Chapter 121 The Show of Force

Chapter 121 The Show of Force
Evelyn's POV

Braydon called me into his office three days before the demonstration. He had maps and notes spread across his desk and looked tired.

"I need your help with something."

"What is it?"

"The Valentinos want proof we're still dangerous. We're doing a demonstration and I need you to coordinate the logistics."

"What kind of demonstration?"

"A mock assault. We'll hit an abandoned building with over a hundred fighters and let the Valentinos watch from a distance. If we do it right they'll see we're not weak and agree to peace talks."

"When?"

"Saturday. That gives us three days to plan everything."

I sat down and looked at his notes. "Where's the location?"

"The old factory on River Road. It's been empty for years and nobody goes near it."

"How many fighters are we using?"

"One hundred and twenty. I want it to look overwhelming."

"That's a lot of people to coordinate."

"That's why I'm asking you. You're good at organizing things."

I took the papers and started reading through them. "What do you want me to focus on?"

"Transportation, timing, and positioning. Everyone needs to arrive at the right moment and hit their marks perfectly. This has to look professional."

"What about weapons?"

"Live ammunition. We're not faking anything except the target."

"The Valentinos will be watching?"

"From a safe spot about two hundred yards away. Marco and his top guys."

"What if they try something?"

"Gyran will have a security team watching them. If they move wrong we'll know."

I spent the rest of the day planning everything. I made lists of who would ride in which vehicle and what time each group needed to leave headquarters. I mapped out positions around the factory so everyone would know where to go. I coordinated with the weapons team to make sure we had enough ammunition and equipment.

Gyran found me in the planning room that night. "How's it going?"

"Good. It's a lot of moving parts but I think I've got it figured out."

"Braydon picked the right person for this."

"I hope so. If something goes wrong it'll be my fault."

"Nothing will go wrong. You're too careful for that."

The next two days were busy. I met with team leaders and walked them through their assignments. I drove to the factory and marked positions with spray paint so people would know exactly where to stand. I double-checked vehicle assignments and made sure everyone had radios.

Saturday morning came fast. I woke up early and went over everything one more time. Gyran was already awake and getting ready.

"You nervous?" he asked.

"A little. This is a big deal."

"You'll do fine."

We got to the headquarters at six AM. Fighters were already gathering and loading into vehicles. I had a clipboard and checked off names as people arrived. Braydon showed up at seven and looked over my work.

"Everything ready?"

"Yeah. First group leaves in ten minutes."

"Good. Marco and his guys will be in position by nine. We start at nine fifteen."

The vehicles left in waves as I planned. I rode with Braydon and Gyran in the lead car. When we got to the factory I directed people to their positions. Everyone moved quickly and quietly. Within twenty minutes all one hundred and twenty fighters were in place around the building.

I looked through binoculars and saw the Valentinos on a hill two hundred yards away. Marco was there with six of his guys. They had binoculars too and were watching us closely.

"They're here," I told Braydon.

"Good. Tell everyone to get ready."

I radioed the team leaders. "Positions confirmed. Stand by for the signal."

Braydon checked his watch. "Two minutes."

I watched the fighters. They looked professional and focused. Some crouched behind cars and others stood near the building entrance. The weapons team was ready with their rifles. Everything was exactly how I planned it.

"Thirty seconds," Braydon said.

My heart was beating fast. This had to work. If it didn't then we'd be at war with the Valentinos and more people would die.

"Go," Braydon said into his radio.

The assault started. The first team breached the factory door and rushed inside. Gunfire echoed through the building. The second team moved around the side and entered through a window. The third team covered the exits. It was fast and coordinated and loud.

I watched through the binoculars. The Valentinos were paying close attention. Marco had his arms crossed and was talking to the guy next to him.

Inside the factory, the teams cleared rooms one by one. They moved like they'd done this a thousand times. Within five minutes they had swept the entire building and regrouped outside.

"Phase two," Braydon said.

The weapons team stepped forward and fired at targets we'd set up inside. The sound was deafening. Bullets tore through walls and windows. Smoke filled the air. It looked like a real battle.

After two minutes Braydon called it off. "Cease fire."

The shooting stopped. Everyone held their positions. The silence was almost as loud as the gunfire had been.

"Phase three."

The fighters formed up in rows outside the building. All one hundred and twenty of them standing at attention. It was intimidating and impressive. I looked at the Valentinos again. They weren't talking anymore. They were watching.

Braydon walked to the front of the formation. "Dismissed."

The fighters broke formation and started loading back into vehicles. I checked my list and made sure everyone was accounted for. Nobody was missing. Nobody was hurt. Everything went exactly how we planned.

Braydon got a call on his phone. He listened for a minute and then hung up the phone. "That was Marco. He wants to meet tomorrow to discuss terms."

"So it worked?"

"Yeah. He said he's impressed. Peace talks start tomorrow afternoon."

I felt relief wash over me. We'd avoided another war. All the planning and stress were worth it.

Gyran came over and put his arm around me. "You did well."

"We all did."

Braydon looked at the factory one last time. "Let's go home."

We drove back to headquarters and I finally relaxed. The demonstration proved we were still dangerous and strong. The Valentinos saw what we could do and decided talking was better than fighting. Sometimes violence could be avoided by showing you were capable of it. That's what we did today and it worked.