Sam felt a wave of tension as she spotted two thugs approaching, their heavy footsteps echoing through the narrow alleyway. Fear flickered in her eyes, but she tried to hold on to her resolve. "What do we do now?" she whispered, her voice shaking but edged with determination.
Angela, already on the verge of tears, clutched Sam's arm. "I don't know! I warned you about this!" Her voice wavered, barely holding back sobs. "Ethan's been captured, and now we're going to be next."
Sam swallowed hard, her mind racing for a plan. She didn't have many options left. "We wait," she said suddenly, her mind forming a quick strategy. "You take the one on the right—the shorter guy. I'll handle the tall one. We have to do this silently. No mistakes."
Angela's eyes widened in fear. "Are you sure? What if they overpower us?"
Sam grabbed Angela by the shoulders, her tone firm. "We don't have a choice. Trust yourself—trust us. We can do this."
Angela, though nervous, nodded, knowing there was no turning back now. They hid behind the crates, waiting as the thugs unknowingly approached. When the moment was right, Sam and Angela pounced, each grabbing their target with practiced precision. The thugs struggled, but they were no match for Sam and Angela's swift, calculated moves. Within seconds, their necks twisted, and they collapsed to the ground.
Panting slightly, Sam grinned. "See? I told you it would work."
Angela, breathless but triumphant, finally smiled, her confidence growing. "I think I'm starting to trust myself now."
Sam nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Good. Because we're not done yet. We need to get to that auction hall and free those captives—and we're saving Ethan too. He risked everything for us."
Angela's brow furrowed in doubt. "But how? There are too many guards at the entrance. We can't fight them all."
Sam's eyes lit up with sudden inspiration. "Disguise. We'll dress as guards—blend in."
"With what?" Angela asked, confused.
Sam pointed to the two fallen thugs. "Their uniforms. Quick, help me."
The two women hurriedly stripped the thugs of their uniforms, leaving the unconscious men in just their underwear. Once dressed, they examined each other, trying to make the ill-fitting clothes work.
Sam laughed lightly, despite the situation. "It actually looks good on you."
Before Angela could respond, Sam's phone buzzed again. She glanced down at the screen—another message from Mike. **The auction has started.**
Sam's stomach twisted in urgency. "We have to go—now."
They hurried through the corridors, now disguised as guards, their footsteps echoing in sync. The weight of their new roles pressed down on them as they approached the auction hall, their hearts pounding. Every step brought them closer to danger—but also closer to freedom.
The weight of the disguise felt heavy on her shoulders as she and Angela moved cautiously through the dimly lit corridors leading to the auction hall. She kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with the other guards, her heart pounding in her chest as she made her way closer to the heart of The Broker's operation.
The stakes had never been higher. With Ethan caught and her escape barely behind her, Sam knew this was her one shot to shut down the auction and free the captives. Failure wasn't an option.
As she stepped into the expansive room, her breath caught in her throat. The auction hall was more luxurious than she'd imagined. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a sickeningly elegant glow over the horrific scene below. Rows of high-profile buyers, dressed in designer suits and gowns, sat in silence as they waited for the auction to begin. At the center of the stage stood several cages, each holding captives—human lives reduced to property.
Sam felt a wave of nausea roll over her. It was one thing to know about the syndicate's operations; it was another to witness it firsthand. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus. She couldn't afford to let emotion take over—not now.
As she scanned the crowd, her eyes landed on a familiar face. **Mr. X**, seated in the front row, casually sipping from a glass of champagne. He was as smug and untouchable as ever, his presence confirming the depths of his involvement in the syndicate. Sam's hands clenched into fists at her sides. He was here to buy, to profit from the suffering of others, and she would make sure he paid for it.
*"Stay calm,"* she reminded herself, her voice barely a whisper.
---
The auction began, and Sam watched as the auctioneer, a polished and sleazy man in a tailored suit, took the stage. One by one, the captives were brought forward, each greeted by a chorus of murmurs and whispers from the crowd. The bids came fast, the numbers climbing higher with each passing minute. It was a grotesque display of wealth and power, and Sam's stomach churned at the sight.
*"I can't let this happen,"* she muttered under her breath, her mind racing as she tried to come up with a plan.
She needed to act quickly, but she was outnumbered and outgunned. There were guards stationed at every entrance, and the room was packed with syndicate members. If she made a wrong move, she'd be dead before she could even blink.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, sharp voice in her earpiece—**Angela's** voice. *"Sam, are you in?"*
Sam pressed a finger to her earpiece, keeping her voice low. *"Yeah, I'm in. But it's worse than I thought. They're selling them like… like cattle."*
There was a brief silence on the other end before Angela replied, her voice heavy with disgust. *"We need to stop this. What's the plan?"*
*"Working on it,"* Sam said, her eyes darting around the room. She spotted the control booth at the back of the hall, where the auctioneer's assistant sat, monitoring the bids and handling the logistics of the auction. If she could get to the control booth, she might be able to shut down the auction from there.
---
Sam moved slowly, keeping her head down as she navigated through the crowd. The guards didn't seem to notice her—yet. As she approached the control booth, her heart raced. This was it. If she could just get inside, she might be able to disrupt the auction long enough to create chaos and free the captives.
Just as she reached the booth, a voice behind her made her freeze.
*"You—stop!"*
Sam's blood ran cold. She turned slowly, her heart hammering in her chest as she came face to face with one of the guards. His hand hovered over the holster at his hip, his eyes narrowing as he looked her up and down.
*"What are you doing here?"* the guard demanded, suspicion lacing his voice.
Thinking fast, Sam forced a smile, trying to keep her voice steady. *"The boss sent me to check on the booth. Said there was an issue with the bids coming in."*
The guard frowned, clearly unconvinced. He took a step closer, his hand now fully gripping the gun at his side. *"I wasn't told about any issues."*
Sam's mind raced. She was out of options. If she didn't act now, it was over.
---
Just as the guard reached for his gun, a loud crash echoed through the hall, followed by a single gunshot. Chaos erupted as the crowd panicked, chairs toppling over and people scrambling for the exits.
Sam whipped her head around, her eyes landing on **Lily**, standing at the back of the room, a gun raised in her shaking hand. The bullet had hit one of the chandeliers, sending glass raining down on the buyers below.
Lily's face was pale, her eyes wide with fear, but there was no mistaking the determination in her gaze. She had turned against The Broker, and she was here to help Sam.
*"Get out now!"* Lily shouted over the chaos, her voice barely audible over the screams and shouts of the panicking crowd.
---
Sam didn't need to be told twice. She bolted for the control booth, shoving the assistant out of the way and slamming her fist down on the emergency shutdown button. The room plunged into darkness as the lights flickered off and the auctioneer's voice was silenced.
The guards were closing in, but Sam didn't stop. She sprinted toward the stage, her eyes locked on the cages where the captives were held. The lock was high-tech, but Sam had anticipated that. She pulled a small device from her pocket—one that Ethan had given her before he was captured—and pressed it against the lock.
With a soft *click*, the lock disengaged, and the cage door swung open.
*"Go!"* Sam shouted at the captives, her voice urgent. *"Now's your chance!"*
The captives hesitated for only a moment before they began to run, spilling out of the cages and disappearing into the chaos of the auction hall.
---
Sam's heart raced as she helped the last of the captives out of their cage. The plan was working—but it wasn't over yet. The guards were still after her, and she was outnumbered.
Just as she turned to make her escape, she felt a hand grip her arm, yanking her backward. She spun around, ready to fight, but froze when she saw **Mr. X** standing in front of her, his cold, calculating eyes locked on hers.
*"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?"* he sneered, tightening his grip on her arm.
Sam's mind raced. She was trapped. Out of options. A
nd Mr. X had her right where he wanted her.
Just as Sam prepares to fight back, the sound of gunfire fills the air once again—Lily, standing across the room, has taken aim at Mr. X, her hands steady as she pulls the trigger.