehouse, their well timed attacks leaving the team fighting on too many fronts. Sarah fired her sniper rifle, picking off enemies from a distance as Hassan dropped suppressing fire.

James remained close to the servers, shielding Lina's device as it continued to pull down sensitive data.

"Thirty seconds!" Shouting from inside the comms was Lina. "Hold them off!"

The Broker, still bound, shouted above the gunfire. "You're wasting your time! You will never be free from it if you get the data!"

"So why are you so nervous, then?" Sarah retorted, narrowing her eyes while she shot another attacker.

When the download was finally done, James yanked the device from the server. "We've got it! Fall back!"

They fought their way out, dragging the Broker with them. Hassan had set charges that would destroy the warehouse but cover their escape; explosions rocked the warehouse.

The sun had just started to rise over Istanbul by the time they got in the van, bathing the city in a golden light. But there was no time to admire the scenery.

"Lina, do we have what we need? James said as he floored the gas pedal.

Lina's voice came through the comms in a crackle. "More than we need. We have names, accounts, and locations for every key player in Erebus. If we act quickly, we can take down the whole network."

The Broker said nothing, sitting in the rear, the swagger of moments ago even more gone than whatever vestiges had lingered of their earlier bravado. For the first time, it appeared they understood the scope of what had just happened.

James looked at them in the rearview mirror. "You were right about one thing. Erebus adapts. But so do we."

The Broker did not respond, eyes on the horizon.

As the van faded into the busy streets of Istanbul, the team realized their battle was far from finished. But for the first time they had the upper hand.