The tension in the air felt thick as they huddled together in the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The plan had gone well so far, but they all knew the mission wasn't over yet. Their success in intercepting Suna's weapons shipment was just the beginning.
Kira could feel the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, but now there was a new kind of energy in the air—one that came with knowing their enemies weren't far behind. They had stolen from Suna, and Suna wasn't the kind of person to let that slide.
Eren stood beside her, his body tense, his expression focused. His hand was casually resting on the handle of his gun, his fingers twitching ever so slightly as if he were ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. Kira glanced at him, her lips pulling into a small smile. Despite everything, despite the chaos and the danger they were in, being close to him made her feel grounded.
"You good?" she whispered, her voice quiet but steady.
"Yeah," he replied, his eyes scanning the room. "We just have to stay ahead of them. The real fight is still coming."
Sasha and Connie stood a few feet away, huddled with Jean and Mikasa. Sasha's high ponytail bounced as she animatedly argued with Connie about who would take the lead on the next phase of the operation. Jean, ever the mediator, was trying to calm them both down, but it was clear that everyone was restless.
Malcolm, who had been mostly quiet until now, stepped forward, his arms crossed as he looked at the group. His dark, brooding eyes scanned everyone before locking onto Kira and Eren. "We've got a few hours before the next shipment. They'll be looking for us by then," he said, his voice low and measured, like he'd been through enough situations like this to know exactly how much time they had before things escalated.
Kira nodded, her lips pressed together in thought. She knew Malcolm was right, but something gnawed at her. She couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't the only ones hunting for answers.
"You think Suna knows we're after the cash?" Kira asked, her eyes meeting Malcolm's.
Malcolm didn't flinch. "I wouldn't be surprised if they do. They're not stupid. But the real question is: how are we going to make sure they don't use this against us?"
Jean came over then, adjusting his vest and running a hand through his messy hair. "We need to get to their central location before they know what we've got," he said, his usual dry tone holding a weight of seriousness. "We can't let them regroup. The second we lose momentum, they'll come after us full force."
Kira glanced at Eren again, his jaw clenched as he listened intently to the group's chatter. He looked over at her and gave her a look that said everything without words. The unspoken bond they shared was strong; it made her feel like everything would be okay as long as they had each other.
"Let's move," Eren said abruptly, standing straight and gathering their attention. "We can't sit around here waiting for Suna's next move. We get in, hit them hard, and get out before they even realize what happened."
The team nodded, immediately slipping into their roles without hesitation. Each person knew their part. Mikasa and Jean would handle the distraction, drawing attention away from the main objective. Sasha and Connie would be the eyes and ears on the ground, making sure nothing slipped past them. And Eren, Kira, and Malcolm would move in to execute the plan.
"Stay sharp," Malcolm warned, his eyes hardening as he grabbed a small map from the table, his finger tracing the route they would take. "Once we get in, we hit them fast. No hesitation."
The drive was quiet, everyone mentally preparing for what was to come. The streets blurred outside as they drove deeper into the city, their destination a warehouse complex that they believed held the bulk of Suna's operations.
