Capítulo 148: Chapter 147: The Siege Begins
The heavy footsteps grew louder, echoing ominously down the steel hallways. Cole stood still, listening, calculating. His mind raced, trying to find a way out. They had taken the heart of the city's control system, but now the beast was waking up. And it was coming for them.
"They're moving fast," Zack muttered, glancing nervously at the terminal where the last of the systems were going offline. "They know exactly where we are."
"Good," Ty said with a grim smile as he checked his weapon. "Let them come."
Maria positioned herself by the shattered door, her sniper rifle trained on the hallway. "I count six, maybe more. They're too close for me to take out before they get to us."
"We're not leaving until it's done," Cole said, his voice steady despite the pressure building around them. "Zack, how much longer?"
"Just a few more seconds," Zack replied, his hands flying across the console. "I'm wiping out the backups now, but the alert's already been sent."
"We've got to hold them off," Lina said, her voice calm and resolute. She stood next to Cole, her gun raised, her eyes focused. "We can't let them retake this room."
The faint beeping sound from the terminal had grown more insistent, warning them that time was running out. Cole could feel the tension in the room thickening, the weight of their situation pressing down on all of them. This was their chance to cripple the city's power structure, but it was slipping away with every second.
The sound of boots on metal grated on Cole's nerves, like a countdown to an explosion he couldn't stop. Finally, the first figure appeared at the far end of the hallway—a soldier in full body armor, his weapon raised and ready to fire.
"Contact!" Maria shouted as she pulled the trigger, the sharp crack of her sniper rifle cutting through the tension.
The soldier dropped instantly, his body crumpling to the ground as a second figure moved in behind him, opening fire. Bullets ricocheted off the metal walls as Cole and his team scrambled for cover.
"Zack!" Cole barked, his voice tight with urgency.
"Almost there!" Zack shouted back, his hands shaking slightly as he continued typing.
The firefight erupted in full force. Ty, ever the adrenaline junkie, was the first to return fire, his laughter audible even over the gunshots. "Come on, boys!" he yelled, firing his rifle with reckless abandon. "Is that all you got?"
Lina moved with precision, her every shot measured, taking down enemies with cold efficiency. Cole stayed close to her, his own weapon trained on the door as more soldiers stormed the hallway. They were outnumbered, but they had the advantage of position—for now.
"Keep them back!" Cole ordered, his voice cutting through the chaos.
The soldiers moved in waves, their tactics clear—they were trying to overwhelm Cole's team with sheer force, pushing them out of the command center. But Cole wasn't about to let that happen. Not after everything they had fought for.
"They're bringing in more," Maria called out, her voice calm despite the urgency. "We can't hold this position for long."
"Zack, now!" Cole shouted.
Zack hit one final key, and the console in front of him went dark. "Got it! Systems are down!"
"Time to go," Lina said, her voice firm. "We can't stay here."
Cole nodded, his mind already racing to figure out their next move. The plan had been to disable the city's control systems and escape before reinforcements arrived, but the timeline had been cut far too close.
"Ty, rig the door with explosives," Cole ordered, his voice sharp.
Ty grinned, pulling out a small explosive charge from his vest. "Thought you'd never ask."
While Ty worked, the rest of the crew laid down suppressing fire, keeping the advancing soldiers at bay. The sound of gunfire was deafening, and Cole could feel the adrenaline surging through his veins. There was no room for error now.
"Charge is set!" Ty shouted, stepping back from the door. "Let's blow this place!"
"Move!" Cole yelled, leading the way as the team retreated down the hallway.
They sprinted down the narrow corridors, Ty trailing behind with the detonator in hand. Just as they rounded the corner, Ty hit the button.
BOOM!
The explosion rocked the building, sending a shockwave through the command center. The metal door they had just left behind was blown apart, the blast taking out several of the soldiers who had been closing in on their position.
"That should buy us some time," Ty said, grinning as they kept moving.
"Not much," Cole muttered, his eyes scanning the dimly lit corridors. "We need to get out of here before they send more."
They navigated through the twisting hallways, moving quickly but cautiously. Every step they took brought them closer to the exit, but the tension never lifted. Cole knew they were far from safe.
As they reached the lower levels, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed once again through the halls.
"They're still coming," Lina said, her voice tight with urgency.
Maria, who had been scouting ahead, held up a hand to signal for them to stop. "There's an exit around the corner," she said quietly. "But it's guarded. I count at least four."
"We can't go back," Zack said, his voice strained. "They'll be on us in minutes."
Cole clenched his fists, his mind racing. They were trapped between two forces, with no clear way out. But giving up wasn't an option.
"We take them out," Cole said, his voice cold and determined. "Quick and quiet."
Lina nodded, her expression unreadable. "Let's finish this."
The crew moved silently down the hallway, their weapons ready. As they approached the exit, Cole signaled for Maria to take the lead. She lined up her shot, her sniper rifle trained on the first guard. With a soft crack, the guard dropped.
In an instant, Cole and the others sprang into action. Lina moved like a shadow, taking out the second guard before he could raise the alarm. Ty and Zack took care of the remaining two, their movements swift and deadly.
Within moments, the path was clear.
"We're out of here," Cole said, his voice a mix of relief and urgency.
The crew sprinted through the exit and into the cool night air. The sound of gunfire still echoed in the distance, but for now, they had made it. They were outside the command center, alive.
But the fight was far from over.
---
As they made their way back toward the slums, the crew moved in silence. The tension from the mission still clung to them, and no one spoke. The city was eerily quiet now, as if holding its breath in the aftermath of the chaos.
When they finally reached the safe house, Cole let out a long breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The rest of the crew collapsed onto whatever surfaces they could find—Zack on a crate, Ty sprawled out on the floor, and Maria leaning against the wall.
"We did it," Lina said, her voice quiet but firm. "We took down their systems."
Cole nodded, though his mind was still racing. "But they know we're coming now. They'll regroup, and they'll come for us."
"We'll be ready," Maria said, her eyes sharp as ever.
Ty grinned, his usual reckless energy returning. "Let 'em come. We'll blow 'em all to hell."
Zack gave a tired chuckle. "I'm just glad we made it out in one piece."
Lina glanced at Cole, her gaze steady. "This isn't over, Cole. You know that."
Cole met her eyes, his expression hard. "I know. But we've dealt them a blow they won't recover from easily. Now, it's time to finish what we started."
The crew nodded in agreement, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten in the face of what lay ahead. They had struck a powerful blow against the city's elite, but the war was far from won.
As Cole looked around at his team, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. They had come too far, sacrificed too much, to back down now. The city's rulers would come for them, but they would be ready.
Because this was more than a rebellion.
It was a revolution.
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