Last Stand

The alarms screamed through the darkened facility, echoing off the cold, metal walls. Red lights flashed, casting an ominous glow over the team as they sprinted toward the data center. The hum of approaching guards filled the air—footsteps echoing, heavy boots thudding against the ground.

Vale's pulse raced, but he kept his focus. "Zero, how much longer?"

Zero's fingers flew across his wrist console, his voice calm despite the rising tension. "We're in. Just need to bypass the final encryption."

A loud thud echoed from the hallway behind them. "We don't have much time," Kiera warned, glancing over her shoulder.

Vale nodded sharply. "Doc, get ready. Kiera, cover Zero. We're not leaving until we have what we came for."

Zero barely glanced up from his terminal, his face illuminated by the soft glow of the screen. "Almost there... Give me ten more seconds."

The hallway outside the data center was getting louder with every passing second—guards, armed and alert, closing in. Vale gritted his teeth. They had to move fast.

"Five seconds," Zero muttered, his voice tight with concentration.

The door to the data center slid open, and Vale signaled the team to rush inside. Kiera immediately took a defensive position, her weapon aimed at the hallway, while Doc moved to assist Zero. The air was thick with tension as the clock ticked down.

"Three... two... one..." Zero finished, just as a flood of encrypted data poured onto the screen. "I've got it!"

Vale's heart surged with relief. "Good. Let's get out."

But as the last word left Vale's mouth, the doors slammed shut with a loud metallic clang. The sound was like a death knell in the oppressive silence.

Kiera's eyes widened. "What the hell—?"

The answer came a second too late.

Explosions rocked the building, shaking the floor beneath them. The facility's security systems had locked them in.

"Trap," Doc muttered, his voice grim. "We've been compromised."

Vale slammed his fist against the wall, frustration bubbling up, but he quickly regained his composure. "We fight our way out."

He turned to Zero, who was already sending commands to his console, trying to re-establish access to the facility's defenses. "Get the doors open, now!"

"I'm on it," Zero snapped, typing furiously.

The team took defensive positions around the data center, weapons raised, eyes scanning for movement. The door to the corridor outside groaned, and they heard the distant sounds of boots marching in unison—more guards, and this time, they were ready for them.

"Coming through the east wing," Kiera reported, her voice steady despite the chaos. "We'll need to hold them off."

"We'll be ready," Vale replied, tightening his grip on his rifle. He moved toward the center of the room, setting up a strategic line of defense with Kiera and Doc.

"Zero," Vale said, looking back. "Once the door's open, we move fast. Got it?"

Zero didn't answer, but the look in his eyes said everything—he was determined to get them out alive.

The door leading to the hallway finally clicked open, the metal grating as it slid. But as it did, a flood of guards poured in, weapons drawn, shouting orders.

"Take them out!" one of the guards yelled.

Kiera fired first, her rifle recoiling with each shot as she dropped two guards before they even had time to react. Doc followed, his weapon sending another burst of fire down the hallway. Vale moved into position, his combat instincts kicking in.

"Stay focused!" he barked as the first wave of enemies collapsed. "More coming!"

Zero was already moving toward the exit, his hand on the door to the hallway. "It's open!" he shouted.

But as the door slid open, the team was greeted by a wall of heavy fire. The guards had positioned themselves just outside, waiting for them.

Vale threw himself to the ground, narrowly avoiding a burst of gunfire. "Doc, Kiera, suppress them!"

Doc and Kiera responded immediately, returning fire with lethal precision, giving Vale and Zero the time they needed to break through. The sound of laser fire and bullets clashing against walls reverberated through the air.

Vale knew they couldn't stay much longer. They had to move. They had to escape. They couldn't let this be their last fight.

With a final push, the team broke through, running full force into the outside night. The cold air hit them like a slap, but there was no time to slow down.

"Where's the extraction point?" Vale barked.

Zero glanced at his console. "One click to the north. We're not safe yet."

"Then we keep moving!" Vale ordered.

The team sprinted through the icy streets, the sound of pursuit growing fainter but still present. Vale could feel the weight of the mission pressing on him—the intel they'd just secured was invaluable, but it had come at a heavy price.

They were almost there. Almost free.

And then, just as the team neared the extraction point, the sound of distant engines echoed through the night sky.

"They're still coming," Kiera said, her voice tight with fear.

"Then we give them a fight they won't forget," Vale said, his eyes hardening.