Chapter 36: The Warehouse Trap
(Keifer's POV)
The Watson mansion armory had never been this crowded.
Metal tables were covered with weapons, ammunition, knives, and tactical gear. The cold fluorescent lights reflected off steel barrels and polished blades, making the entire room look like something out of a war movie.
Iron Vipers on one side.
Obsidian Circle on the other.
But tonight, there wasn't really a "side."
Tonight we were one team.
Amy was sitting on the table cleaning a pistol like she was polishing jewelry.
Amy:
"Please tell me I get to punch Yuri again."
Savannah didn't even look up from the laptop.
Savannah:
"No."
Amy:
"Unfair."
Sophia adjusted the scope on a rifle.
Sophia:
"You punched the sniper six times yesterday."
Amy:
"Seven."
Aries was loading magazines beside me.
Aries:
"You nervous?"
Keifer:
"No."
Aries:
"You're lying."
Keifer:
"I'm thinking."
Aries:
"That's worse."
Across the room Jay stood beside Olivia and Mia looking over the warehouse blueprints Savannah had pulled up.
Her expression was calm.
Focused.
Leader mode.
Jay pointed to a section of the map.
Jay:
"Entry here and here."
Olivia nodded.
Olivia:
"Two teams."
Sophia added without looking up.
Sophia:
"Security cameras will go dark at 22:45."
Savannah:
"I already mapped the blind spots."
Kuya Angelo walked in carrying a duffel bag of extra ammo.
Kuya Angelo:
"Alright."
The room quieted.
Kuya Angelo:
"Last briefing."
Everyone gathered around the table.
Savannah projected the warehouse layout onto the wall.
Savannah:
"Yuri's men rotate guards every fifteen minutes."
She zoomed in.
Savannah:
"We believe Yuri is inside this office."
Amy cracked her knuckles again.
Amy:
"Perfect."
Kuya Angelo pointed to the map.
Kuya Angelo:
"Iron Vipers breach from the ground."
He pointed toward the roof.
Kuya Angelo:
"Obsidian Circle enters above."
Jay nodded.
Jay:
"We trap him between us."
Sophia:
"Minimal casualties preferred."
Amy:
"Boring."
I glanced at Jay.
She was completely calm.
But I knew her well enough to notice the tension in her shoulders.
Keifer:
"You ready?"
Jay looked at me.
Jay:
"Always."
Aries smirked.
Aries:
"Love the confidence."
Thirty minutes later we were in the cars.
Black SUVs rolled out of the Watson mansion gates one by one.
The city lights blurred past the windows as we drove toward the docks.
No music.
No talking.
Just the quiet sound of engines and loaded weapons.
Jay sat beside me in the back seat.
She checked her knife straps for the third time.
Keifer:
"You're overthinking."
Jay:
"No I'm not."
Keifer:
"You checked that blade three times."
Jay:
"Four."
I smirked.
Keifer:
"You're nervous."
Jay:
"I'm prepared."
Our eyes met for a moment.
Then she looked away.
Jay:
"If something goes wrong—"
Keifer:
"It won't."
Jay:
"You don't know that."
Keifer:
"Neither do you."
She sighed quietly.
Jay:
"Just… stay close."
I leaned back in the seat.
Keifer:
"Always."
The cars stopped two blocks from the warehouse.
Everyone stepped out quietly.
The salty air from the harbor drifted across the street.
Lights glowed faintly from the building ahead.
Savannah checked her tablet.
Savannah:
"Cameras going down in thirty seconds."
Kuya Angelo loaded his rifle.
Kuya Angelo:
"Positions."
The teams split.
Iron Vipers moved toward the front entrance.
Obsidian Circle disappeared toward the fire escape.
Jay climbed the ladder beside Amy and Olivia while Sophia and Mia moved behind them.
Savannah stayed back with the surveillance van.
My earpiece crackled.
Savannah:
"Cameras offline."
Kuya Angelo signaled.
Three.
Two.
One.
The front doors burst open.
Chaos exploded instantly.
Gunshots echoed across the warehouse.
Men shouted.
Crates crashed.
Aries tackled one guard.
Luis knocked another down with the butt of his rifle.
Kuya Angelo fired two precise shots that dropped a pair of attackers.
Above us the skylight shattered.
Glass rained down as the Obsidian Circle dropped into the fight.
Amy landed first and immediately kicked a guard across the room.
Olivia disarmed another in one smooth motion.
Sophia moved like a ghost through the shadows.
Jay landed beside me.
Knife already drawn.
Jay:
"Office."
Keifer:
"Office."
We ran across the warehouse floor.
More guards appeared from behind stacked containers.
Gunfire erupted again.
One bullet slammed into the crate beside my head.
Wood splintered.
Aries shouted.
Aries:
"SNIPER!"
Sophia's voice crackled through the comm.
Sophia:
"Second floor balcony!"
Jay looked up.
Her eyes narrowed instantly.
Jay:
"I'll handle it."
Keifer:
"No—"
She was already moving.
Running toward the stairs.
Another gunshot echoed.
Time slowed.
I saw the muzzle flash.
Saw the bullet streak across the room.
Jay turned just slightly—
Too late.
The bullet hit her.
Jay gasped sharply.
Her body jerked backward.
Jay:
"Ah—!"
Everything inside me snapped.
Keifer:
"JAY!"
She stumbled against the railing and collapsed onto the stairs.
Blood spread quickly across her side.
The world went silent.
All I could hear was my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.
Kuya Angelo shouted something behind me but I didn't hear it.
I was already running.
I reached her in seconds.
Keifer:
"Jay!"
She was conscious.
Barely.
Her breathing was shallow.
Jay tried to sit up.
Jay:
"I'm fine…"
Keifer:
"You're not fine."
My hands pressed against the wound trying to stop the bleeding.
Warm blood soaked through my fingers.
Jay forced a weak smile.
Jay:
"You should see the other guy…"
Another gunshot echoed upstairs.
Amy's furious voice followed.
Amy:
"NOBODY SHOOTS MY FRIEND!"
Jay grabbed my sleeve weakly.
Jay:
"Keifer…"
Keifer:
"Don't talk."
Jay:
"You need to finish the mission."
I shook my head.
Keifer:
"I'm not leaving you."
Jay:
"You have to."
Her voice was fading now.
But her eyes were still stubborn.
Still determined.
Jay:
"Yuri… can't escape."
Behind us the fight was still raging.
Shouts.
Gunfire.
Chaos.
Kuya Angelo's voice crackled through the comm.
Kuya Angelo:
"We found Yuri!"
My head snapped toward the office door across the warehouse.
The war wasn't over yet.
But the girl I loved was bleeding in my arms.
And someone was about to pay for that.