Chapitre 154: Chapter 153
The command center stood like a fortress, its towering walls a grim reminder of the city's unyielding control. Cole and his crew crouched behind the last line of cover, surveying the defenses. The building was heavily fortified, with armored vehicles stationed at key points and soldiers patrolling the perimeter in tight, coordinated movements.
"This won't be easy," Maria muttered, her sniper rifle trained on one of the guards near the entrance. "They've dug in deep."
"They know we're coming," Zack added, his voice tense. "This is their last stand, and they're not going to give it up without a fight."
Cole's eyes narrowed as he studied the layout of the command center. This was the heart of the city's power, the place where every order was issued, every oppressive policy enforced. Taking it down wasn't just about winning the revolution—it was about dismantling the very system that had kept the people of the slums in chains for so long.
"We need to split up again," Cole said, his voice calm but firm. "Maria, you stay here and provide cover. Ty, Lina, Zack—you're with me. We'll hit them from three sides, take out their defenses, and storm the command center."
Lina gave a sharp nod, her jaw set in determination. "We can't afford any mistakes."
"There won't be," Cole replied, his voice steely. "This is it. We either take them down now, or we lose everything."
Zack hefted his rifle, a grim smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "No pressure then."
"Let's move," Cole ordered, signaling for his crew to take their positions.
The tension in the air was suffocating as they crept toward the command center. Every step was calculated, every movement precise. The soldiers guarding the building were on high alert, but Cole and his team had the advantage of stealth—at least for now.
Maria's first shot rang out, the crack of her sniper rifle shattering the stillness of the morning. The guard nearest the entrance crumpled to the ground, and chaos erupted as the soldiers scrambled to respond.
"Go, go, go!" Cole shouted, leading the charge.
They moved as one, their rifles barking as they cut down the soldiers in their path. Ty tossed a grenade into a cluster of guards near the barricades, the explosion sending a shower of debris into the air. Lina moved with deadly precision, her knife flashing in the sunlight as she took out two soldiers who had been distracted by the blast.
The command center's defenses were formidable, but Cole's crew was relentless. They had come too far to back down now.
---
As they approached the main entrance, a heavy barrage of gunfire forced them to take cover behind a stack of concrete barriers. Cole's heart pounded in his chest as bullets whizzed overhead, the noise deafening.
"They've got us pinned down," Zack shouted over the gunfire, his back pressed against the barrier.
"We need to take out that turret," Cole said, his voice tight. He pointed to an armored vehicle positioned near the entrance, its mounted machine gun tearing through the air with deadly precision.
Ty grinned, already pulling out a set of explosives. "Leave it to me."
With a nod from Cole, Ty sprinted toward the vehicle, staying low as he weaved between the scattered debris. The gunfire intensified as the soldiers spotted him, but Ty moved fast, reaching the side of the armored vehicle before they could react. He slapped a charge onto the turret and ducked behind a nearby pillar, grinning as he hit the detonator.
The explosion rocked the entrance, sending the turret flying in a twisted heap of metal. The soldiers scrambled in panic, their lines breaking as the barricade was reduced to rubble.
"Now!" Cole shouted, leading the charge.
They stormed the entrance, cutting through the remaining soldiers with brutal efficiency. The resistance was fierce, but Cole's crew had the advantage of momentum. Within minutes, they had breached the command center's outer defenses.
"Inside!" Lina shouted, her voice filled with urgency. "We need to get inside before they can regroup!"
Cole nodded, his pulse pounding in his ears as they pushed through the shattered doorway and into the command center.
---
The interior of the command center was cold and sterile, a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding outside. The walls were lined with screens displaying security footage from across the city, each one showing a different district in the throes of rebellion.
"This is where they've been controlling everything," Zack muttered, his eyes scanning the room. "Every move we made, they saw it."
"Not anymore," Cole said, his voice low and filled with determination. "We're taking this place down."
They moved quickly, sweeping through the building room by room, taking out any remaining soldiers and disabling the security systems. The further they advanced, the more Cole felt the weight of their actions. This wasn't just another battle. This was the endgame.
"Command center's ahead," Lina said as they reached the final corridor. "That's where the city's leaders are holed up."
Cole's jaw clenched. "Then that's where we're going."
They approached the door to the command center, the final barrier between them and the people who had orchestrated the city's oppression. Cole could feel the tension in the air, the anticipation of what was to come.
"On my count," Cole said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins. "Three… two… one."
He kicked the door open, and they stormed inside.
---
The command center was a stark, high-tech room filled with monitors and control panels. But what caught Cole's attention wasn't the technology—it was the group of people standing at the center of the room, their faces pale with fear.
The city's rulers.
They were dressed in expensive suits, their polished appearances a sharp contrast to the grime and bloodstains on Cole and his crew. But despite their wealth and power, there was no mistaking the fear in their eyes.
"This is what you've been hiding behind?" Cole asked, his voice cold as he took a step forward. "All this time, you've been pulling the strings, watching while people suffered, while they died."
One of the men—a tall, gray-haired figure—tried to speak, but his voice was shaky, filled with panic. "We were only… protecting the city. You have no idea what's at stake here."
"Protecting the city?" Lina snapped, stepping forward with fury in her eyes. "You've been protecting yourselves. The only thing you've ever cared about is keeping control."
The gray-haired man swallowed hard, his eyes darting to the others for support. "Without us, the city would fall into chaos. You don't understand—there are things in motion that you can't stop. Bigger forces at play."
Cole's gaze hardened. "I don't care about your excuses. This city belongs to the people. And today, we're taking it back."
There was no more hesitation. Cole raised his rifle, and in one swift motion, the room erupted into gunfire. The city's rulers didn't stand a chance. Within moments, the command center was silent, the screens still flashing with images of the rebellion spreading across the city.
It was over.
---
Cole stood in the center of the command room, his heart pounding in his chest as the weight of what they had just done settled over him. The city's leaders were dead. The command center had fallen.
But the revolution wasn't over yet.
"Cole," Lina said quietly, stepping up beside him. "It's done."
Cole nodded, but his gaze remained fixed on the screens in front of him. "We've taken down the command center, but the fight isn't over. The military still has control of parts of the city. We need to keep pushing."
"We will," Zack said, his voice steady. "But this was the heart of their power. Without it, they'll crumble."
Ty grinned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "We did it, man. We actually did it."
Maria, ever the pragmatist, was already scanning the control panels, disabling the last of the security systems. "The people will rise now," she said. "We've given them the chance they needed."
Cole took a deep breath, his mind racing with the enormity of what they had accomplished. The revolution had begun as a desperate fight for survival, but now, it was something more. They had given the people hope. They had shown them that the system could be torn down.
"We're not done yet," Cole said, his voice quiet but filled with resolve. "There's still more to do."
Lina placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch grounding him. "But we've taken the first step. And that's the hardest part."
Cole glanced at her, a small, tired smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah. I guess it is."
They stood there for a moment, the weight of victory and loss hanging in the air. The city's rulers were gone, but the scars of the revolution would remain for a long time.
"Let's get back to the people," Cole said finally, his voice steady. "They need to know that we've won."
And with that, they left the command center, stepping out into a city forever changed by the fight for freedom.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone