ISAAC MORANO

**23**

Chapter Twenty Three- Surprise

Catherine called everyone outside with an intense but excited energy. "I've got something special for all of you," she announced, her eyes glinting in the dim light.

The group followed her to the side of the building, where she unveiled a row of hand-crafted devices. "Barb wire bombs," she said proudly, gesturing to the compact, deadly contraptions. "These babies are designed to explode on contact when a vehicle rolls over them. I've created enough to surround the perimeter and line the road leading to our entrance."

Isaac raised an eyebrow, impressed but cautious. "You made all of these yourself?"

Catherine nodded, a smirk forming on her lips. "Of course. You know me—if I'm going to defend this place, I'm doing it with style. And I've made sure these will stop anything in its tracks."

Tony stepped forward, inspecting the bombs. "They're wired perfectly. Not a single mistake. You've outdone yourself, Cathy."

With a satisfied grin, Catherine handed them over to Marco and the rest of the team. "Spread these around the perimeter. Make sure they're hidden well enough that no one sees them until it's too late. We'll use the road and key access points as choke points."

As they began distributing the bombs, Tony placed a hand on Catherine's shoulder. "You really thought of everything, didn't you?"

She shrugged, her expression more serious now. "We're not taking any chances. If they come for us, we need to be ready. These bombs are just the first line of defense."

Isaac was already walking toward the perimeter with a few of the bombs in hand, calling back to Catherine. "You're always two steps ahead, Cathy. We'll set these up perfectly. But if things go south, what's the next move?"

Catherine didn't hesitate. "We retreat to the command center and activate our internal defenses. If they break through this, we'll make sure they regret every inch they try to take."

Marco, now setting up one of the bombs along the road, shouted, "I don't think anyone will get past these, but it's good to have a backup plan. What do we do if they get too close?"

Catherine, already thinking five steps ahead, replied confidently. "If anyone gets too close, I've got another surprise waiting for them inside. But for now, let's focus on making sure no one even makes it to the gates."

They finished placing the bombs, the team working efficiently under Catherine's precise guidance. With the perimeter fortified, they all gathered back near the entrance, taking in the strategic setup.

Catherine crossed her arms, surveying their handiwork with a sense of grim satisfaction. "This is just the beginning. When they come, they won't know what hit them."

Catherine's tone was sharp as she turned to Lucas. "I don't want to risk our men being caught in an ambush. We're taking every precaution." She led the team to the surveillance room, where monitors lined the walls.

"I've set up cameras all along the road leading to the headquarters," she explained. "We need to stay a step ahead. I want every inch of that road watched in real time."

Lucas nodded, his fingers already flying over the keyboard as he pulled up the camera feeds. "On it, Cathy. Let's see what we're working with."

The screens flickered to life, showing various angles of the narrow road that wound its way toward their headquarters. Trees lined the sides, and the occasional shadowy figure moved in the distance. Catherine leaned in closer, scanning each camera with a sharp eye.