The cold salt air bit into Shin's face as the SUVs rolled to a stop just shy of the eastern harbor.
Beyond the chain-link fence, massive cargo cranes loomed like skeletal giants against the dark early morning sky. The dark water lapped against the dock pilings, reflecting the sparse lights from the cargo ship moored ahead.
Dock 17.
Shin could feel the tension thrumming in his veins.
Not in fear, but an anticipation sharpened by purpose.
Riku stepped out beside him, checking his rifle. "No speeches. Let's just do this."
Akane, crouched beside a stack of shipping containers, peered through her scope. "Multiple guards on the dock. Armed, patrolling in pairs. They know someone might come for him."
Director Sayuri's voice crackled in Shin's earpiece. "Satellite confirms your target is on board. You're clear to proceed. Fast and hard."
The team moved in fast. A bolt cutter made quick work of the fence, and they slipped through like shadows. They entered as they had envisioned.
Shin led the front, Riku covering his flank, while Akane and the UW operatives fanned out to cover the perimeter. The first two Izanami guards never saw them coming. Shin's silenced sidearm dropped one, Riku's precise burst took down the other.
They advanced up the gangway to the cargo ship. The metal clanged softly under their boots. Halfway up, a guard turned the corner, flashlight cutting through the dark.
Shin lunged before the woman could shout, slamming his shoulder into her chest and knocking her against the railing. A sharp elbow to the temple dropped her cold.
The deck erupted into chaos the second the alarm went off. Floodlights blazed to life, and gunfire shattered the night.
"Move!" Riku shouted, diving for cover behind a cargo crate as bullets tore through the air.
Shin slid into position beside him, returning fire. "They're trying to box us in. Push left!"
Akane's voice came over comms. "Sniper team is covering your advance. Go now!"
Shin and Riku sprinted across open deck, ducking behind stacked containers. Two more Izanami soldiers charged their position, but Riku dropped them both with precise headshots.
They breached the interior: dimly lit corridors smelling of oil and saltwater. The sound of footsteps echoed ahead.
Shin kicked open a door and found a guard mid-reload. He yanked him forward, slammed him into the bulkhead, and drove a knee into his stomach. The man collapsed.
Down the hall, a heavy steel door blocked their path. Akane's voice came over the comm: "That's where they're keeping him. I'll patch the lock remotely… give me thirty seconds."
"Thirty's too long," Shin growled. He holstered his pistol, stepped back, and kicked the lock hard. The frame splintered, and the door swung open.
Inside, under a single overhead light, sat Code Number 8. His hands were bound, but his eyes were alert. He looked younger than Shin expected: lean, watchful, his expression unreadable.
"Who—?"
"No time," Shin cut him off, slicing his restraints. "We're getting you out."
But the moment Code Number 8 stood, heavy footsteps pounded outside. The door blew inward from a grenade blast, shrapnel sparking against the walls. Izanami reinforcements poured in.
Shin shoved 8 behind cover. "Stay low!"
Riku's rifle barked, cutting down two attackers. Shin drew both pistols, firing in rapid bursts. The corridor became a killing ground. The smell of gunpowder thick in the air.
"Move, now!" Akane's voice snapped over comms.
They bolted back toward the deck, Shin gripping 8's arm to keep him moving. Riku covered the rear, laying down suppressing fire.
On deck, the UW extraction team was already in place, engines roaring. Smoke grenades billowed across the dock, blinding the last line of Izanami shooters.
Shin and 8 dove into the SUV, Riku sliding in right after. Bullets pinged off the armored plating as the convoy tore away from Dock 17.
Inside the vehicle, Shin looked over at Code Number 8.
"You're safe now," Shin said.
8's eyes met his, steady but wary. "Safe? No. You've just stepped into a bigger fight than you realize."
Shin didn't look away. "Then we'll fight it together."
Outside, the harbor faded into darkness.
Shin knew Izanami wouldn't forget this night. The war had just escalated.