Chapter 27:The Silent Strike

As I stepped outside and into the impossibly cool air, the skyscraper lights stretched into long shadows that painted the ground with the signs of traffic, generation and time. In their armored SUV the air was thick with expectation. "Porridge," James offered up absently, gazing up at the massive structure looming before them—the Syndicate's clandestine data hub, disguised beneath the guise of an upscale hotel.

Sarah double-checked her weapons, her fingers deft and smooth. "It had better be worth it, James." Her voice was calm but with an undercurrent of tension.

James nodded, his jaw set. "It will be. We destroy their Kosovo-based operations, we take out the entire network."

Hassan sat next to him, his hand on the handle of his rifle, his body language primed for action. He did not speak, but the steel in his eyes said he was ready for whatever was to follow.

Lina, peering down at the tablet resting on her lap, was doing final checks. "Security systems became double-alert, but I know where the access points are. We'll need to move fast."

The SUV came to a halt just beyond the hotel's secure perimeter. The glass-sided tower shone in the city sparkle, but for all the luxury and glamour, it was a fortress, defended by cameras, armed guards and complex digital protections. The team had a single shot no margin for error.

Wren, who hadn't said anything until now, threw a knowing glance over his shoulder. "We go in quick, and we get out quick. As soon as Lina has the files, we split. You all know the drill."

James peered around, nodded. The pressure of the mission bore upon him almost tangibly. The Syndicate had been a phantom of their lives for way too long, and tonight, they were going to destroy that phantom.

"Move out," James commanded.

The crew climbed out in a hurry, melting into the dark and taking cover behind parked cars and down alleys to avoid detection. Their goal was a service entrance, left drab and unmarked, that Lina had hacked into the hotel's security earlier that day.

Each had long held the other in suspicion; now, senses heightened, they walked with steps and sounds exaggerated, as they reached the entrance. James's heart quickened at the realization that so many lives were at stake and that this mission would determine if they lived or died. The Syndicate was no ordinary foe—they were a ruthless organization with the reach, power, and resources that spanned borders. For the first time, they were the ones who were being hunted.

Lina scurried over to the control panel, her fingers racing across the screen. "I'm in," she whispered, and the heavy metal door opened silently.

The halls were quiet inside, but there was an underlying hum of activity. Security cameras panned on mechanical tracks, and guards passed at scheduled times. No1 cornered fast, the team following its line as best they could, both watchful.

The elevator shaft they required was up ahead, watched over by a pair of security officers. James's mind worked quickly. A direct confrontation would alert the entire building, but they could not afford to wait.

Hassan held up his rifle, he would take the guards out with both of his bullets.

But before he could make a move, a gentle voice pierced the silence.

"I'll handle this."

It was Wren.

Wren oozed out of the darkness, too upfront, too smooth for survival, James saw. In seconds, he was at the guards' backs, hands fast and exact. One guard went down in a neck-break, the other in the same smooth movement;

The team pressed on without delay.

Lina stepped onto the elevator first, hauling the heavy bags with all their tech, quickly hacking into the building's security system to loop the cameras. "We have five minutes before they find the breach. I'm just pushing up the files as quickly as I can."

The elevator doors slid shut, and the team plunged into the very heart of the Syndicate's activities.

The sound of machinery hummed, and the air turned colder as they descended to the building's lower floors. They entered a wide server room — lines and lines of computers, every one of them essential to the Syndicate's sprawling empire.

"You're it," Lina said, even as her fingers danced across the console. "I'm bypassing their mainframe; just a few more seconds."

James was at ready, hand on his weapon, looking around the room. Sarah and Hassan stood by the door, ready to spring into action at even the slightest hint of trouble.

Then came the unmistakable sound of footsteps in the hall.

"We don't have time," James whispered.

Lina's eyes flashed with panic, but she didn't take her eyes off the screen. "Almost done just"

The server room door flung open.

Weapons-drawn security guards rushed in.

James moved on instinct, dragging the closest guard over and smashing his back against the wall, his rifle instantly in the air. Sarah fired two fast shots, taking two more out of the fight, then her brother dropped low, shooting through one of the first with a round drop a bullet in the one behind.

But they kept coming.

Lina at the console planted a fist in her mouth and hissed. "I'm so close!"

The remaining guards charged, and James felt the danger thick in the air. The Syndicate had a long reach, and the stakes had never been higher.

"Lina!" he shouted. "Finish the job!"

After one last keystroke, Lina pressed enter. "Done!"

The files started to download onto their secure device as the guards closed in.

"Go! Now!" James yelled.

The team bolted for the exit, taking out anyone who stood in their path. They walked to the elevator, hearing footsteps echo around the halls.

It helped that Wren was leading the charge, with his typically calm demeanor making him an effective leader during the chaos. They made it to the elevator as the building's alarms started blaring. The clock was ticking the Syndicate was coming for them.

The doors shut just as the first wave of guards arrived.

The team let out a breath, but the drama was far from over.

"Prepare," James said in a low voice. "This is only the beginning."