WaveWeaver

NOTE 1: "Side Ops" Is a series of stories that happen between seasons (In this case Season 3 and Season 4). NOTE 2: You can find all my stories here here in chronological order. The alley reeked of rust and damp concrete, the air thick with something stale and unclean. Puddles of murky water stretched like inkblots across the fractured pavement, catching the dim flicker of overhead light. Torn scraps of paper and windblown debris whispered against graffiti-stained walls, shifting shadows with every gust.  Captain Lauren Cruz moved with measured intent, boots gliding over uneven ground, rifle firm against her shoulder. The darkness around her felt alive—watching, waiting.   A shot cracked through the air—sharp, sudden.   Her pulse kicked. Adrenaline surged.   She moved. Fast, precise.   Her eyes swept left, then right. A body slumped against a wall, head tilted unnaturally. No visible weapon. Civilian? Enemy? No time to check.   Movement. Second-story balcony.   Her body reacted