The explosion at the compound wall had barely faded when the gunfire started.
Automatic rifles roared in the night as dozens of militants poured through the shattered gate. Headlights from the trucks outside cut through the dust like blades, illuminating the courtyard in harsh white beams.
Tony Fox leaned against the doorframe of the server room, his HK416 raised.
His mind was already calculating angles, exits, and survival probabilities.
The answer was not good.
"Contact front!" Atlas shouted from the hallway window.
The massive machine gunner dropped to one knee and braced his M249 SAW on the concrete window ledge.
A second later the weapon erupted.
BRAAAAAAAP.
The light machine gun spat a storm of 5.56 rounds into the courtyard. The recoil rattled the broken wall as Atlas swept the weapon from left to right, forcing the militants diving for cover behind sandbags and trucks.
Bodies hit the ground instantly.
Atlas laughed grimly.
"Come on then!"
Gunfire returned immediately.
Bullets smashed into the walls of the building, tearing chunks of concrete from the stairwell and hallway.
Tony leaned out and fired three controlled bursts from the HK416.
A militant sprinting toward the entrance dropped mid-stride.
"Saint, stay behind cover," Tony ordered.
The medic had already opened his trauma kit beside the wall, preparing for the inevitable.
"Already ahead of you," Saint replied calmly.
Inside the server room, Cipher shoved the data drive into a hardened case and slung his M4A1 carbine across his chest.
"Data secured!"
Tony nodded.
"Good. Now we get the hell out."
But before anyone could move, Viper's voice came over the comms again.
And this time, it carried a rare edge of urgency.
"Raven… we have a bigger problem."
Tony ducked behind the wall as a burst of gunfire tore through the doorway.
"What now?"
Viper answered quietly.
"More vehicles arriving."
Tony cursed under his breath.
"How many?"
"Four more trucks… and one technical with a heavy machine gun."
Atlas heard that and grinned darkly.
"Well that explains the party."
Outside the compound gate, the new vehicle screeched to a halt.
A militant jumped onto the mounted 12.7mm heavy machine gun and swung it toward the building.
"Raven!" Viper warned.
The heavy weapon opened fire.
THUD THUD THUD THUD.
The massive rounds slammed into the building's outer wall like sledgehammers. Windows exploded inward as chunks of concrete ripped from the structure.
Dust filled the hallway instantly.
Atlas pulled back from the window.
"Yeah… that's not ideal."
Tony's mind raced again.
Staying inside the building would turn them into targets.
"We need to move," he said.
Ghost nodded immediately.
"Back stairwell leads to the garage exit."
Tony turned toward the team.
"Alright listen up."
Gunfire thundered outside as Atlas continued returning bursts through the window.
"This mission is blown. We break through the east gate, steal a vehicle, and disappear before reinforcements arrive."
Ghost gave a sharp nod.
"I'll clear the path."
He pulled two frag grenades from his vest.
Atlas grinned.
"Now we're talking."
Tony looked toward the stairwell.
"Viper, cover the east side."
"Already moving," the sniper replied.
The team began shifting toward the rear of the building.
But just as they reached the stairwell—
A new sound echoed outside.
A rocket launcher firing.
Viper's voice exploded through the comms.
"RPG!"
A split second later—
BOOOOM.
The rocket slammed into the second floor of the building.
The explosion ripped through the corridor like a bomb going off inside a metal drum. Fire and debris blasted through the hallway, throwing Ghost and Cipher to the ground.
Tony felt the shockwave slam into his chest.
Dust and smoke filled the air instantly.
For a moment the entire world rang with deafening silence.
Then Atlas coughed.
"Everyone alive?"
Tony forced himself to his feet.
"Report."
Ghost pushed himself up from the rubble.
"Still breathing."
Cipher groaned but nodded.
"Laptop survived."
Saint was already checking everyone quickly.
"No major injuries."
Tony grabbed his rifle again.
The situation had just escalated.
Militants were now pouring into the compound from every direction.
Through the shattered windows Tony could see at least thirty armed fighters spreading across the courtyard.
And they were preparing another rocket launcher.
Tony exhaled slowly.
His instincts were screaming now.
This wasn't just an ambush.
This was a planned execution.
Someone had known exactly where Raven Team would be tonight.
"Cipher," Tony said quietly.
"Yeah?"
"Who gave us this contract?"
Cipher frowned slightly.
"Same broker as always."
Tony's expression hardened.
"Then someone paid a lot of money to make sure we never leave this building."
Atlas spat onto the floor.
"Figures."
Outside, militants began moving toward the stairwell entrance.
Tony checked his magazine.
Thirty rounds.
He slammed another spare mag into his vest.
Then he looked at his team.
Six soldiers.
Surrounded by an army.
"Alright," he said calmly.
"We're done playing defense."
Ghost lifted his MP7.
"What's the plan?"
Tony's voice was cold.
"We break their line."
Atlas laughed.
"Finally."
Tony raised his rifle and pointed toward the stairwell exit.
"On my signal."
The gunfire outside grew louder.
Militants were closing in.
Tony counted silently.
Three…
Two…
One.
"Move!"
Ghost kicked open the stairwell door and hurled a frag grenade into the courtyard.
The explosion tore through a group of militants rushing the entrance.
Atlas immediately followed, unleashing the M249 SAW in a deafening barrage.
The breakout had begun.
And Raven Team was about to fight their way through hell.