Chapter 2 - The Ambush
Screams erupted across the polished floor as the ceremonial hall plunged into absolute chaos.
Thick white smoke grenades bounced across the marble tiles, blinding the terrified guests.
Luke immediately dropped to a tactical crouch, shouting orders to his fellow unarmed SEALs.
He was trained for war, but he was completely unprepared for an ambush on domestic soil.
Claire didn't panic or scream.
Her heart rate barely elevated as she slipped the micro-drive into her hidden blazer pocket.
She moved fluidly through the smoke, her eyes tracking the red laser sights cutting through the haze.
Three men in heavy tactical gear breached the shattered windows, sweeping the room with suppressed rifles.
They weren't shooting wildly into the screaming crowd.
They were executing a precision search pattern, looking for a specific, high-value target.
Claire slid behind a fallen catering table, drawing the ceramic pistol she had secretly smuggled past naval security.
She calculated the angles, waiting for the optimal moment to strike from the shadows.
One of the mercenaries locked his rifle onto Luke’s chest, his finger tightening on the trigger.
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Claire fired a single, silent shot directly into the mercenary’s visor.
The man dropped instantly, but the remaining two immediately turned their weapons toward her hiding spot.
