Bound by Secrets

Chapter 31: The Raid

The night sky was overcast, casting a dim, oppressive darkness over the streets of Tribeca. Emma and Claire crouched behind an abandoned delivery truck, their eyes locked on the old office building ahead. It looked unassuming—just another piece of New York’s busy landscape—but they knew better. Inside that building lay the nerve center of Alexander’s operations, a place where secrets were kept, and deals were made in the shadows.

Emma adjusted her earpiece, her eyes scanning the building’s exterior. The main entrance was guarded by two men, both armed, their expressions bored. There were likely more inside—Julian had said eight to ten guards, well-trained and well-equipped. They couldn’t afford any mistakes.

“Marcus, we’re in position,” Emma whispered, her voice steady, though her heart was pounding in her chest.

Marcus’s voice crackled in her ear, calm and focused. “Copy that. Security system is down—cameras are on a loop for the next ten minutes. After that, you’re on your own.”

Emma nodded, glancing at Claire. Her friend’s face was pale, her eyes wide, but there was a determination there—a fire that hadn’t been extinguished by the fear they’d been living with. They both knew what was at stake. This was their chance to end it, to strike a blow against Alexander that he wouldn’t see coming.

“Let’s move,” Emma whispered.

Claire gave a quick nod, and the two of them moved out from behind the truck, keeping low as they approached the side of the building. Emma’s fingers brushed against the handle of her gun, her senses on high alert. She hated the feeling of the weapon in her hand—hated what it meant, what it represented. But this wasn’t the time for hesitation. They had come too far to back down now.

They reached a side door, and Emma pulled out a small device, pressing it against the lock. There was a faint beep, and then a click, and the door swung open. Claire slipped inside first, her weapon raised, her eyes scanning the narrow hallway. Emma followed, closing the door quietly behind them.

The building was eerily silent, the only sound the faint hum of the ventilation system. They moved quickly, staying close to the walls, their footsteps barely audible on the worn linoleum floor. Marcus had given them the layout of the building—he had pulled blueprints, mapped out the location of the security room, the offices where Alexander’s records were likely kept.

They reached a corner, and Emma held up a hand, signaling for Claire to stop. She peeked around the corner, her eyes narrowing as she saw two guards standing outside a door, their guns at their sides. This was it—the main office, where Alexander’s files were kept.

Emma turned to Claire, her voice barely a whisper. “Two guards. We take them out quietly. No gunfire.”

Claire nodded, her expression tense. They moved together, inching towards the guards, staying in the shadows. Emma’s heart pounded, her breath coming in shallow bursts. They were so close—so close to getting what they needed, to finally having something they could use against Alexander.

She was only a few feet away when one of the guards turned, his eyes widening in surprise. Emma didn’t hesitate. She lunged forward, slamming her elbow into his throat, her other hand grabbing his gun and yanking it away. The guard made a strangled noise, his eyes bulging, and then he crumpled to the ground.

Claire moved just as quickly, grabbing the second guard from behind, her arm around his neck, cutting off his air. He struggled for a moment, his hands clawing at her arm, but then his movements slowed, and he went limp.

Emma caught her breath, her eyes scanning the hallway, listening for any sign that they had been heard. But there was only silence. She nodded to Claire, and they moved to the door, Emma trying the handle. It was locked, but she pulled out the small device again, the lock clicking open after a moment.

They slipped inside, closing the door behind them. The office was cluttered, papers and files scattered across a large desk, a row of filing cabinets against one wall. Emma’s eyes moved to a laptop sitting on the desk, its screen dark. She moved quickly, opening the laptop, plugging in a small USB drive that Marcus had given her.

“Keep watch,” she whispered to Claire, who nodded, moving to the door, her gun raised.

Emma’s hands shook slightly as she worked, navigating through the files on the laptop, searching for anything that could be useful. She found financial records, names—dozens of names, people who had worked with Alexander, who had taken his money, done his bidding. She copied everything, her heart pounding in her chest.

Suddenly, a voice crackled in her earpiece. “Emma, you’ve got company,” Marcus said, his voice urgent. “A car just pulled up outside—looks like reinforcements. You need to get out. Now.”

Emma’s breath caught in her throat. She pulled the USB drive from the laptop, shoving it into her pocket. “Claire, we’ve got to move,” she said, her voice filled with urgency.

Claire nodded, her eyes wide. They moved to the door, Emma’s heart pounding as she peeked out into the hallway. She could hear footsteps now—heavy, hurried. The reinforcements were already inside.

“We need another way out,” Claire whispered, her voice trembling.

Emma nodded, her mind racing. They couldn’t go back the way they had come. They would be trapped. She glanced around the office, her eyes landing on a small window on the far wall. It was narrow, but it might be their only chance.

“Over there,” she said, moving quickly to the window. She unlatched it, pushing it open, the cool night air rushing in. It was a tight fit, but they could make it.

Claire climbed out first, her feet finding purchase on a narrow ledge outside. Emma followed, her hands gripping the edge of the window as she pulled herself through. Below them was a narrow alley, the ground at least ten feet down. Emma took a deep breath, then dropped, landing hard, her knees buckling slightly as she hit the ground. Claire followed, and they moved quickly, staying close to the wall, their eyes scanning for any sign of the guards.

Emma’s earpiece crackled again. “They’re inside,” Marcus said, his voice filled with tension. “You need to get clear of the building. There’s an alley to your right—follow it, and you’ll come out on Hudson. I’ve got a car waiting there.”

Emma nodded, grabbing Claire’s hand and pulling her towards the alley. They moved quickly, their footsteps echoing off the brick walls. Emma’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing. They had what they needed—the files, the information that could bring Alexander down. But they weren’t safe yet. Not until they were out of here, not until they were away from Alexander’s reach.

They reached the end of the alley, the street ahead of them deserted. Emma saw the car, its engine running, Marcus behind the wheel. She pulled Claire towards it, throwing open the back door and climbing inside, Claire right behind her.

Marcus didn’t waste any time. He hit the gas, the tires screeching as they sped away from the building. Emma turned, her eyes fixed on the office building as it disappeared into the distance, her heart still pounding.

“We did it,” she whispered, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and triumph. “We actually did it.”

Marcus glanced at her in the rearview mirror, a small smile on his lips. “Yeah,” he said. “But it’s not over yet. Not until Alexander is finished.”

Emma nodded, her eyes meeting his in the mirror. They had struck a blow against Alexander, but she knew Marcus was right. The fight wasn’t over—not yet. But for the first time, she felt like they had a real chance.

And she wasn’t going to stop until Alexander was brought down, once and for all.