The fight in the warehouse was intense, the air thick with the sound of gunfire, shouting, and the pounding of footsteps echoing across the large, dimly lit space. Sam ducked behind a stack of crates, his heart racing as bullets whizzed past her head.
"Sam! Where's Kyle and the rest" Tony shouted from a few feet away, pressing his hand to a wound on his side, blood seeping through his fingers. "We need to move. Now!"
Sam peeked out from behind the crates, spotting Carter Blake at the far end of the warehouse. He was barking orders at his men, his face twisted in fury. They were closing in, and she knew their chances of surviving were slipping away fast.
"We can't stay here!" Sam said, her mind racing as she tried to figure out an escape plan. They were outnumbered, and her team was falling apart. Two of her men were already down, their bodies lying motionless on the cold concrete floor.
"Tony, cover me," Sam ordered, not waiting for him to respond. She sprinted toward one of the thugs who had his back turned, taking advantage of the surrounding chaos. She tackled him to the ground, wrestling the gun from his grip and using it to shoot one of the other men charging at her.
"I got you!" Tony shouted, firing his weapon at two more of Blake's men, keeping them at bay as Sam and Kyle scrambled to their feet.
Sam's breath was coming in sharp gasps, the pain in her side from an earlier punch flaring up, but she couldn't stop now. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for a way out.
"Sam, this is suicide!" Tony yelled, his face pale and strained from the pain of his injury. "We won't make it!"
"We don't have a choice," Sam shot back. "We need to create a distraction again. We'll never get out of here if we don't."
Spotting a large stack of barrels near the entrance, Sam's mind clicked into gear. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small explosive device she always kept on hand for emergencies like that. It wasn't much, but it would create enough chaos to give them a chance to escape.
"Tony, get ready," she said, setting the timer and tossing the explosive toward the barrels.
The explosion rocked the warehouse, sending debris flying everywhere and knocking several of Blake's men to the ground. Sam grabbed Tony by the arm and pulled him toward the exit, using the smoke and confusion to their advantage.
They ran as fast as they could, dodging the remaining thugs who were still disoriented from the blast. But just as they reached the door, a bullet tore through the air, grazing Sam's shoulder. She stumbled, the pain sharp and immediate, but she forced herself to keep moving.
"Sam, Kyle are you both okay?" Tony asked, his voice filled with panic.
"I'm fine," she lied, her face pale from the pain. "We need to get out of here."
Kyle was the only one left with not many injuries.
They burst through the warehouse doors, gasping for air as they made their way to the car they had parked a few blocks away. Behind them, they could still hear the chaos unfolding in the warehouse, but there was no time to look back.
Once inside the car, Tony slumped against the seat, his hand still pressed against his wound. "This is too much, Sam," he said, his voice weak. "I can't do this anymore."
"Am with you Sam", Kyle wished with great confidence
Sam glanced at him, guilt gnawing at her chest. She knew she was pushing her team too far, but there was no other option. Not if they were going to take down the syndicate.
"I'm sorry, Tony," she said softly. As for you, Kyle was impressed by the energy. "But I need you tony. We're so close."
Tony shook his head, his eyes filled with exhaustion. "I'm out, Sam. After today, I'm done. I can't keep risking my life like this."
Sam felt a pang of sadness, but she nodded. "I understand."
They drove in silence for a while, both of them lost in their thoughts. Sam's mind raced with the events of the night, the explosion, the gunfire, the men they had lost. And Carter Blake. He was still out there, and now, more determined than ever to kill her.
When they finally pulled up to Leo's apartment, Sam was barely able to stand. The pain from her injuries was becoming unbearable, and she could feel the blood soaking through her shirt where the bullet had grazed her shoulder.
Leo's door swung open before they even had a chance to knock. His wife, Tracy, was the first to greet them, her face etched with worry.
"Sam, what the hell happened?" she asked, rushing forward to help Leo guide her inside. "You look like you've been through a war."
"Something like that," Sam muttered, her vision swimming as she tried to focus.
"Get her to the couch," Leo ordered, already gathering his medical kit. "And Tony, you too. You're both a mess. Kyle, yours is just a scratch, but I'll check it out later."
Sam collapsed onto the couch, wincing as Leo gently examined her shoulder. "You're lucky," he said, his face serious. "Another inch, and that bullet could've hit something major."
"Lucky, huh?" Sam muttered through gritted teeth. "That's me."
Leo's wife, Tracy, stood nearby, arms crossed and worry etched on her face. "Sam, you've got to stop this," she said, her voice trembling with concern. "This is getting way too dangerous."
"I can't stop, Tracy," Sam replied firmly, despite the pain in her voice. "Not until we bring them down."
Leo shot his wife a look before turning back to Sam. "You need to rest, Sam. You're not helping anyone if you fall apart."
"I'll rest when this is over," Sam said, her jaw clenched with determination.
"I'm with you all the way," Kyle chimed in, standing by her side. "No matter what."
Sam glanced at Kyle, a young guy with a lot of heart. "Thank you, Kyle," she said, appreciating his loyalty.
But Tony, leaning against the wall, sighed heavily. "I'm out. I can't keep risking my life—and my family's—for this." He stood up, heading for the door after Leo finished treating his wound. "Thanks, Leo, for patching me up."
Tony left without looking back, and Sam didn't try to stop him. She understood. But that didn't mean she was done. Not yet.
"Just as Leo finished bandaging her up, Sam's phone buzzed. She pulled it out of her pocket, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the message.
It was from Mike.
"They got to me. They killed her. I'm in. Let's end this."
Sam's blood ran cold as she stared at the screen. Carter Blake had crossed a line. Killing Mike's girlfriend was a declaration of war. And now, Mike was ready to fight back.
Before she could respond, Leo spoke up again, his expression even more serious. "Sam, there's something you need to know," he said, his voice low. "There's a bounty on your head. A big one."
Sam froze, her eyes locking onto his. "How big?"
"Big enough that every bounty hunter and mercenary in the city is going to be after you," Leo said grimly. "You need to lie low. For real this time."
But Sam shook her head. "I can't, Leo. Not now. Not when we're this close."
Leo sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Then just be careful, okay? You're playing with fire."
Sam nodded, her mind already spinning with plans for what to do next. The syndicate had taken too much from her alread
y. It was time to take something back.
As she sat there, her body aching and her mind racing, she knew one thing for sure: this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
The fight had only just begun.