Chapter 170

Chapter 170

Lila’s POV

The clock on the wall ticked louder than usual. The tension in the room was getting high, as each second felt like an anchor. Grayson’s fingers worked tirelessly across his keyboard while Ethan stood by the window, his sharp gaze scanning the quiet street below. Reyes leaned against the far wall, his injured arm in a makeshift sling but his eyes as alert as ever.

I stood at the centre of the chaos, holding the flash drive we had taken from the meeting like it was a lifeline. The data it contained held immense potential, yet it also posed a great risk if we did not exercise caution.

“Anything yet?” I asked Grayson.

He didn’t look up. “Almost. This encryption is quite complex, but it’s starting to give in.”

Ethan turned, his jaw tight. “How much time until they realise we’ve got this?”

Grayson shrugged. “If we’re lucky, an hour. If we’re not...”

“We can't count on luck,” I said firmly.

Reyes smirked. “We never do.”

The tension subsided for a moment, but it snapped back into place when Grayson let out a low curse.

“What is it?” I asked, stepping closer.

He leaned back in his chair, his face dropping in disappointment. “The files contain a tracker. The second I opened it, it pinged someone. They know we’re here.”

My stomach twisted at the news, but I forced myself to stay calm. “How long until they come?”

“Minutes, maybe less,” Grayson said grimly. “They’ll send their best.”

Ethan was already moving, issuing orders. “Reyes, secure the back entrance. Grayson, wipe everything not important. Lila, you stay with me.”

I didn’t argue. My heart was racing, but my mind was sharp. We had faced challenges before, and this would not be the last of it.

The safe house, usually a sanctuary, suddenly felt like a trap. Every shadow seemed to shift, and every creak in the floorboards amplified.

Ethan handed me a weapon, his hand lingering on mine for a second. “We’ll get through this.”

I nodded, gripping the gun tightly. “We always do.”

The first explosion rocked the building, shaking the walls and sending dust raining down from the ceiling. I stumbled but caught myself on the edge of the table.

“They are here,” Reyes called from the hallway, his voice tight.

Ethan moved to the door, his eyes locking with mine for a brief second. “Stay close.”

I followed him into the hallway, where Reyes was already returning fire. The sharp sounds of gunfire and the acrid smell of burning metal filled the air.

“They are trying to sweep us out,” Reyes shouted.

“Let’s make it the best nightmare for them,” Ethan said, his voice hard and determined.

I crouched behind a table, firing at the shadows moving in the smoke-filled hallway. The attackers were relentless, their movements precise and coordinated.

"They're trained by syndicates," I uttered, clenching my teeth.

Ethan nodded. “Then they will know how to bleed.”

Minutes felt like hours as we held our ground. Grayson worked furiously in the background, his voice occasionally cutting through the chaos.

“I’ve got most of the data copied,” he said. “Just need a little more time.”

“You’ve got two minutes,” Ethan barked.

Another explosion shook the building, closer this time. The lights flickered, plunging us into half darkness.

“They are breaching the lower level,” Reyes warned.

Ethan turned to me. “We can’t stay here. Grayson, how much longer?”

“Almost done!”

I took a deep breath, my hands shaking slightly as I reloaded. This wasn’t just about survival. This was about finishing what we started, about making sure the syndicate didn’t get away with the destruction they had caused.

“We are moving out now,” Ethan announced. “Grayson, grab what you’ve got. Reyes, cover the rear. Lila, you’re with me.”

We navigated the safe house with the precision and speed of a well-tuned machine. The attackers were relentless, their numbers seemingly endless.

“We have to get to the alley,” Ethan said, his voice low. “Grayson, is the extraction ready?”

“Almost,” he panted, holding tight a bag of heavy drives and laptops.

We reached the exit, only to find it blocked. A group of heavily armed operatives stood between us and freedom, their weapons targeted at us.

“Drop your guns,” one of them ordered.

Ethan didn’t waver. “You first.”

The tension was suffocating. Although my finger lingered on the trigger, I was aware of how distant our number is to theirs.

“Ethan,” I said softly, glancing at him.

Before he could respond, a loud crash came from above. The ceiling caved in seconds later, debris raining down on the operatives.

“Move!” Ethan shouted.

We pushed through the chaos, firing as we run. The extraction point was just ahead, but every step felt like a mile.

We got into the alley, gasping for breath. Grayson was already hacking into a vehicle parked nearby, his fingers moving over the keypad.

“Hurry,” I urged, glancing back.

The attackers were close behind, their shouts echoing through the alley.

The car’s engine roared to life, and we rushed in, slamming the doors shut. Ethan stepped on the gas, the tires screeching as we sped away.

Despite the loss of the safe house, we remained undefeated. The data we had recovered was intact, and as the hours passed, we felt we had a real chance to destroy the syndicate’s network for good.

As we drove into the night, it felt more certain than before that we could actually win the fight.

Ethan reached over, his hand finding mine in the darkness. “We’ll make them pay for all they have done.”

I nodded, my resolve hardening. “They’ll regret ever starting this war.”

Ahead, the city lights blurred into a haze, a constant reminder of what we were fighting for—and what we had yet to lose.