Chapter 150: Chapter 149
The slums had never been a place of peace, but now, in the days following the crippling of the city's command center, a strange quiet had settled over the streets. The tension that had been building for months seemed to reach its peak, hanging thick in the air like the calm before a storm.
Cole paced the floor of the safe house, the weight of leadership pressing down on him harder than ever. The crew was scattered across the city, gathering supplies, fortifying defenses, and spreading word of the rebellion. The people had rallied behind them after their last victory, but the stakes were rising with every passing moment.
"How long do you think we have?" Lina asked, breaking the silence.
Cole paused, staring out the window at the distant skyline. The city's towering buildings, symbols of wealth and power, loomed over the slums like predators waiting for the right moment to strike. "Not long. They'll hit back hard, and soon."
Lina stood beside him, her arms crossed. "We're ready, Cole. We've trained for this."
He nodded but didn't look at her. His mind was consumed with the thought of what was to come—the full force of the city's military, crashing down on them with a vengeance. The victory at the command center had been a monumental blow, but it was also the final spark needed to ignite the city's wrath.
"They're going to make an example out of us," Cole said quietly. "They want to show the rest of the city what happens when you step out of line."
Lina's jaw tightened, her voice filled with quiet fury. "Then we make sure they know we won't go down without a fight."
Cole finally turned to face her, his expression hard. "We'll fight. But we need to be smart. We've already taken out their command center, but they still have resources we can't match. We need to hit them in ways they won't expect."
Lina nodded, her eyes steady. "What are you thinking?"
"Sabotage," Cole replied. "We hit their supply lines, their infrastructure. We make it impossible for them to move against us effectively."
A small smile tugged at the corners of Lina's mouth. "You always did like the indirect approach."
"Direct only works when you've got the numbers," Cole said. "And we don't. We hit them where they're vulnerable, where they won't see it coming."
Lina stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. "We're with you. Whatever the plan is, we'll make it work."
Cole felt a surge of gratitude for her steady presence. Lina had been by his side through it all, her loyalty unshakable. She was more than just a fighter—she was his anchor, the one who kept him grounded when the weight of leadership threatened to crush him.
"We'll need to coordinate with the other districts," Cole said, his mind already racing through the details of the plan. "If we can disrupt their supply lines across the city, they'll be forced to spread their forces thin. That's when we strike."
Lina nodded, her expression determined. "I'll start reaching out to our contacts. We'll need everyone on board for this."
"Good," Cole said, his voice firm. "And we need to be ready for when they retaliate. They'll come at us hard, but if we're prepared, we can survive it."
Lina turned to leave, but before she could take a step, Cole caught her arm. She looked back at him, her eyes questioning.
"Be careful out there," Cole said, his voice quieter now. "I don't want to lose anyone else."
Lina's gaze softened, and she gave him a small nod. "I will. You do the same."
With that, she slipped out of the room, leaving Cole alone with his thoughts.
---
As the day wore on, the safe house filled with activity. Ty and Zack returned with a stash of weapons and supplies, their faces grim as they reported increased patrols in the outer districts. Maria arrived shortly after, her sniper rifle slung over her shoulder, her expression unreadable.
"They're tightening the noose," Maria said as she leaned against the wall, her eyes scanning the room. "I've seen more military presence in the last 24 hours than I've seen in weeks."
"They're getting ready," Cole said. "They know we're planning something."
"Then we need to move fast," Ty said, dropping a crate of ammunition onto the table. "We can't wait for them to come to us. We hit them now, before they hit us."
"We will," Cole replied, his mind already formulating the next steps. "But we need to be strategic. We can't afford to get caught in a frontal assault."
Ty frowned, but nodded. "Alright, boss. What's the plan?"
Cole moved to the table, spreading out a map of the city. "We've identified key supply routes that the military uses to transport weapons and resources to their forces. If we take out those routes, we'll disrupt their ability to launch a coordinated attack."
Zack leaned in, studying the map. "These supply routes are heavily guarded. We'll need to hit them fast and hard, then disappear before they can retaliate."
"We've done it before," Maria said, her voice calm and confident. "We can do it again."
"I'll take care of the explosives," Ty said, already reaching for his gear. "Just point me in the right direction."
"We'll split into two teams," Cole said, marking the map with points of attack. "Ty, you and Zack take the northern route. Lina, Maria, and I will take the southern. We'll coordinate the attacks to happen simultaneously."
Zack glanced up, his expression serious. "And once we've taken out the supply lines?"
"We pull back and regroup," Cole replied. "This is just the first step. Once their supply lines are disrupted, we'll plan the next phase."
"Sounds good to me," Ty said with a grin. "Let's blow some stuff up."
Cole gave him a small smile, but the tension in the room was palpable. They were on the edge of something big—something that could either turn the tide of the war or lead to their destruction.
As the crew prepared for the mission, Cole felt a sense of resolve settle over him. The stakes had never been higher, but neither had their determination. They had come too far to turn back now. The city's rulers would try to crush them, but they wouldn't go down without a fight.
"We move out at dawn," Cole said, his voice steady and firm. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we hit them where it hurts."
---
The night passed in a restless haze. Cole lay on his cot, staring up at the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts of the coming battle. Sleep eluded him, and when dawn finally broke, he was already up, pacing the floor, going over the plan in his head.
Lina was the first to join him, her expression calm but focused. "You ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Cole replied, glancing at her. "You?"
She gave him a small smile. "Always."
One by one, the rest of the crew gathered, their faces tense but determined. They knew what was at stake. They knew that today could be the turning point in their fight.
"Let's do this," Zack said, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.
With a nod, Cole led them out of the safe house and into the quiet streets. The city was waking up, the first rays of sunlight breaking over the horizon, casting long shadows across the alleyways.
They moved quickly and quietly, splitting into their designated teams as they approached their targets. The northern and southern routes were both heavily guarded, just as they had anticipated, but they had the element of surprise on their side.
As Cole, Lina, and Maria approached the southern supply route, they crouched behind a stack of crates, observing the guards patrolling the area.
"Five guards, maybe more inside," Lina whispered, her eyes scanning the perimeter.
Cole nodded, his grip tightening on his rifle. "We take them out quietly. No alarms."
Maria took up position, her sniper rifle trained on the nearest guard. "On your signal."
Cole took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. This was it. The first move in what would be a series of strategic strikes designed to cripple the city's power.
He raised his hand, signaling to Maria.
A soft crack echoed through the air as her rifle fired, the first guard dropping without a sound.
Lina moved next, her blade flashing in the early morning light as she took down the second guard with deadly precision.
One by one, they moved through the area, neutralizing the guards before they could raise the alarm. When the last guard fell, Cole gave the signal for Ty and Zack's team to move in on the northern route.
Everything was going according to plan.
But as they approached the supply trucks, the sound of approaching vehicles filled the air.
"Backup," Lina muttered, her eyes narrowing. "They're bringing reinforcements."
Cole's jaw tightened. "We need to move fast."
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