Chapter 31: First Strike

Chapter 31: First Strike

Time Period: 2015

Age: 13 years old

The night was thick with tension as we moved through the city, the hum of engines and the quiet murmur of our operatives the only sounds breaking the silence. The plan was in motion, and there was no turning back. This was the moment we had been preparing for, the first strike in our campaign to dismantle The Dominion. But beneath the surface, I could feel the unease gnawing at me. This was a high-risk operation, and we were walking into the unknown.

Our convoy of black SUVs cut through the deserted streets, heading toward the financial district where The Dominion's communication hub was located. The city was eerily quiet, the kind of quiet that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. It was as if the entire city was holding its breath, waiting for the storm to break.

I sat in the lead vehicle, my eyes scanning the darkened buildings as we passed by. Kee was beside me, his expression focused and unreadable. Elijah was in the vehicle behind us, leading the team that would hit the supply lines on the outskirts of the city. We were spread thin, but that was the point. We needed to hit them hard and fast, in multiple places at once, to keep them off balance.

"Mia, what's the status?" I asked into my comms, keeping my voice low.

"We're in position," Mia replied, her voice calm and steady. "All teams are ready. We're just waiting for your signal."

I took a deep breath, my mind racing through the plan one last time. The communication hub was heavily fortified, but if we could take it out, we would cut off The Dominion's ability to coordinate their operations across the city. It was a crucial target, and we couldn't afford to fail.

"On my mark," I said, my voice firm. "Three…two…one…go."

The convoy came to a sudden stop, and we poured out of the vehicles, moving swiftly and silently through the shadows. The communication hub loomed ahead of us, a squat, nondescript building that gave no indication of the vital role it played in The Dominion's operations. But we knew better.

Kee led the way, his movements smooth and precise as he signaled for our operatives to take their positions. I followed close behind, my senses on high alert for any sign of danger. The air was thick with anticipation, every shadow seeming to hide a potential threat.

"Mia, any activity?" I asked as we approached the entrance to the building.

"Nothing yet," Mia replied. "But stay sharp. This place is likely crawling with Dominion operatives."

Kee gave a quick series of hand signals, and our team moved into position, ready to breach the building. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, the adrenaline surging through my veins. This was it—the moment of truth.

"Breach," Kee ordered, his voice a low growl.

The door was blown open with a controlled explosion, and we moved in, weapons at the ready. The interior of the building was dark and silent, the only sound the soft hum of electronics. We moved quickly, sweeping through the corridors, clearing rooms as we went. But there was no sign of resistance.

"Something's not right," I muttered, my eyes scanning the darkness. "Where are they?"

Kee frowned, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the area. "They must have pulled back, or they're waiting for us deeper inside."

We moved deeper into the building, the tension ratcheting up with every step. The silence was oppressive, the darkness almost suffocating. It felt like we were walking into a trap, but we couldn't afford to back down now.

As we reached the central command room, the heart of the communication hub, the lights flickered on, blinding us for a moment. When my vision cleared, I saw them—Dominion operatives, heavily armed and ready for a fight. They had been waiting for us.

"Ambush!" Kee shouted, diving for cover as the room erupted into chaos.

Gunfire filled the air, the sharp crack of bullets echoing off the walls. I hit the ground, rolling behind a console as I fired back, my mind racing. This was no ordinary ambush—their positioning, their timing, it was all too perfect. The Architect had anticipated our move.

Kee and I exchanged a glance, the realization hitting us both at the same time. We had walked right into their trap.

But there was no time to dwell on that. We had to fight our way out, and we had to do it now.

"Mia, we're under heavy fire," I called into my comms, my voice steady despite the chaos. "We need backup."

"Reinforcements are en route," Mia replied, her voice tense. "Hold your position."

Easier said than done. The Dominion operatives were well-trained, their movements coordinated and precise. But we weren't amateurs either. Kee and I moved in sync, taking down targets with lethal efficiency as we fought to regain control of the situation.

The battle was fierce, the air thick with smoke and the acrid smell of gunpowder. Every inch of ground was contested, every move calculated. But slowly, we began to turn the tide. Our operatives pressed the attack, pushing The Dominion back, inch by inch.

But even as we gained ground, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. This ambush was too well-executed, too precise. The Architect had planned this, but why? What was the endgame?

As the last of the Dominion operatives fell, I scanned the room, my mind racing. There had to be more to this. The Architect wouldn't have gone to all this trouble just to ambush us.

"Kee, check the systems," I ordered, moving to the central console. "There has to be something here we're missing."

Kee nodded, moving quickly to access the system. His fingers flew over the keyboard, the screen flickering to life as he bypassed the security protocols. But what we found made my blood run cold.

"They've already initiated the shutdown sequence," Kee said, his voice grim. "The entire communication network is about to go offline."

I stared at the screen, the countdown ticking down with relentless precision. The Architect had anticipated our attack, and they had planned for it. This wasn't about stopping us—it was about forcing our hand.

"We need to stop this," I said, my voice tight. "If the network goes down, we lose any chance of tracking their movements."

Kee worked quickly, his expression focused as he tried to override the system. But it was clear from the look on his face that he wasn't having much luck.

"They've locked us out," Kee said, frustration evident in his voice. "We need more time."

But time was the one thing we didn't have. The countdown was nearing zero, and once it hit, the entire communication network would be offline. We would be blind, unable to track The Dominion's movements or coordinate our own.

"Get out of the way," I said, my voice hard as I stepped up to the console. Kee moved aside, watching as I accessed a different set of controls.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Buying us some time," I replied, my fingers flying over the keys as I initiated a manual override. The system fought me every step of the way, but I pushed through, forcing it to comply.

The countdown slowed, the numbers ticking down at a more manageable pace. It wasn't a permanent solution, but it would give us enough time to get out and regroup.

"Kee, we need to move," I said, turning to him. "We're not going to be able to stop this, but we can at least slow it down. Let's get our people out of here."

Kee nodded, already moving to rally our operatives. "We'll fall back to the extraction point. But James…we need to figure out what The Architect is really planning. This doesn't feel right."

I knew he was right. The Architect had played us, but this was just the beginning. There was more to this than we realized, and we were going to have to figure it out before it was too late.

As we moved to exit the building, the weight of the situation pressed down on me. We had scored a victory tonight, but it was a hollow one. The Architect was still out there, and they were still pulling the strings. But we weren't done yet.

This was just the first strike. The real battle was yet to come.