Chapter 8 - Blood and Thunder
A sudden flash of muzzle fire illuminated the dark.
THWIP! THWIP!
Paul’s partner collapsed onto the floor before he could even raise his rifle, two holes drilled cleanly through his chest.
Paul screamed in terror, firing his weapon blindly toward the kitchen counter. Bullets shattered plates, glass jars, and coffee pots, filling the air with flying debris.
When Paul’s magazine clicked empty, he gasped, frantically trying to reload with shaking hands.
Out of the blackness, a silhouette emerged like a shadow given physical form.
Adrian stepped forward, grabbed Paul by the throat, and slammed him face-first into the stainless-steel prep table. The heavy metal table groaned under the impact. Paul dropped his gun, groaning in agony as Adrian twisted his arm behind his back with an agonizing SNAP.
“Where is Dominic?” Adrian growled into Paul’s ear.
“At… at the warehouse!” Paul choked out, sobbing in pain. “He left us here to kill the girl once he got the codes!”
Adrian didn't waste another word. He slammed Paul’s head against the steel table one last time, knocking him completely unconscious.
Moving quickly, Adrian pulled a tactical blade from his belt and sliced through the zip-ties binding Sophia and Emma.
The moment she was free, Sophia threw her arms around Emma, sobbing hysterically as she pulled her daughter tight against her chest. Emma buried her face in her mother’s neck, shaking like a leaf.
Adrian knelt beside them, checking both of them for injuries.
“Are you hurt? Either of you?” Adrian asked urgently.
Sophia shook her head, tears pouring down her face. “We’re okay… Adrian, the explosion… what happened?”
“Lucas blew the gas line at Pier 42 to draw Dominic’s heavy guards away from the warehouse,” Adrian explained quickly, handing Sophia a loaded 9mm pistol from his coat. “Can you use this?”
Sophia looked at the heavy black weapon, then at her daughter. Her timid waitress demeanor completely vanished, replaced by the fierce, protective instinct of a mother.
She took the gun, her grip firm and steady. “Show me where the safety is.”
Adrian showed her, a rare look of profound respect crossing his face.
“Lucas is waiting two blocks away in an unmarked van,” Adrian said. “Take Emma and run to him. He’ll take you out of the city.”
“What about you?” Sophia asked, grabbing his sleeve.
May you like
Adrian looked toward the glowing fires rising over the Red Hook horizon.
“Dominic thought he could use my heart to kill me,” Adrian said softly, looking at Emma one last time. “Now I’m going to use his greed to burn his world to the ground.”
