Ethan took a deep breath, his face hardening with resolve. "We can't destroy it. But we can use it against Lucas. We can turn it into the weapon it was always meant to be, and we can use it to bring down the Syndicate—once and for all."
Mia's stomach churned. The plan sounded dangerous. Reckless, even. But she knew one thing for sure: Ethan was right. If they didn't take control of the box, they were dead.
"I'm with you," Mia said, her voice steady despite the fear that clung to her like a second skin. "Whatever it takes."
Ethan nodded, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips. "Good. Let's make sure Lucas doesn't get the upper hand. This ends tonight."
The sound of sirens began to wail in the distance. They didn't have much time.
With the black box in hand, they made their way out of the building, ready to confront the man who had haunted Ethan's past—and to face the truth about the Syndicate once and for all.
The battle for the Syndicate was about to begin—and Mia and Ethan were ready to take control. The clock was ticking, and they couldn't afford to waste any more time.
But they weren't just fighting for survival anymore. They were fighting for everything they had left.
The city stretched out before them like a battlefield—a dark, sprawling expanse of shadows and light. Mia and Ethan had left the safety of the storage room, slipping back into the pulse of the city, now filled with an urgency that both weighed heavy on their hearts and fueled their every move. The black box was now in their possession, but it didn't feel like a victory. It felt like a countdown. A countdown to an inevitable confrontation.
The plan had been set. They would go after Lucas and take control of the Syndicate's power. But it wasn't going to be easy. Ethan knew Lucas better than anyone. He knew his mind, his tactics, and most importantly, his cruelty. Lucas wouldn't go down without a fight. And Ethan had a sinking feeling that this final confrontation wouldn't just be about the box—it would be about everything he'd left behind when he walked away from the Syndicate.
Mia, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, could feel the tension crackling between them. They had survived so much already, but the storm was just beginning. The truth about the black box had only opened more questions, more danger. And Lucas was the key to it all.
"How do we get to him?" Mia asked, breaking the silence. Her voice was steady but thick with worry.
Ethan glanced at her, his expression unreadable, but she could see the conflict in his eyes. "We don't just walk into his territory," he said, his voice low, almost detached.
"Lucas doesn't play by the rules. He'll be expecting us."
Mia's heart skipped. "Then how do we beat him?"
Ethan's jaw tightened. "We don't beat him head-on. We outsmart him. He thinks he's the one pulling the strings, but we've got a few tricks left. We've got the box, Mia. And we've got something he'll never expect."