SHADOWS OF JUSTICE

BREAKING POINT

The night air was thick with tension as Marcus, Ava, and Dale approached the warehouse, their hearts pounding in unison. Each step felt like a countdown, and the shadows seemed to deepen around them. They moved with a mix of stealth and urgency, every noise amplified in the stillness of the night.

"Dale, you're on lookout," Marcus instructed in a low voice as they neared the entrance. "Ava, you and I will slip inside and head for the main office. We need to find out what they're planning next."

Dale nodded, positioning himself near the entrance where he could see the guards patrolling the perimeter. Ava followed Marcus, her breath steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

As they approached the main doors, Marcus glanced back at Dale. "Keep your eyes peeled. We'll be in and out as quickly as we can."

The door creaked as they pushed it open, the sound echoing ominously in the dimly lit warehouse. Inside, the atmosphere was a mix of mechanical hums and distant voices—workers busy with their tasks, oblivious to the threat lurking within their walls.

Marcus and Ava moved quietly, keeping to the shadows as they navigated through the maze of crates and machinery. The layout was familiar from the map Hayward had provided, but the reality of being there heightened the stakes.

"We need to find the office," Ava whispered, scanning the area. "If we can get to their computer system, we might find their shipment schedules."

"Over there," Marcus pointed to a door marked with a small sign that read "Management." They moved swiftly toward it, the urgency of their mission fueling their movements.

As they reached the door, Marcus paused. "On three. One... two... three."

He pushed the door open, and they slipped inside. The office was dimly lit, papers strewn across a desk cluttered with documents and a computer terminal humming quietly.

"Check the computer," Marcus instructed Ava, who immediately moved to the terminal, fingers flying over the keyboard.

"Come on, come on," Ava muttered, the tension evident in her voice. "If I can just bypass this password... there!"

The screen flickered to life, revealing a series of files and folders. Ava quickly began sifting through the contents, her expression a mix of concentration and urgency.

"Shipping schedules, contact lists..." she murmured, pulling up files. "This could be it."

Marcus scanned the room, hyper-aware of the ticking clock. "We don't have much time. They'll notice we're missing soon."

"Here!" Ava exclaimed, pulling up a document labeled "Current Operations." "This outlines their next shipment—timing, locations, everything!"

"Perfect," Marcus said, leaning over her shoulder to read the details. "We need to download this."

Before they could act, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside the office. Marcus's heart raced. "We need to move. Now!"

"Just a second, I'm almost done," Ava insisted, her fingers racing across the keyboard.

The footsteps grew closer, the voices of guards audible just outside the door. "Did you hear something?" one of them asked.

"Yeah, sounds like it's coming from the office," another replied, suspicion creeping into his tone.

"Damn it, Ava!" Marcus hissed, glancing at the door. "We don't have time!"

"Got it!" she said triumphantly, pulling a flash drive from her pocket and transferring the files. Just as the download completed, the door rattled violently.