The outpost loomed ahead, silhouetted against the darkening sky. It was a relic from a time long past—abandoned, forgotten. Its crumbling walls were like a tomb, and Grimm couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into one.
"Thirty seconds to target," Tanya said quietly, scanning the area through her scope. "No signs of movement. Yet."
Grimm nodded, his eyes flicking over the cracked pavement beneath their feet. They were close, too close to Kessler's forces for comfort, but there was no turning back. Not now.
"Let's move," Grimm ordered.
They fell into formation, keeping their pace steady, their steps quiet. Bull led the way, his heavy boots thudding softly against the damp ground, a stark contrast to the silence around them. Reyes, hunched over his equipment, was a step behind, his eyes glued to the comms unit, a frown etched on his face.
"I don't like this," Reyes muttered. "We're too exposed. If Kessler has any eyes on us—"
"We'll deal with it," Grimm interrupted, cutting him off. "Focus on getting us to the outpost."
They reached the crumbling walls without incident, but that didn't mean they were safe. Grimm signaled for them to stop and crouch low. His mind raced as he surveyed the area. The outpost looked deserted—no signs of Kessler's men—but they couldn't afford to assume anything. Every second felt like an eternity, and in this line of work, that was never a good sign.
"What's our plan once we're inside?" Bull asked, his voice low but gruff.
Grimm's eyes narrowed as he scanned the perimeter. "We fortify. Secure comms. Then we wait for the extraction. If Kessler's men are coming, we'll need to be ready."
"I'm not sure 'waiting' is a luxury we have," Tanya said, her voice clipped. "They're probably already sweeping the area."
Grimm shot her a quick look. "Then we make sure they don't find us."
He motioned for Reyes to get the door open. Reyes quickly fiddled with the lock, bypassing the old security systems with practiced ease. The door creaked open, revealing a dark interior. The smell of mold and dust hit them immediately, but there was no time to dwell on it.
"Go," Grimm ordered.
They moved inside, sticking to the shadows, using the debris and broken furniture to create makeshift cover. Reyes set up his gear and immediately began scanning the comms signals. Tanya and Bull set up in opposite corners, weapons ready, eyes darting as they prepared for any sign of danger.
Grimm's mind was elsewhere, though—on Kessler. Every step closer to this outpost felt like a trap, like the final piece of the puzzle was slipping into place. He had spent so long hunting Kessler, and now, after all this time, the end was near.
And yet, something gnawed at him.
He couldn't shake the feeling that they were being played.
"Grimm," Reyes called, his voice tense. "We've got a problem."
Grimm's hand instinctively went to his weapon, his eyes flicking toward Reyes. "What is it?"
Reyes's fingers were flying across his equipment, trying to decipher the data. "There's a transmission coming from the same network we just exposed. It's not Kessler. It's someone else."
"Who?" Grimm demanded, stepping forward.
"I don't know yet," Reyes replied, eyes narrowed as he dug deeper into the feed. "But it's definitely not Kessler. This person—whoever they are—they're trying to block our transmission."
Grimm cursed under his breath. The walls were closing in, and now they had an unknown enemy to deal with.
"Can you trace it?" Tanya asked, moving to Reyes's side, her expression unreadable.
Reyes nodded, his fingers flying over the controls. "I'm trying. But this is bad. This person's got some serious tech behind them."
Bull grunted from across the room, glancing out the window. "We're not getting any younger here, folks. If that transmission's coming from Kessler's network, they'll know where we are. We need to move."
Grimm's jaw clenched. "Stay focused. Reyes, you have to get us out of here before we're spotted."
"I'm working on it," Reyes snapped, his face tense. "Just give me a few more minutes."
Suddenly, a sharp noise broke the silence—a distant thud, then the unmistakable sound of boots on gravel.
Tanya's hand went to her sniper rifle, and Bull grabbed a nearby explosive charge. Grimm's heart rate spiked. They weren't alone anymore.
"Get ready," Grimm ordered. "They've found us."
The door they had entered through burst open with a loud crack, and the first of Kessler's men flooded in. They were masked, clad in matte-black armor, and moving with deadly precision. The air was thick with tension as the first volley of gunfire ripped through the room.
Grimm dove for cover, his rifle coming up in an instant. He fired back, his shots finding their mark with deadly accuracy. Bull followed suit, firing off an explosive charge that detonated with a deafening boom, knocking several of the assailants off their feet.
But more kept coming—too many.
"Reyes!" Grimm shouted. "Now!"
Reyes wasn't waiting. He was already in motion, his tech gear packed away, moving toward the exit with the speed of a man who knew he didn't have time to waste.
Grimm, Tanya, and Bull followed closely behind, firing back as they retreated. The sound of bullets ricocheting off walls filled the air, a constant reminder of how close they were to the edge.
"Go! Go! Go!" Grimm barked.
They made it to the exit, bursting into the night air. But just as they did, a voice rang out from the shadows—a familiar voice.
"Did you really think you could outrun the future, Grimm?"
Grimm's heart froze. Kessler stepped into the dim light, flanked by several of his elite soldiers. His eyes were cold, calculating—like a predator watching his prey squirm.
And in that moment, Grimm realized he had made a fatal mistake.