Code of Shadows

Chapter 36 - Broken Trust

The sheer size of the Kremlin was intimidating, even for someone like me who had been in high-stakes operations before. Its imposing walls loomed over us, casting long shadows in the evening light. Each step I took echoed in the grand corridors, reminding me of the history embedded in these walls, of the countless secrets they had seen. Disguised as Russian officers, Ethan and I blended into the surroundings, our mission clear: find the files on Cobalt, the nuclear extremist planning something catastrophic.

Ethan moved with a purpose, his eyes scanning every corner, every doorway. I could sense the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw clenched slightly. My own nerves were on edge. The air was thick with the feeling of being watched, of danger lurking just out of sight. I had learned to trust my instincts over the years, and right now, they were screaming at me to be cautious.

We reached the room that housed the archives, where the files on Cobalt were supposed to be. My role was to disable the security systems while Ethan planted false radio communications to mislead the Kremlin's security. My hands moved swiftly over the keypad, my heart pounding. I could feel Ethan's presence beside me, steady and calm. "System disabled," I whispered, glancing at him. He nodded, focused on his task. Despite the tension, I found a strange comfort in his presence.

Ethan set up the radio transmitter, his fingers moving deftly over the controls. "This should give us a few minutes," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. I nodded, my eyes scanning the room. But even as we moved deeper into the labyrinth of corridors, something felt wrong. The air was too still, too tense. I could feel it in my gut, a prickling sensation at the back of my neck.

Suddenly, a strange noise filled the air—an unusual signal that shouldn't be there. My heart sank. "Ethan, do you hear that?" I asked, my voice tight with anxiety. He looked up, his face serious. "Yeah, someone's piggybacking our frequency. We need to move. Now." We hurried, but every second felt like an eternity.

Just as we were about to retrieve the files, a deafening explosion shook the ground. The force of it threw me against a wall, the impact knocking the wind out of me. My ears rang, and for a moment, all I could see was dust and debris. "Ethan!" I shouted, panic lacing my voice. He was beside me in an instant, helping me to my feet. "We've been set up," he said, his voice grim. The realization hit me like a cold wave—we were the targets.

We stumbled through the chaos, the once quiet corridors now filled with the sounds of alarms and shouts. Smoke filled the air, stinging my eyes. The sight of the burning Kremlin was a terrifying confirmation of our worst fears. "This wasn't supposed to happen," I muttered, my voice shaking. Ethan's face was a mask of anger and disbelief. "We need to get out of here," he said, pulling me along. We dodged falling debris and panicked guards, the weight of our predicament pressing down on us.

As we made our way through the wreckage, a crackling sound from a nearby radio caught my attention. A Russian voice blared through, accusing us of bombing the Kremlin. My blood ran cold. "They think it's us," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper. Ethan's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. "We've been framed," he said bitterly. The betrayal stung. I had always been careful, always kept my guard up. But this? This was a blow I hadn't seen coming.

We made it outside, the cold Moscow air hitting me like a slap. The square was in chaos, people running and shouting. The smoke billowed into the sky, the fire blazing behind us. We ran, but not fast enough. Just as we thought we had made it to safety, we were surrounded. Russian agents, guns drawn, their faces grim. My heart sank as I realized the full extent of our situation. We were captured, our hands forced behind our backs, the cold metal of handcuffs biting into my wrists.

"On your knees!" a Russian officer barked. We complied, knowing resistance was futile. The situation was spiraling out of control. I glanced at Ethan, trying to read his thoughts. His eyes were focused, calculating. He was already planning our next move, trying to find a way out of this mess. But right now, there was nothing we could do.

As we were dragged away, I couldn't help but feel the weight of our failure. We had come here to stop a disaster, and now we were being blamed for it. The IMF had been disavowed, and we were the scapegoats. I could see the headlines now: American spies bomb Kremlin. The world would believe it, and we had no way to prove our innocence. Ethan met my eyes, a silent understanding passing between us. We had to survive this. There was no other choice.

They threw us into a black van, the doors slamming shut behind us. The drive was silent, the only sound my own ragged breathing. Ethan sat across from me, his face impassive, but I could see the anger in his eyes. "We're going to get out of this," he said, his voice low and steady. I nodded, trying to believe him. But the truth was, I didn't know if we could. We were alone, hunted, and without allies. Trust was a luxury we couldn't afford, and betrayal lurked around every corner. The van rumbled on, taking us into the unknown. The mission had failed, and the world thought we were the enemy. The real enemy was still out there, and time was running out.