The warehouse was dim, illuminated only by flickering emergency lights and the glow of several laptops scattered across tables. The faint hum of backup generators mixed with the quiet chatter of the team.
Alex stepped inside, the weight of the night pressing on him like a physical burden. His eyes immediately searched for familiar faces — Gaurav, Lyra, and… Brad.
But Brad wasn't where he usually sat.
"Where's Brad?" Alex asked, his voice rough from exhaustion and worry.
Gaurav's face tightened. "In the clinic. Got caught in a Syndicate ambush during a supply run. He's hurt worse than we thought."
Alex's heart hammered.
Without waiting, he strode toward the small underground clinic set up beneath the warehouse — a makeshift triage center shielded from the Syndicate's surveillance and electromagnetic pulses. The walls hummed faintly with the power of EMP shielding.
Inside, the air was thick with antiseptic and anxiety.
Brad lay on a narrow cot, his face pale and bruised, a deep gash running along his temple. His chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, his hoodie pulled aside to reveal a blood-soaked shirt beneath.
Alex swallowed hard, his throat tight.
"How the hell did this happen?" he muttered, kneeling beside his friend.
Gaurav followed, shaking his head. "Wraiths. They ambushed the team. Brad got caught trying to cover the retreat."
Alex clenched his fists, anger sparking in his eyes.
Brad's eyelids fluttered open, revealing a dull but familiar gaze. He tried to smile. "Hey… didn't expect to see you looking so worried."
Alex shook his head, a grin tugging at his lips despite the tension. "Don't flatter yourself. You look like a train wreck."
Brad chuckled weakly. "Well, if I'm a train wreck, you're the engineer driving us off the rails."
Alex gave a half-smile, then leaned closer. "You idiot, why didn't you say anything? We thought you were dead."
Brad's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Dead? Come on, I'm too stubborn to die that easy."
Lyra entered, carrying a tablet. "We had to move him fast. The clinic's EMP shielding kept the Wraiths from tracking us initially — but we might not have much time before they figure this out."
Gaurav nodded grimly. "They're getting smarter. We intercepted encrypted chatter mentioning 'Dead Rooms' — underground clinics like this, but compromised."
Alex's gaze hardened. "So it's a trap."
Lyra bit her lip. "We have to get Brad out. Before the Wraiths come back with reinforcements."
Brad groaned softly. "Great. Just when I was enjoying the party."
Alex smirked. "You always find a way to complain. That's why we keep you around."
Brad gave a weak laugh. "Someone's gotta keep the mood light."
Suddenly, the clinic's lights flickered, and a low mechanical whir filled the room.
Lyra's eyes widened. "They're here."
The team readied themselves, adrenaline rushing back into Alex's veins.
Alex looked down at Brad. "Hang tight, brother. We're getting you out of here — one way or another."
Brad gave a faint thumbs-up, grinning through the pain.
And with the sound of distant footsteps echoing closer, the fight for their survival—and their friendship—entered a deadly new chapter.