Chapitre 101: Chapter 101: The Calm Before the Storm
The night after their victory at the docks felt surreal. For the first time in weeks, Cole allowed himself to breathe. The underground's shipment was gone—blown to pieces in a fireball that still echoed through his mind. His crew had dispersed to their respective safe houses, each one a bit more assured, a bit more hopeful than before. But even as Cole lay back on his cot in the warehouse, his mind raced with thoughts of what was coming next.
He knew this was only a temporary respite. The underground wouldn't take this defeat lightly. They had been humiliated, and people like them never let humiliation go unpunished. Cole could practically feel the storm brewing on the horizon.
Lina had fallen asleep on the couch near the corner of the room, her arms crossed as she dozed off. Her face, always so hard and focused, seemed softer in sleep. Ty was in the back, working through some logistics with Zack, keeping their small operation running smoothly.
Cole sat up, his gaze drifting to the window. The city outside looked the same as it always did—grimy streets, flickering neon signs, the distant hum of traffic—but Cole knew it was different now. They had drawn a line in the sand, and the underground would come crashing back with everything they had.
As if on cue, his phone buzzed on the table. He glanced over at Lina, who stirred but didn't wake, and picked up the phone, pressing it to his ear.
"Yeah?" Cole's voice was quiet but sharp, always ready for bad news.
"It's Ty. We've got a problem."
Cole stood up immediately, his muscles tensing. "What is it?"
"Word's out," Ty said grimly. "The underground is putting a bounty on your head. And they're not stopping with just you. They've got the whole crew listed—me, Lina, Zack, everyone. They want to wipe us out."
Cole clenched his jaw, the weight of Ty's words sinking in. "How much?"
"Enough to make anyone in the city take a shot at us."
Cole exhaled slowly, trying to keep his thoughts steady. This was worse than he expected. He had anticipated retaliation, but a citywide bounty meant they'd be fighting enemies from all sides—people they didn't even know existed. Mercenaries, hitmen, desperate thugs—anyone looking for a quick payday would be gunning for them now.
"Get everyone together," Cole said, his voice cold with determination. "We need to talk."
---
By the time the crew had assembled, dawn was just beginning to break, casting a pale blue light across the warehouse. Ty, Zack, and Lina stood around the table, their expressions grim but focused.
"What's the move?" Zack asked, his hands shoved into his pockets. The weariness in his voice was clear, but so was the fire in his eyes.
"We've hit them where it hurts, and now they're coming for us," Cole said, pacing slightly as he spoke. "We knew this was coming, but a bounty? That's going to bring every lowlife in the city crawling out of the woodwork."
Lina folded her arms, her gaze hard. "So we hit them again. Harder this time. We can't sit back and wait for them to come to us."
Ty nodded in agreement. "We need to stay ahead of them. If we let them set the terms, we're as good as dead."
Zack shifted uneasily, glancing at Cole. "What about Jaxon? He's still in the hospital. If they get wind of where he is…"
"They won't touch him," Cole said firmly. "We've got people watching the hospital. And after what happened to him, I don't plan on letting anyone else get caught in the crossfire."
But even as he said it, Cole knew the odds were stacked against them. The underground had resources—money, connections, and plenty of people who would be more than willing to take out Cole's crew for the right price.
"We need to take the fight to them," Cole continued, his eyes narrowing. "Hit their operations, one by one, until they've got nothing left. But we do it smart. No more mistakes."
Lina stepped forward, her voice low but steady. "I've got a lead on one of their safehouses. It's not big, but it's where they're storing cash and intel. If we hit it, we can set them back, maybe get a better idea of what their next move is."
Cole nodded, his mind racing with the possibilities. They were outnumbered, outgunned, but that had never stopped them before. They had built their reputation on being the underdogs, the ones no one expected to survive. And now they were going to use that to their advantage.
"Alright," Cole said, looking around at his crew. "We hit the safehouse tonight. We get in, get what we need, and get out. No one gets left behind."
The crew nodded in agreement, the weight of the task ahead of them settling in. They had been through worse, but the stakes had never been this high. Now, it wasn't just about survival—it was about making sure the underground knew they weren't going down without a fight.
---
That night, the tension in the air was palpable as Cole and his crew approached the underground safehouse. It was a nondescript building in the industrial district, blending in with the surrounding warehouses and factories. But inside, Cole knew, was a treasure trove of information—cash, weapons, and, most importantly, intel on the underground's movements.
Lina led the way, her movements silent and precise as she approached the side entrance. Cole was right behind her, followed closely by Ty and Zack. They had done this dozens of times before, but tonight felt different. The bounty on their heads had changed everything.
They couldn't afford to make mistakes.
Lina crouched down by the door, pulling out a small device to disable the lock. "Give me thirty seconds," she whispered, her fingers working quickly and efficiently.
Cole nodded, his eyes scanning the perimeter for any signs of movement. The streets were quiet, but that didn't mean they were safe. Anyone could be watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
After a few tense moments, Lina gave the door a slight push, and it swung open with a faint creak. "We're in," she whispered, slipping inside.
Cole followed her, his senses on high alert as they entered the dimly lit building. The air inside was thick with dust and the smell of old metal, the faint hum of machinery echoing in the background. They moved quickly through the narrow hallways, their footsteps muffled by the concrete floor.
The safehouse was larger than Cole had expected, with rooms branching off in all directions. But Lina had done her homework. She led them straight to the room where the underground kept their stash, a heavy steel door standing between them and the prize.
"This is it," Lina whispered, crouching down to examine the lock. "Give me a minute."
As Lina worked on the door, Cole felt a surge of adrenaline course through him. They were close, so close to striking another blow against the underground. But something about the silence bothered him. It was too quiet.
"Ty," Cole whispered, his voice barely audible. "Keep an eye on the hall. Something doesn't feel right."
Ty nodded, moving to the door to keep watch. Zack shifted uneasily beside Cole, his hand resting on the grip of his gun.
The seconds ticked by, each one feeling longer than the last. Finally, with a soft click, the lock disengaged. Lina stood up, giving Cole a nod. "We're in."
Cole pushed open the door, revealing a small room filled with metal shelves, each one stacked with cash, crates of weapons, and folders stuffed with documents. It was more than they had hoped for.
"Grab everything you can," Cole ordered, stepping into the room. "We need to move fast."
Zack and Ty immediately went to work, stuffing wads of cash into bags and grabbing whatever weapons they could carry. Lina rifled through the documents, her sharp eyes scanning each one for anything useful.
"We've hit the jackpot," Zack said with a grin, holding up a bag filled with cash.
But before Cole could respond, a sound echoed through the hallway—a soft creak of a door, followed by the unmistakable sound of footsteps.
"Shit," Ty whispered, pulling out his gun. "We've got company."
Cole's heart raced as he quickly grabbed the nearest crate of weapons and shoved it into Zack's arms. "We need to go. Now."
Lina stuffed the documents into her bag and bolted for the door, Cole and the others right behind her. The sound of footsteps grew louder, closer, until Cole could see the shadows of figures moving through the hallway.
"Move!" Cole barked, leading the charge out of the room and down the hallway. They sprinted toward the exit, their footsteps echoing off the concrete walls.
But just as they reached the door, the hallway exploded in gunfire. Cole dove to the ground, pulling Lina down with him as bullets ricocheted off the walls around them.
"We're pinned!" Zack shouted, ducking behind a metal crate for cover.
Cole gritted his teeth, his mind racing. They were so close, but now they were trapped. The underground had caught up to them, and they weren't going to let them escape without a fight.
"Ty, cover us!" Cole shouted, his voice barely audible over the gunfire.
Ty nodded, popping up from behind a crate and firing off a few rounds, forcing the underground thugs to take cover. It bought them a few precious seconds.
"Go!" Cole shouted to Lina, pushing her toward the door. "Get out of here!"
Lina hesitated for a split second, her eyes locking with Cole's, but then she nodded, sprinting for the door with the rest of the crew following close behind.
Cole fired a few more rounds, keeping the underground at bay as he backed toward the exit. The gunfire continued, but they were almost there—almost free.
As they burst through the door and out into the night, Cole knew one thing for sure: the underground had just made this personal.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone