Operation: Threads of Connection

Getting Her

I nodded, my palms sweating as I prepared to move. The turrets were still firing, their aim focused on our hiding spot. Taking a deep breath, I darted out from behind the crates, keeping as low as I could.

Immediately, the turrets swiveled toward me, their barrels glowing ominously. I zigzagged across the room, adrenaline pumping through my veins as bullets whizzed past me. The sound was deafening, but I forced myself to keep moving, my eyes locked on the control panel.

"Now, Yuri!" I shouted, glancing back just in time to see him sprinting toward the panel. The turrets hesitated for a split second, recalibrating their aim, and Yuri used the moment to reach the console.

He ducked behind it, his fingers flying over the controls as he worked to disable the system. "Keep them busy a little longer!" he yelled.

I didn't respond, too focused on staying alive. I dove behind another stack of crates, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. The turrets were relentless, their firepower tearing through my cover like it was paper. I needed to keep moving, but my legs felt like lead.

"Damian, hold on!" Yuri's voice cut through the chaos. "Almost there!"

Summoning the last of my strength, I bolted from my cover, weaving between the crates as the turrets tracked my every move. A sudden click and whir filled the air, and the gunfire stopped.

I stumbled to a halt, my chest heaving. The turrets powered down, their barrels falling limp as silence settled over the room.

Yuri emerged from behind the console, his face pale but determined. "You're insane, kid," he muttered, walking over to me. "But you did it."

As Yuri and I made our way through the now-silent loading bay, the tension between us shifted slightly. Yuri's steps were still brisk, his focus razor-sharp, but there was an unspoken understanding that hadn't been there before.

"You guys okay? That turret system looked nasty."

"We're fine," Yuri replied. "What's next?"

"Reed's sending reinforcements to the central control room. You don't have much time. Loid's holding them off near the southwest wing, but he can't do it forever," Franky explained.

Yuri glanced at me, his expression hardening. "We need to move. Stay close."

I nodded, gripping the small, borrowed knife he'd handed me earlier. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. We navigated through a labyrinth of hallways, the dim lighting and echoes making it feel like the walls were closing in. My heart pounded with every step, the weight of what we were doing pressing heavily on my chest. Reed wasn't just dangerous—he was a monster. And he had Yor.

"Yuri," I said quietly, breaking the silence. "We're going to get her back. We have to."

He glanced at me, his usual sharp edge softening. "We will," he said firmly. "No matter what it takes."

We turned a corner and found ourselves at a wide, open area with a high ceiling. Crates and machinery were scattered around, and on the far side of the room stood a group of Reed's men. They hadn't seen us yet, but it was only a matter of time.

"How do you want to play this?" I whispered.

Yuri scanned the room, his mind clearly racing. "We split up," he said. "I'll draw their attention. You circle around and find a way to disable that security console. If we can take it out, it'll cut off their communication with Reed."

"Got it," I said, even though my stomach was doing flips.

Before I could second-guess myself, Yuri darted out, drawing the guards' attention with a sharp whistle. "Hey! Over here!" he yelled, disappearing behind a stack of crates as bullets started flying.

I took a deep breath and crept along the edge of the room, using the chaos to my advantage. The security console was on a raised platform, guarded by a single man who was focused on the commotion Yuri was causing.

I climbed the platform as quietly as I could, my heart hammering in my ears. The guard turned at the last second, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Hey—" he started, but I didn't let him finish. I lunged, the knife in my hand catching the light as I struck. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't clean, but it worked. The guard went down with a grunt, and I stood there, trembling but victorious.

The console blinked in front of me, a mess of buttons and wires. "Franky," I whispered into the earpiece, "I'm at the console. What do I do?"

"Look for a red panel on the side," Franky instructed. "Pop it open and cut the green wire."

My hands shook as I followed his instructions, but I managed to pull it off. The console powered down with a soft whine, and the chaos in the room seemed to lessen.

"I got it!" I said, relief flooding my voice.

"Good work, kid," Yuri's voice came through, strained but alive. "Now get out of there.". As I was about to climb off the platform, a sharp, mocking laugh echoed through the room, chilling me to my core. I froze and looked up, my eyes locking onto a shadowy figure standing by the upper window. The dim light caught the glint of something metallic in his hand.

"Well, well, well," Reed's voice drawled, dripping with cruel amusement. "Looks like the little Desmond pup is playing hero. How touching."

My chest tightened as Reed stepped closer to the edge of the window. His face was partially obscured by shadows, but the malice in his tone was unmistakable. He gestured to someone behind him. My heart dropped when I saw her.

Anya.