The boarding house was a dilapidated three-story building on the edge of the Outer District, its windows broken, its walls covered in graffiti. Kalen, Rico, and Zoe arrived at dusk, their weapons hidden beneath their jackets. Masoud had stayed behind to guard the clinic and the meds, but he'd given them a radio to stay in contact.
"This is it," Rico whispered, pointing to the building. "Lena's in room 203. But Victor's men are watching the entrance. Two guards, both armed with rifles."
Kalen nodded, scanning the area. He saw the guards standing in the doorway, their eyes scanning the street. They were Blackstone officers, wearing tactical gear, their faces serious.
"We need to distract them," Zoe said. "I'll go around back and climb up to the second floor. I'll get Lena and bring her down. You two keep the guards occupied."
Kalen shook his head. "Too dangerous. If they see you, you'll be dead before you reach the window. We need a better plan."
He thought for a moment, then smiled. "I have an idea. Rico, you go to the alleyway next to the building and start a fight. Yell, scream, make as much noise as possible. The guards will go to investigate. Zoe and I will slip inside and get Lena."
Rico grinned. "I'm good at starting fights."
He walked toward the alleyway, and a moment later, they heard him yell. "Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing? That's my water!"
The guards exchanged a glance, then walked toward the alleyway, their rifles at the ready. "Shut up, scavenger!" one of them yelled.
Kalen and Zoe slipped into the boarding house, moving quickly. The lobby was dark and dirty, with a reception desk covered in dust and a couch with springs sticking out. They climbed the stairs, their boots creaking softly.
Room 203 was at the end of the hallway. Kalen knocked softly, then whispered. "Lena? It's Rico's friend. We're here to help."
The door opened, and Lena stood there, her eyes wide with fear. She was in her mid-twenties, with blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and blue eyes that were sharp and intelligent. She was holding a camera in her hand, and a laptop sat open on the bed behind her.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Kalen Voss. This is Zoe Washington. We're working with Rico to take down Victor Kim. He told us you have evidence of Victor's corruption."
Lena's eyes narrowed. "How do I know I can trust you?"
Kalen pulled out the fake pill bottle he'd stolen from Warehouse 37. "We raided Victor's warehouse tonight. We got real antibiotics for Miguel. We're not working for Blackstone. We're working to expose Victor's fake meds operation."
Lena looked at the pill bottle, then at Zoe. "Miguel's okay?"
Zoe nodded. "The meds are working. He's stable."
Lena sighed, stepping aside. "Come in. Quick. Victor's men have been following me for days. I've got footage of them selling fake meds, of Victor meeting with Allen Cole, of the UG covering it up. But I can't get it out of the Safe Zone. The UG has blocked all outgoing communications."
She sat down at the laptop and pulled up a video. It showed Victor and Allen Cole sitting in a conference room, signing papers. "The fake meds are selling better than we expected," Victor said, smiling. "We'll expand to the Inner District next month. The rich folks will pay a fortune for 'UG-certified' antibiotics."
Allen Cole laughed. "And the scavengers? Let them die. They're nothing but a drain on resources."
Kalen's blood boiled. He'd known the UG was corrupt, but hearing Allen Cole say it out loud—hearing him dismiss the lives of thousands of people—filled him with rage.
"We need to get this footage to the outside world," Zoe said. "If we can show it to other Safe Zones, to journalists, to anyone who cares, we can put an end to Victor's operation."
Lena nodded. "I have a friend in the New York Safe Zone. She's a journalist. If we can get the footage to her, she can broadcast it globally. But we need to get to the underground network hub. It's in the basement of the scrapyard. That's the only way to send messages outside the Safe Zone."
Kalen nodded. "Let's go. We don't have much time. The guards will be back soon."
They grabbed Lena's laptop and camera, then headed for the stairs. As they reached the lobby, they heard the sound of voices—the guards were back.
"Hide!" Kalen whispered.
They ducked behind the reception desk, their hearts pounding. The guards walked into the lobby, their rifles at the ready.
"Did you find the scavenger?" one of them asked.
"No. He ran off. But we should check the rooms. Victor wants that journalist alive. He needs the footage back."
Kalen's mind raced. They were trapped. If the guards found them, they'd be dead.
Zoe pulled out a syringe filled with anesthesia—something she always carried in her medical bag. "I can take them down. But I need a distraction."
Kalen nodded. He picked up a metal chair and threw it across the room. It crashed into the wall, making a loud noise.
"What was that?" one guard yelled.
They rushed toward the noise, and Zoe slipped behind them, injecting each guard with anesthesia. They fell to the ground, unconscious, within seconds.
"Let's go!" Kalen said.
They ran out of the boarding house and into the street. Rico was waiting for them, leaning against the truck. "Did you get her?"
Kalen nodded. "We have the footage. We need to get to the underground network hub."
Rico grinned. "Lead the way."
They climbed into the truck and drove toward the scrapyard. The streets were quiet, but Kalen knew they were running out of time. Victor would soon realize the guards were missing. He'd send more men to find them.
As they approached the scrapyard, they saw Blackstone vehicles parked outside. Victor's men had found them.
"Shit," Rico said. "We're too late."
Kalen shook his head. "No. We're right on time."
He pulled the truck to a stop, then turned to the others. "Zoe, you and Lena take the laptop and the camera. Go through the back entrance of the scrapyard. Find the network hub. Send the footage to Lena's friend. Rico and I will hold them off."
Zoe nodded. "Be careful."
She and Lena climbed out of the truck and ran toward the scrapyard. Kalen and Rico grabbed their weapons and followed, taking cover behind a pile of rusted car parts.
Blackstone guards were swarming the scrapyard, their guns firing. Kalen and Rico returned fire, taking down two guards.
"Over there!" Rico yelled, pointing to a group of guards approaching from the left.
They ran toward them, Kalen swinging his machete, Rico firing his shotgun. The battle was fierce, but Kalen and Rico fought with the fury of men who had nothing to lose.
Kalen was hit in the leg by a bullet, but he didn't stop. He thought of his mother, of her dream of healing the world. He thought of Lena, of the footage that could expose Victor's corruption. He thought of all the people who needed them to win.
Finally, they heard Lena's voice over the radio. "We did it! The footage is sent! It's broadcasting globally!"
Kalen smiled. They'd won.
But as he turned to celebrate, he saw a Blackstone guard pointing a rifle at Lena. "No!"
He rushed toward her, pushing her out of the way. The bullet hit him in the chest, and he fell to the ground, his vision blurring.
"Kalen!" Zoe yelled, rushing to his side.
She knelt down, pressing her hands to his wound. Blood soaked through his jacket, warm and sticky.
"I'm okay," Kalen whispered. "The footage is out. Victor's finished."
He closed his eyes, and for a moment, he saw his mother's face. She was smiling, proud of him.
Then, everything went dark.