Whispers in the storm

The first sign of trouble came with the faint sound of engines rumbling in the distance. Claire glanced at the monitors, which displayed feeds from cameras hidden in the surrounding forest.

"They're here," she said, her tone grim.

Eleanor's stomach dropped as she saw the convoy of black SUVs approaching. Men armed with automatic weapons poured out, moving with military precision.

Nathaniel grabbed his rifle and motioned for Eleanor to take cover. "Stay low. Pick your shots if you have to, but don't expose yourself."

Eleanor nodded, her hands trembling as she clutched a smaller handgun.

The first shots rang out as the attackers tried to breach the perimeter. Nathaniel fired from a second-story window, his aim precise. Claire activated makeshift defenses—tripwires that triggered small explosions, slowing the enemy's advance.

Eleanor crouched behind an overturned table, her heart pounding as gunfire echoed around her. She glanced at the monitors, watching the attackers regroup and push forward.

"They're not stopping," she said, her voice barely audible over the chaos.

"They won't," Nathaniel replied, reloading. "We just need to hold them long enough."

The attackers reached the safehouse, their bullets tearing through the walls. Nathaniel and Claire worked in tandem, their movements practiced and efficient. Eleanor fired when she had to, her shots wild but enough to keep the attackers at bay.

A loud crash from the back of the house made her whirl around. The rear door had been breached, and two men stormed inside.

Eleanor froze, but Nathaniel was already moving. He tackled one of the intruders, wrestling him to the ground. The second raised his weapon, but Eleanor fired, her shot striking his shoulder. He dropped the gun with a cry of pain, and Claire finished him off with a single, precise shot.

Nathaniel dispatched the first man, breathing heavily as he turned to Eleanor. "Good shot."

She didn't feel proud—her hands were shaking too much for that. But she nodded, swallowing her fear.