I ease the bike to a stop near the far end of the lot, shadowed from the front entrance. Kill the engine. Silence hits hard.
Carly loosens her grip slowly.
I swing my leg off and turn to her.
“Helmet,” I say.
She pulls it off. Her hair spills free, wind-tangled.
Her face is pale but steady.
“You stay here,” I tell her. “By the bikes. You see anything shift, you get behind the concrete barrier.”
She nods.
“You don’t come inside.”
“I won’t.”
I step closer, lowering my voice. “You don’t move unless I’m walking back toward you.”
Her hand slides into mine, just for a second.
“I won’t,” she repeats.
I squeeze once and let go.
Viper moves first, Saint at his shoulder. Ghost circles wide toward the back.
Blade secures the lot, eyes sweeping the vehicles, then falls in behind us.
Door’s metal. Cheap lock.
Viper glances at me.
I nod.
Saint produces a pry bar and wedges it between the door and frame. One sharp twist.
Metal groans.
Second twist.
The lock gives.
Viper pushes the door open slow.
Dim hallway inside. Fluorescent hum. Smell of oil and something sour beneath it.
Ghost’s voice comes low through the comm in my ear. “Back clear.”
We move.
Boots quiet on concrete.
Voices drift from deeper inside. Male. Laughing. Unaware.
We split.
