Rivals Redemption

Chapter 15 : Best source of support

Tina Diaz

As the explosion rattled the ground beneath us, I felt the rush of adrenaline course through my veins. The comms tower was down, but the weight of our mission pressed heavily on my shoulders. We had successfully executed the first phase, but I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something much larger.

Rowan moved beside me, his presence a steady anchor in the chaos. I stole a quick glance at him, and our eyes locked for just a moment. There was a flicker of unspoken understanding between us—a reminder of the connection we had forged amid the turmoil. I could still feel the lingering warmth from our earlier kiss, but this wasn’t the time for distractions. We had a job to do.

As we sprinted through the narrow alleyways, my mind was racing. Nash, Grace, Lemi, Aiden, Sevia, and Louis were waiting for us at the rendezvous point, ready to tackle the next phase of our mission. We needed to stay sharp, especially now that we were on the brink of uncovering something significant.

I spotted our team as we turned a corner. Nash crouched behind an overturned car, rifle at the ready. Grace stood beside him, scanning the area with a practiced eye. Lemi's silhouette was barely visible against the night sky, perched on a nearby rooftop. Sevia leaned against a wall, calm yet alert, while Louis and Aiden were poring over the map, strategizing our next move.

"Tina, Rowan!" Nash called out, his voice low yet relieved. "Did everything go smoothly?"

"Comms tower's down," Rowan confirmed, his focus unwavering. "What's next?"

Grace shifted her weight, looking to us with intensity. "We've got a window to hit the weapons cache. With the tower down, they're disorganized. If we strike now, we can do serious damage."

Sevia nodded in agreement, her eyes sharp as she assessed the situation. "Lemi’s been monitoring movements nearby. It looks like they’re regrouping further north. We can take them by surprise."

A wave of gratitude washed over me. We were more than just a team; we were a family forged through adversity. Each of us had faced our own demons, but we were united by a shared purpose. I glanced at Rowan again, feeling the pulse of connection between us. There was strength in that bond, and I knew we could face whatever came next.

"Alright, let's move," Aiden commanded, rolling up the map. "Tina, Rowan, you’re on point again. Nash and Grace, cover our six. Lemi, Sevia, Louis, you’re our eyes. Everyone knows the plan."

We set off in silence, the tension thickening with each step. The streets felt almost surreal, the aftermath of the explosion hanging in the air like a heavy fog. Every sound seemed amplified—the crunch of gravel beneath our boots, the distant hum of machinery, the static crackle of the radios.

Rowan and I led the way, moving in tandem as we navigated the debris-strewn streets. Just as we approached a narrow alley, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye.

"Stop," I whispered urgently, my hand shooting out to halt Rowan. I raised my fist, signaling the team to hold their positions.

Rowan tensed beside me, instinctively on guard. I could see the determination etched into his features, ready to protect me, but I needed to act, not react.

I signaled Nash to join me as we crept toward the alley entrance, weapons drawn. The rustling grew louder, and I held my breath, urging Nash to wait as we cautiously moved forward. Then, a figure staggered into view, clearly injured.

My heart raced as I recognized the young guard from earlier, blood soaking through his hands as he struggled to stay upright.

"Wait!" Rowan's voice stopped me as I raised my weapon, confusion swirling in my mind. "He’s not a threat."

Despite my instinct to be cautious, I could see the fear in the guard's eyes as he collapsed. Rowan knelt beside him, his voice gentle yet firm. "Who sent you?"

The man gasped, his voice trembling. "They… they don't care about us… They left us…"

His words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the reality we were fighting against. I felt a pang of guilt as he fell unconscious. We didn’t have time for this, yet Rowan’s concern for the young man highlighted a truth I was just beginning to understand: this fight wasn’t just about us. It was about everyone caught in the crossfire.

Aiden urged us to move, and I reluctantly followed Rowan, pushing the guilt aside for now. We couldn't afford to dwell on the consequences of our choices, not when there was so much at stake. But as we advanced, I couldn't shake the feeling that our struggles were entwined with something far more sinister.

When we finally reached the warehouse that housed the weapons cache, I felt a sense of urgency. The team quickly regrouped, and Lemi’s voice crackled through the comms, giving us the all-clear from his vantage point above.

Rowan’s intense gaze met mine, igniting a fire of determination within me. This was it; we had to secure the weapons to take back control. But as I prepared for what was to come, I felt a flicker of doubt creep in. All of the chaos had forced me to confront something unsettling: the false allegations against Rowan's father, Reginald Cortez.

In the midst of this mission, I finally realized the truth—Reginald wasn’t just a victim of circumstance. He was being targeted, his reputation tarnished by someone lurking in the shadows, someone I had once blamed. The revelations about Kevin Jonas, a mutual friend of Reginald and my father, were starting to unravel. He was the one pulling the strings, fueling the lies that could destroy Reginald and his company. The weight of that realization crushed me.

I felt terrible for having doubted Rowan’s father, for allowing the rumors to cloud my judgment. In this moment, I understood that our fight extended beyond the battlefield. It was a battle for truth and integrity, not just for ourselves but for the people we cared about.

"On three," Rowan whispered, his voice pulling me back to the present. I gripped my weapon tighter, pushing the guilt aside, ready to face whatever came next.

"One... two... three."