HERS TO PROTECT

Chapter 42

The Decisive Assault

The night was quiet and starless, filling the air with disturbing tension. Lia's heart pounded in her chest as she glided through the shadows, her breath visible in the cold air. Every rustling and footfall emphasized the stakes.

"Ready?" she whispered into her earpiece, her voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through her veins.

"Ready," Lucas replied firmly. He, Kevin, and Maria moved soundlessly through the darkness, their forms barely discernible in the dim light. Lia's diversionary tactics had drawn De Vega's men to a decoy location, where expertly timed explosions and misleading signals created chaos.

Lucas led his crew forward, urgency propelling them as the guards investigated the false alarms. They moved with precision, capitalizing on the element of surprise. The compound's security was intimidating, but their careful preparation covered every detail: layout, guard rotations, and defensive weaknesses. The crew recognized the mission's consequences; failure was not an option.

Kevin swiftly incapacitated the first guard with a silent takedown, his movements a blur as he subdued the man with a chokehold. Maria disabled the security cameras with practiced ease, her eyes vigilant for any signs of movement. Lucas led the way, senses heightened, analyzing every sound and shadow for potential threats. His mind raced, considering the data they were about to retrieve and its implications on their fight against De Vega.

In the control room, Lucas spotted their target. "Here," he whispered, pointing to the files and computers. The sight sent a thrill through him; they were so close. Kevin began downloading the data while Maria covered the entrance, her grip steady on her weapon. The room hummed with machinery, the tension palpable, almost suffocating.

"Got it," Kevin said after a few minutes, his voice breaking through the thick silence. "We need to move."

They retraced their steps toward the exit, urgency driving their actions. Lia's voice crackled through the earpiece, urgent and clear. "You've got company. Multiple hostiles are heading your way."

Lucas nodded to his team, his stomach tightening at the imminent threat. "We need to go. Now."

They moved swiftly, dodging the approaching guards. Lia's diversion had worked flawlessly, but the element of surprise was quickly waning. As they neared the exit, a group of armed men appeared, triggering a fierce firefight. Bullets sliced through the darkness, the air filled with the sharp staccato of gunfire.

Lucas fought with unwavering confidence. His fists moved swiftly, disarming an attacker, his expression focused and determined. Kevin's knife flashed under the moonlight as he subdued another guard, his face set in grim purpose. Maria's bullets were deadly accurate, hitting their targets precisely.

They cleared a path to safety, bursting through the door and heading toward the extraction point, where Lia awaited with the getaway vehicle. "Go, go, go!" she shouted as they piled into the car. The engine roared to life, propelling them away from the compound, the echo of gunfire fading into the distance, but the weight of what they had just accomplished pressed heavily on their shoulders.

Breathing heavily, Lucas glanced back at the compound, now a distant speck. "We did it," he said, relief and exhilaration mingling in his voice. Their triumph was huge, but the war was far from finished, so their excitement was mixed with caution.

Back at their safe house, the team gathered around the table, the gravity of their triumph sinking in. "We've dealt a significant blow to De Vega," Major Ocampo observed, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his exhausted yet triumphant team. "But we must brace ourselves for his counterattack."