Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

JAKE

J ake paced the conference room, his phone pressed to his ear as he waited for Marcus to answer. The secure line buzzed faintly, a sound that had become synonymous with the tension of the last week. Finally, Marcus picked up, his voice clipped and wary.

“Jake. What now?”

“You know what,” Jake said, his tone sharp. “We need everything you’ve got on Lang. No more half-truths, no more dodging.”

“I’ve told you everything I can,” Marcus replied, though there was an edge of hesitation in his voice.

Jake’s jaw tightened as he shot a glance at Daniels and Reyna, both of whom were seated at the table, their expressions hard. Lyndsey stood near the corkboard, her arms crossed and her eyes locked on Jake.

“You’ve told us what you think will save your ass,” Jake snapped. “But if you want any shot at redemption, you’ll give us the full picture. Cerberus has resources, and with the FBI involved, it won’t be long before we find out everything you’re holding back.”

“I’m not holding anything...” Marcus began, but Jake cut him off.

“Bullshit,” Jake growled. “Lang’s operation is too clean for someone like you to have just stumbled into it. You know more than you’re saying, and you’re going to tell us. Now.”

The line went silent for a beat before Marcus exhaled heavily. “There’s a warehouse. Not one of the big ones you’ve already hit—this one’s off the books. Lang uses it for high-priority exchanges. The kind he doesn’t want traced.”

Daniels leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “Location?”

Marcus hesitated, but when Jake didn’t budge, he relented. “Northwest Industrial Park. Unit 14. It’s not always active, but if Lang’s moving anything major, it’ll pass through there.”

Jake ended the call without a word, slamming the phone onto the table. He turned to Daniels. “Get your team ready. If Marcus is lying, I want him locked down.”

Daniels nodded, already reaching for his own phone. “I’ll coordinate with my team. We’ll need Lyndsey to confirm any materials we recover.”

Jake’s gaze flicked to Lyndsey, her posture stiff but her expression resolute. “You up for this?”

She met his eyes, a spark of determination flashing in her gaze. “Absolutely.”

The SUV rolled to a stop a block away from the warehouse. Jake sat in the passenger seat, his Glock resting in its holster on the back of his belt under his bulletproof vest as he scanned the area. The industrial park was eerily quiet, the only sounds the faint hum of distant machinery and the occasional rustle of wind through the chain-link fences.

“Surveillance team confirms activity,” Daniels said through the comms. “Three vehicles arrived in the last hour. No sign of Lang, but it’s his people.”

“Standard procedure,” Reyna murmured from the back seat, her rifle cradled in her arms. “Lang never shows his face unless he’s sure it’s safe.”

Jake glanced at Lyndsey, who sat beside Reyna. Her face was pale, but her hands were steady as they clutched her laptop. “Stay close to me,” Jake said, his voice low but firm. “Don’t take any unnecessary risks.”

“I won’t,” she replied, her voice equally steady. “But I need to see whatever they’re moving. If it’s my work, I’ll know.”

Jake nodded, a mix of admiration and worry tightening his chest. She was brave—braver than anyone had a right to be in her position. But her courage also made her a target.

Daniels’ voice came through the comms again. “Go time. Teams, move in.”

Jake led the way, his weapon raised as they approached the warehouse. The team fanned out, moving with practiced precision. The faint sound of voices drifted through the open loading dock, followed by the distinct clink of metal crates being shifted.

Inside, the warehouse was dimly lit, the air filled with the scent of oil and rust. Jake signaled for Reyna to cover the left flank as he moved Lyndsey into a sheltered position behind several crates where she’d be protected. His heart pounded as he moved toward the center where a group of men were clustered around a table, their focus on the documents and devices spread out before them.

One of the men looked up, his eyes widening in alarm. “We’ve got company!”

The room erupted into chaos. Gunfire echoed off the metal walls as Lang’s men scrambled to defend their position. Jake fired two shots, taking out one of the guards before retreating back to Lyndsey’s position and ducking behind the crate. Lyndsey squatted beside him, her laptop clutched tightly.

“Stay here,” he ordered, his voice a low growl. “Do not move until I say.”

She nodded, her eyes locked on his. “Be careful.”

Jake didn’t respond, already moving to cover Daniels, who was engaged in a firefight near the table. Reyna’s rifle cracked from her position on the mezzanine, her shots precise and devastating.

Within minutes, the fight was over. Lang’s men were either down or restrained, and the warehouse fell into an uneasy silence. Jake holstered his weapon, his eyes scanning for Lyndsey.

“Over here,” she called, her voice steady but urgent.

Jake crossed the room to find her at the table, her laptop connected to one of the devices Lang’s men had been working with. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she analyzed the data.

“It’s my work,” she said, her voice tight with anger. “They’ve taken my nanobot protocols and adapted them. If this had been sold...”

“It won’t be,” Jake said firmly. “We’ve got it now.”

Daniels approached, his expression grim. “We’ve got their people, and we’ll find out who they were dealing with. But Lang wasn’t here.”

“He never is,” Jake muttered, his jaw tightening. “But this is a blow. We’ll use what we’ve got to track him down.”

Lyndsey stood, becoming more resolute as she met Jake’s gaze. “We have to stop him, Jake. Not just for me, but for everyone he’s hurt.”

Jake reached out, his hand brushing hers. “We will. I promise.”

As they moved to exit the warehouse, a faint beeping sound caught Jake’s attention. His eyes narrowed, his instincts flaring. “Everyone out! Now!”

The team barely made it to safety before an explosion rocked the warehouse, sending a plume of fire and smoke into the night sky. Jake pulled Lyndsey close, shielding her with his body as debris rained down around them.

When the chaos settled, Jake looked down at her, his heart pounding. “You okay?”

She nodded, her face pale but determined. “I’m fine. But Lang won’t stop, will he?”

“No,” Jake said, his voice grim. “But neither will we.”

The drive back to Cerberus was tense, the ops’ success tempered by the knowledge that Lang was still out there. Jake’s knuckles gripped the steering wheel as the black SUV cut through the dark streets. Beside him, Lyndsey sat quietly, her laptop balanced on her knees as she reviewed the data they’d recovered.

In the back seat, Reyna reloaded her rifle, her sharp eyes scanning their surroundings through the tinted window. “I don’t like this,” she muttered. “Feels too quiet.”

“It always does,” Jake replied, his tone grim. He cast a quick glance at the rearview mirror, checking for tails. “Stay sharp.”

Lyndsey looked up from her laptop, her eyes meeting Jake’s. “You think Lang’s men will come after us?”

Jake’s jaw tightened. “They don’t know when to quit. If they got wind of the raid, they’ll want to cut their losses.”

As if on cue, headlights appeared behind them, the vehicle accelerating aggressively. Jake’s eyes flicked to the mirror, his instincts flaring. “We’ve got company.”

Reyna turned, her rifle already in hand. “SUV, tinted windows, no plates. Definitely not friendly.”

Lyndsey looked to Jake. “What do we do?”

Jake’s voice was calm, steady. “You stay down and out of sight. Reyna and I will handle this.”

The SUV behind them roared closer, and a burst of gunfire shattered the rear window. Lyndsey let out a gasp, ducking as shards of glass sprayed across the seat. Jake swerved hard to the left, narrowly avoiding another round of bullets.

“Hold on!” he barked, slamming the accelerator. The SUV surged forward, but their pursuers matched their speed.

Reyna rolled down her window, leaning out with her rifle. “Keep it steady!” she called.

Jake’s grip tightened on the wheel as Reyna fired off a series of shots. The pursuing vehicle swerved, its windshield spiderwebbing from the impact, but it kept coming.

“They’re armored,” Reyna said through gritted teeth. “I’ll aim for the tires.”

Another round of gunfire erupted, this time from a second vehicle pulling alongside them. Jake cursed under his breath, yanking the wheel to the right to block their path. The SUVs collided, the screech of metal on metal filling the air.

“Reyna, take the lead car!” Jake ordered, his voice sharp.

Reyna didn’t hesitate, shifting her aim and firing at the second SUV. The front tire exploded, sending the vehicle careening into a lamppost. It crumpled on impact, but there was no time to celebrate.

The first SUV was still on their tail, its driver relentless. Jake took a hard turn down a side street, the tires screeching as he maneuvered through the narrow lane. Lyndsey clung to the door handle, her breath coming in quick gasps.

“Almost there,” Jake said, though his focus was entirely on the road.

Reyna fired again, this time hitting the engine block. Smoke billowed from the hood of the pursuing SUV, and it began to slow, but not before one final round of bullets pinged off their rear bumper.

“Damn,” Reyna muttered, sitting back down. “That was close.”

Jake didn’t ease up until they were within sight of Cerberus headquarters. The building’s fortified garage and parking area was a welcome sight, and the gate opened swiftly as they approached. He pulled in, his hands finally relaxing on the wheel.

As the vehicle came to a stop, Jake turned to Lyndsey. “You okay?”

She nodded, though her face was pale. “I’m fine. Just… shaken.”

Reyna snorted as she climbed out of the SUV. “You handled it better than most would, Doc. But I’ll admit, that was a little too close for comfort.”

Inside Cerberus, Jake didn’t waste any time. He marched straight to the conference room where King was waiting, his expression unreadable.

“We need to talk,” Jake said, his voice firm.

King gestured for him to sit, but Jake remained standing. “Lang’s stepping up his game. That ambush wasn’t random—it was coordinated. From this point on, Lyndsey doesn’t leave the building.”

Lyndsey bristled, her gaze snapping to him. “Jake...”

“No,” he cut her off, his tone leaving no room for argument. “This isn’t negotiable. You saw what just happened. Lang wants you out of the picture, and I’m not giving him another chance.”

King leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes assessing the situation. “I’ll set up one of our secure offices for her,” he said. “She’ll have access to our cloud systems and anything else she needs. Lyndsey, we’ll also assign one of our cyber specialists to help you dig into the networks your colleagues used. If there’s a connection to Lang, we’ll find it.”

Lyndsey’s jaw tightened, but she nodded. “Fine. But I’m not stopping. If Lang wants to silence me, I’ll give him something worth fearing.”

Jake smiled with admiration. She was fearless, even when she had every right to crumble. And that terrified him more than anything Lang could throw their way.

Later, as Lyndsey settled into the secure office, Jake lingered in the doorway, watching as she arranged her workstation. The adrenaline from the ambush still lingered, a constant buzz in the back of his mind.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked, his voice low.

Lyndsey looked up, her eyes meeting his. “I’m sure. We’re close, Jake. I can feel it. Lang’s network isn’t impenetrable. If we keep pushing, we’ll find the weak spot.”

Jake nodded, but the worry didn’t leave his face. “Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

She smiled faintly, a hint of warmth breaking through the strain. “I will. And I trust you and your team to keep me safe.”

Her words were heavy and grounding. Jake stepped closer, his hand brushing hers briefly. “We’ll end this, Lyndsey. I swear.”

As the office door closed behind him, Jake couldn’t help but believe that the fight was far from over.

Jake left her with her laptop and joined the others in the Cerberus conference room. He leaned over the table, his eyes locked on the satellite images spread before him. The room was dim, the only light coming from the projector casting a faint blue glow over the gathered team. Lyndsey joined him, studying the screen.

“I set up an automated search for what I need, and some guy named Sully in the London office is setting up a patchwork relay so I can get to my data from the lab. They can’t trace any of it back to my location. The logs will show it was me, but not from where I was transmitting.”

Jake nodded.

“This is it,” Reyna said, her voice low but intense. She tapped the screen, indicating a nondescript building nestled in a remote industrial area. “Lang’s been using this as a front. On the surface, it’s registered as a packaging facility, but according to Daniels’ intel, it’s the nerve center for his operation.”

Jake’s jaw tightened. “It’s isolated. Minimal security on the exterior, but that’s just a facade. He’ll have defenses inside.”

“Exactly,” Reyna replied, her tone grim. “Lang’s too smart to leave this place vulnerable. If we go in, we’ll need a solid plan.”

Lyndsey shifted beside Jake, her gaze flicking to the images. “What’s inside? Is it connected to the auction data?”

Reyna nodded. “Most likely. Daniels’ team intercepted chatter about high-level meetings taking place here. It’s where Lang coordinates his deals, stores his intel, and keeps his most valuable assets.”

Jake exhaled, his hand brushing the back of his neck. “It’s a target-rich environment, but it’s also a trap. If we’re not careful and we walk in, Lang’s people will pick us off one by one.”

The room fell silent as the team absorbed the consequences of what they were proposing. Lyndsey broke the silence, her voice steady despite the stiffness in her posture. “If we hit this place, can we shut him down for good?”

Jake glanced at her, his expression softening. “We can cripple him. Take out his infrastructure, expose his network, and make it impossible for him to operate. But it won’t be easy.”

“I’m in,” Lyndsey said firmly. “Whatever it takes.”

He had to admire her moxie in the same way it sent a shiver of fear through him. He pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand. “Reyna, get Daniels on the line. We’ll need the FBI’s support for this one. And let’s start working on a layout of the facility. If Lang’s got defenses, I want to know about them.”

Reyna nodded, already pulling out her phone. Jake turned to Lyndsey, his voice dropping to a quieter tone. “You don’t have to go in. You can stay here, work remotely...”

“No,” she interrupted, her eyes blazing. “I’m not sitting this one out, Jake. This is my fight too.”

“You can do what you need to do from here…”

“If you leave me behind, I’ll figure out a way to follow you. If nothing else, I’ll call the FBI and tell them I’m being held against my will.”

Jake studied her, torn between admiration and frustration. “Fine. But you do as your told. No heroics.”

A faint smile curved her lips. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Several hours later, the team had their strategy mapped out. Jake stood with Reyna and Daniels, running through the final details while Lyndsey reviewed the files from Marcus one last time.

“We’re ready,” Jake said, his tone firm. “We hit the facility at first light. In and out, minimal noise. Our priority is securing the intel and disabling Lang’s operation.”

Daniels nodded. “My team will cover the perimeter. You focus on the interior.”

Jake’s gaze shifted to Lyndsey, who was watching him from across the room. Her presence grounded him in a way he couldn’t quite explain, but it also sharpened his focus. Lang wasn’t just a threat to her—he was a threat to everything Jake had sworn to protect.

Reyna’s voice cut through his thoughts. “We’ve got movement,” she said, her eyes on the surveillance feed. “Two vehicles leaving the facility. Looks like they’re making a drop.”

Jake moved to her side, his eyes narrowing at the grainy footage. “We follow them. They’ll lead us to Lang’s next play.” They watched the footage for another minute, assessing where Lang’s men were headed. “We’re not too distant. I say we follow them now. We should be able to cut through here and here,” Jake said, indicating two places on the map. “And catch them at this point…” He indicated a third spot.

Reyna grinned. “Always thinking ahead, Sands.”

The Cerberus team headed down to the vehicles and took off, taking Jake’s suggested route until Lang’s vehicles came into view and then tailed them, keeping a safe distance as they wound through the darkened streets. Lyndsey sat beside Jake in the SUV, the feeling between them undeniable.

“This feels too easy,” Lyndsey murmured, her voice barely audible over the hum of the engine.

Jake glanced at her, his jaw tightening. “Lang doesn’t do easy. Stay sharp.”

As if on cue, the lead vehicle suddenly veered off, disappearing down a side street. Jake’s instincts flared. “Reyna, you see that?”

“Yeah,” Reyna replied over the comms. “They’re splitting up. What’s the play?”

Jake hesitated for a fraction of a second before making the call. “We stick with the second vehicle. It’s headed towards the facility. Lang’s people wouldn’t risk splitting up unless it was to protect something important.”

But as they rounded a corner, the trap sprang. A third vehicle barreled out of an alley, slamming into their side. The SUV skidded, the tires screeching as Jake fought to keep control.

“Ambush!” Reyna’s voice crackled through the comms.

Gunfire erupted, shattering the windshield and forcing Jake to duck. “Lyndsey, down!” he barked, his Glock already in hand.

Lyndsey scrambled into the footwell, clutching her laptop to her chest as bullets ricocheted off the reinforced SUV. Jake leaned out of the window, returning fire with deadly precision. Reyna’s voice crackled again through the comms.

“Two more incoming!”

Jake’s heart pounded, but his focus remained razor-sharp. “Reyna, flank them. Lyndsey, stay put. Don’t move.”

The firefight was chaotic—filled with the roar of engines and the crack of gunfire. Jake moved with practiced efficiency, his every shot calculated. Reyna’s rifle rang out from a distance, her cover fire taking out one of the approaching vehicles.

“Clear on my side!” Reyna called.

Jake fired one final shot, dropping the last of their attackers. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the sound of Lyndsey’s ragged breathing as she emerged from the footwell.

“You okay?” Jake asked, his voice rough.

She nodded, her eyes wide but steady. “Yeah. I’m fine. You?”

“Always,” he said, his lips twitching into a faint, humorless smile.

Reyna jogged over, her rifle slung over her shoulder. “Well, that was fun. Lang’s getting desperate.”

Jake’s gaze darkened. “Desperate means dangerous. Let’s get back to Cerberus.”

As the team returned to Cerberus, Jake couldn’t shake the nagging sense that they were being watched. Lang’s network was vast, and his reach extended farther than they’d anticipated.

Back in the conference room, Lyndsey was reviewing the latest intel when her laptop pinged with an incoming message. Her brows furrowed as she opened it, her breath catching as she read the contents.

“Jake,” she said, her voice trembling.

He crossed the room in an instant, his hand resting on her shoulder as he read. The message was simple, chilling in its precision:

You’re closer than you think. But you won’t survive the endgame.

Jake’s jaw tightened, his mind already racing. Lang wasn’t just reacting—he was planning. And the final confrontation was coming faster than any of them had anticipated.