Him

The facility was dark and silent, just the way we needed it to be. We slipped in through the service entrance, moving fast but careful, each step calculated. Brian led the way, his gaze sweeping every corner, every shadow. I was right behind him, with Natty bringing up the rear, staying close but making almost no sound. We'd done jobs like this before, but this time was different-this time, we had no room for error.

Brian raised his hand, signaling us to stop. Ahead of us, a single guard was leaning against the wall, looking bored. I could see his fingers tapping against his flashlight. Natty and I exchanged a quick glance. She slipped into the shadows, ready to come up behind him.

I watched, keeping my breathing steady. Natty moved up, close enough to grab him. One hand over his mouth, the other around his neck, and in a split second, he was on the ground. She looked back at us, giving a quick nod. We moved forward.

The halls were dimly lit, concrete walls closing in tight around us. I could feel my muscles tensing with each step, my mind racing. Every room, every turn could be a trap, could have more guards. But we had no time to hesitate.

Ahead, I spotted two more guards, this time talking near a stairwell and pulled out my knife.

I moved in fast. One guard didn't even have time to react before I slit his throat, quick and efficient. The other guard barely turned, hand reaching for his radio, but I was already there. I grabbed him, twisted, and he slumped to the ground as I stabbed the knife into his throat. Two more down, and no alarms.

We kept going, turning down another corridor. I could see a light up ahead, brighter this time. I motioned for them to stop, listening. Voices. Three, maybe four. They were talking, something about shift changes.

"We'll need to separate them," I whispered. "Natty, see if you can draw one of them out."

She nodded and moved to the other side of the hall. She slipped into a room, leaving the door slightly open. We waited, and a moment later, one of the guards walked over, muttering something under his breath. I caught his arm, pulling him back into the darkness and covering his mouth before he could make a sound. He went down quietly, and I laid him on the floor, hidden from view.

The rest of them were still talking, unaware. Natty looked at me, a small smirk on her face. "Three left. Think we can handle them?"

"Let's find out," I whispered back. "Quiet and fast."

Brian and I moved forward together. The guards didn't even see us coming. One by one, we took them down. It was almost mechanical, years of practice kicking in. By the time we'd cleared the hallway, it was empty. No alarms, no noise.

We reached the end of the hall and paused. There was a heavy metal door up ahead, locked, but Brian was already at the control panel, working on bypassing it. His fingers flew over the wires, quick but careful. Natty and I kept watch, our eyes on every shadow, every corner.

The lock clicked open, and Brian stepped back. I moved forward, pushing the door open just enough for us to slip through. The room on the other side was larger, some kind of storage area, filled with crates and equipment. And guards.

There were at least five of them, spread out around the room. I felt my pulse quicken. We'd have to be smart about this-no way we could take them all at once without making noise. I motioned to Natty, pointing to the guard nearest us. She nodded, slipping forward.

Brian and I went for the others, timing each move, each step. One guard turned just as I reached him, eyes widening, but I was faster. I took him down, hand over his mouth, and slitting his throat . Brian was already on the next one.

I took out the last guard, and the room was finally silent again. We gathered by the far door, all of us breathing a little harder now, the tension building.

"We're getting closer," Natty whispered, glancing at me. "You ready?"

I gave her a short nod, trying to ignore the knot in my stomach. I had to be ready.

We slipped through the door and found ourselves in another corridor, this one lined with more rooms. Brian motioned to the left, where a staircase led down. "This way."

We moved down the stairs, the air getting colder, thicker. My mind was racing, every thought focused on finding her, getting her out of here. Each step felt slower, like time itself was stretching out.

We reached the bottom, another hallway stretching out in front of us. It was darker here, the lights flickering slightly. I could hear something-a faint hum, maybe machinery. And somewhere in the distance, the faint echo of voices. I tensed, listening.

We turned a corner, and I froze. Ahead of us was a single guard, standing with his back to us, staring at a door with a keypad. I knew instinctively this was it. This was where they had her. My heart pounded in my chest.

But before we could make a move, something shifted in the air behind me. I turned, my muscles tensing, every instinct on high alert.

A voice spoke, low and mocking, right behind me.

"Looking for someone?"