“She’s been kidnapped!” I shouted, slamming my fists down on the cold steel table.
Maddox didn’t even flinch. “I can see that, Kyle. We’re working on it.”
“Work faster!” I yelled, my voice cracking with frustration. “That’s Debby, Maddox! I watched it happen on the damn screen! I saw that snake Dave hand her a Slurpee and smile like he wasn’t the devil in disguise!”
We were in the main command room of the headquarters—giant screens flickering with surveillance, satellite maps, and call intercepts. My hands were shaking. I hadn’t blinked in what felt like hours.
I knew. The moment I saw Dave walk up to her outside that mall, I knew something was wrong. I’ve been trained to see this. I’ve lived it before. That wasn’t a friendly meet-up. That was a setup.
While I watched, helpless behind layers of security and tech, Debby took the Slurpee.
And minutes later… she collapsed.
Then she disappeared into a car with no plates and no trace.
“I traced their route,” I said, pointing at the screen. “They’re heading toward an abandoned area just outside of town—old industrial zone near the train yard.”
Maddox narrowed his eyes. “That’s cartel territory. Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” I hissed. “And I should’ve known it was Dave. I should’ve known. Who else would get close to her like that? He’s been acting innocent while playing puppet for someone worse.”
“We can’t just rush in,” Maddox said. “We need to intercept more calls. Trace who’s really pulling the strings behind Dave. If we act too early—”
“She’s chained up somewhere, Maddox!” I shouted. “This isn’t a drill. This isn’t a mission. This is her life. I don’t give a damn about your protocol. I’m going.”
Silence.
Then Maddox nodded.
“Fine,” he said. “Gear up.”
Twenty minutes later, we were in the armory.
I strapped on my tactical vest, loaded my glock and backup pistol, and checked the sights on the new pulse suppressor rifle. It was sleek, silent, deadly. Just how I liked it.
Beside me, agents moved quickly—locking in ammo, syncing comms, and strapping on black gear. Talia joined us, quiet but alert, checking her tablet and leading our drone pilot to patch into the cameras near the area.
The sky was dark by the time we reached the location. Our vehicles stopped a mile out. We advanced on foot through cracked pavement and overgrown weeds. The place smelled like rust, oil, and the ghosts of bad things.
We moved in silence—my heart pounding harder with every step.
There it was.
A broken-down warehouse with red light leaking from the windows like blood. Shadows danced behind the glass. Movement.
“Positions,” I whispered into my mic.
The agents fanned out. Guns ready. We surrounded the building.
“Three… two… one…”
BOOM.
The door flew open. We stormed in. Smoke. Screams. Flashlights bouncing off steel. Gunfire exploded around us.
And there, right in the middle of the chaos—Dave.
Sitting in a rusty old chair, like he was waiting for a dinner party to start.
“What the fuck is going on?!” I yelled, raising my gun.
Dave smirked. “Hey, Kyle. Took you long enough.”
Before I could lunge at him, a loud crack came from behind.
Then everything fell apart. A second group emerged from the shadows—armed, masked, and fast.
“AMBUSH!” someone yelled behind me.
They came from the back doors, the rafters, even the damn vents. Bullets ripped through the air. Agents ducked, returned fire. Maddox barked orders into his comms. Talia dropped behind a metal beam, taking out targets with cold precision.
And Dave?
Dave just walked out. Calm. Untouched. Like he’d done his job.
“GO!” Maddox shouted at me. “Find her! We’ll hold them!”
I didn’t hesitate.
I darted through the smoke and shadows, my gun drawn, my lungs burning. I turned every corner like death was chasing me—because maybe it was.
And then…
A door. Steel. Locked. I kicked it once. Twice.
BANG. It flew open. The red lights inside flickered. Chains rattled softly in the silence.
I stepped inside.
“Debby?” I called out, my voice low and desperate.