"Shadows of the Past"

The transport vehicle sped through the darkened streets, the city lights flickering like distant stars. Alyssa sat in the passenger seat, her fingers drumming against her thigh as she glanced back at Victor, who remained unconscious, bound tightly in the rear compartment. Mark drove with steady hands, his focus unwavering despite the weight of their latest mission pressing down on them.

"We need a secure location," Ethan's voice crackled through their earpieces. "Somewhere to interrogate him without drawing attention."

Alyssa exhaled sharply. "We can't risk a safe house. They'll expect that."

Mark nodded. "Then we go off-grid. I know a place."

He turned off the main road, taking a back route toward an abandoned warehouse district. The structure they pulled up to was old, its windows shattered, and its walls covered in faded graffiti. Mark parked the vehicle behind a stack of shipping containers, ensuring they remained hidden from any prying eyes.

Inside, the air was thick with dust and the faint scent of rusting metal. Alyssa pulled Victor out of the vehicle and secured him to a metal chair in the center of the room. As she tightened the restraints, he groaned, his eyelids fluttering open.

"Well, well," Victor murmured, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Quite the hospitality."

Alyssa crossed her arms. "Talk."

Victor chuckled, shaking his head. "You really think it's that simple?"

Mark stepped forward, his jaw tight. "We know there's more to this operation than just you. Who are you working for?"

Victor let out a slow breath. "You're asking the wrong questions."

Alyssa leaned in, her voice ice-cold. "Then give us the right ones."

Victor's eyes gleamed with something unsettling. "Did you ever stop to wonder why you were able to capture me so easily?"

A tense silence filled the room.

Ethan's voice came through the earpiece. "Guys… we have a problem."

Before Alyssa could respond, a loud explosion rocked the warehouse. The walls trembled, dust raining down from the ceiling. Mark cursed, reaching for his gun as the sound of vehicles screeching to a halt echoed outside.

"They found us," Alyssa muttered, gripping her weapon.

Victor grinned. "I told you. You're asking the wrong questions."

The doors burst open, and armed men flooded in, weapons raised. Alyssa and Mark exchanged a glance, ready to fight their way out. The real battle had just begun.