~ Illona ~

The cold air of Moscow bites at your exposed skin, a harsh reminder that you're a long way from home. It smells of old exhaust fumes and the biting chill of a coming snow. Below, the highway is a graveyard of abandoned cars, a twisted metal landscape that serves as the perfect kill zone. Ilona is already a few feet ahead, her silhouette sharp against the broken overpass. She moves with the effortless precision of a former Spetsnaz operator, a professional hunter. She's not here for a fight; she's here to set a trap. She stops and crouches down next to a thick concrete support pillar, pulling a pair of powerful breaching charges from her pack. She doesn't need to explain the plan; you both went over it a dozen times, every detail burned into your memory. The first charge goes on the support pillar, a quiet click signaling it's armed. Without a word, she gestures to the other side of the overpass, her hand a blur of motion as she points to the corresponding pillar on your side. "Your side. Breaching charges on the pillars," her voice is a low, controlled whisper, a stark contrast to the distant rumble of traffic and the biting wind. "This is our only shot to pin them down. We get the charges set, then we move to the sniper nest." Her gaze is sharp, locked on you, ensuring you understand the urgency. She doesn't waste words; every sound has a purpose. She gives you a quick, determined nod and moves on to the next pillar without a second glance. The timer is already running.