The Barn - Moments Later
"Damn it, Who the hell is that guy by the way!" Dereck snarled, slamming his fist against the door. 
Patrick was already scanning the room for another exit. Sian, on the other hand was on the side of corner looking for something might useful
"Everyone, focus!" I barked, trying to keep my own fear at bay. 
"There's got to be another way out." There had to be something—anything—we could use to break free.
Patrick and Sian was already ahead of me, methodically checking each wall, each corner. His flashlight landed on a small, dusty window just big enough for a person to squeeze through.
"There!" Sian called out, pointing. "It's narrow, but it might be our only shot."
Freya was the first to react, moving quickly to stack a couple of crates beneath the window to create a ladder. The rest of us rushed to help, just as we finished it,  the distinct clatter of something metallic echoed through the barn—a clang that sent chills down my spine. My head snapped towards the source, and I saw it: a small, cylindrical object rolling towards us, leaving a thin trail of smoke.
"Grenade!" Dereck shouted, his voice raw with urgency.
In a split second, instinct took over. I lunged, grabbing Freya and Sian and dragging them behind the closest support beam. Patrick and Derek dived in the opposite direction, shielding themselves as best they could.
I couldn't hear anything but the ringing in my ears. When the dust settled, the barn was a wreck. The crates we'd stacked were shattered, the walls scorched and splintered. But the window was still there, still our only hope.
"Shit" Dereck cursed
Coughing through the smoke, I forced myself to my feet, pulling Freya up with me. 
"We've got to move—now! Sian? can you stand up? Dereck , Patrick" I shouted, my voice barely audible over the ringing in my ears.
"This got to be kidding me!" Dereck continously cursing
Derek walked towards the window, hoisting himself up despite the blood trickling down the side of his face. Patrick followed, helping to pull Freya up after him. 
The window was small—too small for comfort—but with a grunt, I pushed myself through, feeling the rough wood scrape against my arms and shoulders. 
Outside, the cold night air hit me like a slap, the dark, open field stretching out before us.
But we weren't safe yet.
"Go, go, go!" Patrick urged, waving us forward as we hit the ground. We took off, sprinting towards the cover of the nearest tree line.
As we ran, I could hear the distant roar of engines—vehicles speeding towards the barn
"Keep moving!" I yelled, pushing myself harder. We had to get out of here quick
We reached the tree line, diving into the shadows just as the first of the vehicles pulled up to the barn. I could hear the shouts of men, the slamming of doors, but we didn't stop. We couldn't.
------------------------------------------
Safe Base – An Hour Later
We were safe—at least for now.
"Everyone okay?" I asked, my voice rough from the run and the lingering smoke in my lungs.
Freya collapsed onto the couch, her breath coming in ragged gasps. 
"I'm good," she managed between gulps of air. 
Dereck was leaning against a metal support beam, his hand pressed against the side of his head where a thin line of blood had dried. "Been worse," he grunted and smirked
Patrick lied down to the floor trying to catch up his breath. 
Sian was already moving, checking the doors, securing the perimeter. 
I slumped down onto a wooden crate.  My mind was racing, replaying the events of the last few hours on a loop. Alteo's lifeless body, the trap, the explosion, Siren's cold betrayal—it all felt surreal.
Did she really want us dead?? Why ? Did we saw or heard something we shouldn't have? Like what nicky and dianne and even Duke does ? 
"What the hell just happened?" Freya asked, breaking the silence. 
" Why would he do this?"
"No idea," I replied,
"We should have seen it coming," Dereck muttered, his tone laced with bitterness. 
She played us. That's for sure!
"he wanted us out of the picture, plain and simple. But why now? Why go to all this trouble to take us out?" Patrick exclaimed still lying on the dirt floor
What i do know is that Alteo wasn't their goal in the first place, because if he were, she wouldn't do this. 
"The box" I whispered but loud enough for the team to hear it
"What about it?" Dereck asked directly
" i didn't pay attention to it when we at the abandoned place where the transaction was but there was another box which Alteo was carrying " I said 
We would get to the bottom of this.
No matter the cost.---------