Chapter 14 - The Final Threat
Pain flared like liquid fire through my chest as I leaned heavily against the wall, my left arm hanging completely limp. Blood soaked rapidly through my shirt, slicking the hardwood beneath me.
Heavy, deliberate footsteps crunched over the broken glass in the hallway.
The mercenary team leader stepped through the doorway—a towering, scarred man holding an unsuppressed heavy pistol.
"You put up a hell of a fight, soldier," he grunted, aiming the barrel directly at my head.
"But Ricardo’s money was paid upfront. Once I clear you, I'll blow that steel door off its hinges and collect the rest."
"You... picked the wrong... family," I gasped, my vision swimming in crimson haze.
"Family is just leverage," the leader sneered, turning his torso toward the steel closet door and raising a magnetic breaching device.
"Put it down," a cold, sharp voice commanded from the end of the hall.
May you like
The mercenary leader froze, turning his head in disbelief.
Standing in the doorway, holding my backup twelve-gauge shotgun leveled straight at his chest, was Elena. Her stance was rigid, her hands rock-steady, her eyes completely devoid of fear.
