Tyrone's Pov II
The sound of the lock snapping reverberated through the safe house just moments after Tyrone had settled into the chair, still catching his breath. Before he could react, the door burst open and Ryan stormed in with Maya right behind him, eyes scanning every shadow like a predator.
Tyrone's eyes narrowed immediately. "You weren't followed?" he asked, motioning toward the doorway with a glance over his shoulder.
Ryan ignored him, moving straight to the battered table where the folder rested. He yanked it toward him without a word.
Maya stepped up beside him, voice calm but sharp. "You were shot?" Her hands hovered over his back, inspecting the wound. "Let me take a look."
"There's nothing in here." Ryan said, holding up the folder as he scanned the papers quickly. "Just everything we already know... Brook was leading the mission, that's all this confirms."
Tyrone ran a hand through his hair, frustration etched across his face.
"Yeah, but how do we explain this? My source just got… bodied. And you got hit, too." He pointed toward Ryan's shoulder, narrowing his eyes. "This is way bigger than just a rogue captain."
Maya's fingers moved deftly, assembling a field kit she'd brought. She started inspecting Ryan's back wound, pressing lightly around the bruising.
"This needs care but it's minor, the bullet didn't hit anything vital. You're very lucky."
Ryan exhaled, tension still coiled tight in his shoulders. "Yeah… something's off. They wouldn't just go against you guys without a reason. But man, how did your source sloppy?"
Tyrone's face darkened. "That's the thing, Adrian was never sloppy. Never."
Maya shot him a look, her eyes sharp, almost amused. "The Adrian?"
Ryan arched an eyebrow. "Why are you acting like he's some legend?"
Maya shrugged, smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.
"In the underground, he is. Dude's got twenty-one charges. And he was never caught. He's a pain in the you know what for the agency."
Ryan's expression hardened. "And this guy… is an agent but he was associated with him."
Tyrone leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly, a dark grin flashing. "Man… we all got our ghosts."
Maya packed up her kit, her eyes scanning the room again for shadows. "You know, this whole thing, it's not just a random hit. Someone is moving this and it's moving hard."
Ryan flipped through the folder again, scanning names, dates, and orders. His jaw tightened as the pieces began to form a brutal outline in his mind.
"Yeah, a military operation that went sideways, orchestrated cover-ups and someone at the top is trying to bury Brook."
Tyrone nodded grimly. "Exactly, and now Adrian's dead. We dig deeper, then we end up like him."
Ryan slammed his hand on the table, eyes blazing. "I don't care what it takes. I won't rest until I clear Brooklyn's name."
Maya crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. "You understand what you're saying, right? We're talking about going to war with parts of the military or someone as high up as they come. This isn't just a simple investigation anymore."
Tyrone's voice lowered, measured but serious. "It's bigger than us, man. Sky Sintel… it's just the surface. And whoever pulled this? They've got power, reach and means. You push too hard and you're dead before the truth even gets out."
Ryan's eyes didn't waver. He scanned the room once more, the weight of the danger heavy in the air, but the fire inside him burned brighter.
"Brook's out there being accused for something she didn't do. That's enough to go all in."
Tyrone leaned back, exhaling slowly. "You're saying you'll go full throttle on this?"
Ryan's gaze met Tyrone's, unwavering, steel-hard. "Full throttle. No half measures."
Maya's smirk returned, softer this time, almost approving. "You're serious?"
Ryan's voice dropped, quiet but lethal, carrying the weight of determination. "I'm ready for everything they'll throwing at us."
Tyrone looked at him, a mixture of awe and concern flashing across his face. "Man… alright. Let's get to it then."
The three of them exchanged a silent, sharp glance. No words were needed, they all knew the stakes. One wrong move, one misstep and the consequences would be fatal. But right now, it didn't matter, they had a purpose.