Code of Shadows

Chapter 26 - A New Threat

The Berlin night was cold and unforgiving, shadows stretching long in the abandoned industrial park as Ethan and I made our way through the darkness. The chill in the air had nothing on the tension knotting in my stomach. This mission wasn't just another routine extraction; we were here to rescue Lindsey Farris, a fellow IMF agent who had been taken by Owen Davian—a name that had quickly become synonymous with danger in our circles.

Luther's voice crackled in our earpieces, breaking the silence. "Alright, you're clear to proceed. Two guards at the entrance, and a third patrolling the west side. Make it quick, team."

Ethan moved silently beside me, his face a mask of concentration. His usual calm demeanor had an edge tonight, a sharpness that hinted at more than just professional concern. I'd worked with Ethan long enough to know when he was hiding something, and his behavior today set off every alarm bell in my mind. Trust was hard-earned in our line of work, and as much as I trusted Ethan, something about tonight felt off.

"We're going to bring her home, Ethan," I said, trying to cut through the tension as we reached the factory's back entrance.

He nodded, his eyes flickering with a determination I hadn't seen in a while. "We have to," he replied, his voice low and rough.

We slipped inside, our movements synchronized. The factory was a labyrinth of rusted machinery and crumbling walls, each step echoing in the vast, empty space. The muffled sounds of struggling reached my ears, leading us deeper into the shadows. My heart pounded as we turned a corner and saw her: Lindsey, strapped to a chair in a dimly lit room, her head hanging low.

"Lindsey!" Ethan called, rushing to her side. She looked up, eyes wide with fear, but when she saw us, hope flickered across her face.

"Ethan," she breathed, relief coloring her voice. "I knew you'd come."

I stood guard, my gun drawn, ears straining for any sign of Davian's men. Ethan worked quickly to free her, his hands gentle yet urgent. "We're getting you out of here," he promised.

Lindsey nodded, wincing as she tried to move. "They know... about the Rabbit's Foot," she whispered hoarsely. "Davian has a mole... in the IMF." Her words were barely audible, but they hit like a sledgehammer.

A mole in the IMF? The implications were staggering. Trust, already a rare currency, felt like it was slipping through my fingers. I exchanged a look with Ethan, trying to gauge his reaction, but his face was set, focused solely on Lindsey.

"We'll figure it out," he said firmly. "Right now, we need to get you out of here."

With Lindsey free, we made our way back through the factory, every step a silent countdown to safety. But as we neared the exit, the sound of footsteps and muffled voices made me freeze. "Ethan," I warned, just as the first shots rang out.

"Move!" Ethan shouted, pushing Lindsey ahead of us as bullets tore through the air. The world erupted into chaos, the sharp retort of gunfire echoing off the walls. I fired back, my mind racing. We were so close, but it felt like the walls were closing in.

Lindsey stumbled, a cry of pain escaping her lips. I turned, my heart stopping as I saw the look of agony on her face. "No!" Ethan shouted, his voice filled with raw desperation. He caught her as she fell, his face a mask of anguish.

"We need to keep moving!" I urged, my voice tight with panic.

Ethan nodded, but his eyes never left Lindsey's face. We managed to make it to the extraction point, but every step was a struggle. Lindsey's breathing was shallow, her eyes flickering. As we reached the helicopter, she gripped Ethan's hand, her voice a strained whisper. "There's a microdot... on the back of my head," she said, her eyes pleading. "Use it to find Davian. Trust no one."

Before we could react, Lindsey's body convulsed violently. A small, circular device on the back of her head blinked red and then detonated. I screamed, instinctively throwing myself backward, but it was too late. Lindsey's body went limp, the life draining from her eyes in an instant.

"Lindsey!" Ethan's cry was raw, the sound of a man losing a piece of his soul. He knelt beside her, his hands trembling as he reached for the microdot, now all that remained of her warning.

The horror of what had just happened settled over me like a shroud. Lindsey was gone, killed by a device Davian had implanted in her head. And her last message—trust no one—echoed in my mind, a chilling reminder of the danger we were in. We had a mole, and the enemy was closer than we could have ever imagined.

As we lifted off into the Berlin night, Ethan stared at the microdot in his hand, his jaw clenched with a mix of grief and rage. I watched him, my own heart heavy with the weight of our loss. Lindsey's death wasn't just a failure; it was a message, a chilling declaration of war. Davian knew our every move, and he was willing to go to any lengths to get what he wanted. As the city lights faded beneath us, I knew one thing for certain: we were in over our heads, and the fight was just beginning. Trust no one. The words were a lifeline and a curse, and as we flew into the darkness, I knew they would haunt me until the end.