FADE WAVES

Chapter 3

  The rain continued to pour as Andrew and Cipher made their way back through the city streets, the glow of distant streetlights flickering in the darkness. Their bags were heavier now, loaded with weapons and gear, but Andrew felt lighter—more prepared. Every step brought him closer to his goal: taking down Harris and his corrupt faction.

  As they walked, Cipher spoke up, his voice calm but focused. “We need to plan our next move carefully. Harris will have his operatives crawling all over the place once he catches wind of this. He’s not going to take a breach in his system lightly.”

  Andrew nodded, his eyes scanning the shadows of the streets. "First, we figure out his weak points. Hit him where he least expects it. We’ve got the weapons, the gear, and the intel—but we need to strike fast."

  Cipher smiled. “I like how you think. I’ve been working on a few possible targets based on the data we pulled. Harris has a few key outposts around the city. Small operations, but important. If we can disable those, we’ll start cutting off his resources. Make him bleed before we go in for the kill.”
  "Where’s the first target?" Andrew asked, his mind already piecing together the strategy.

  "There's an underground weapons depot in the southern part of the city. Harris uses it to funnel guns and ammo to his soldiers. We hit that place, we cripple his supply line. It’s heavily guarded, though."

  Andrew’s lips tightened into a grim smile. "Perfect. We’ll make sure they never see it coming."
  They continued through the narrow alleys, eventually reaching Cipher’s hideout—a small, rundown building tucked between two abandoned warehouses. Inside, the walls were lined with monitors, cables, and devices that blinked and hummed quietly. Cipher immediately set his laptop on the desk, pulling up the intel they had just stolen.

  “Here it is,” Cipher said, tapping the screen. “The depot is located underground, accessible through a shipping yard. It’s disguised as a standard warehouse, but beneath the surface, it’s armed to the teeth. Guards, automated defense systems, the works.”

  Andrew studied the map on the screen, tracing the routes in and out. "We’ll need to move in fast, take out the guards quietly, and get to the control center before they have a chance to activate the defenses."

  Cipher nodded. “Agreed. That’s where your skills come in. I can handle the security systems remotely, but you’re going to have to clear the path. Once we’re inside, I’ll disable the automated defenses and detonate the ammo cache. That’ll put a big dent in Harris’s supply chain.”
  Andrew checked the weapons they had picked up earlier, making sure everything was loaded and ready. He adjusted his tactical vest, feeling the reassuring weight of the gear against his body. “We’ll need a distraction when we hit the depot. If Harris’s soldiers get wind of this too early, we’ll be overwhelmed.”

  Cipher grinned. “I’ve got just the thing.” He pulled a small device from his pocket—a signal jammer. “This will knock out their communications long enough for us to get in and out without raising alarms. Once we’re inside, we can disable the whole system.”
  Andrew nodded approvingly. “Let’s get this done.”

  A few hours later, they stood outside the southern shipping yard, the rain still falling in steady sheets. The place was quiet, but Andrew could sense the tension in the air. Hidden beneath the unassuming warehouse was a hive of activity, with Harris’s soldiers patrolling the underground depot.

  Cipher stayed a few steps behind Andrew, typing commands into his tablet. "I’m jamming their security cameras now. We’ve got a short window before they realize something’s wrong."