Chapter 8 - The Underworld
The blast threw Maya against the stone wall, knocking the breath from her lungs.
Dust and smoke filled the corridor, blinding her completely.
Her ears rang with a high-pitched whine as she struggled to her hands and knees.
"Elias!" she coughed, waving the thick gray smoke away from her face.
Elias was pinned beneath a massive piece of shattered ceiling timber, bleeding heavily from his head.
"Go," Elias groaned, trying to push the heavy wood off his chest.
"They breached the tunnels, they are heading for the bedrooms."
Maya didn't hesitate.
She scrambled to her feet and sprinted up the stairs toward the second floor.
Her legs burned, but the terrifying image of mercenaries reaching Leo pushed her beyond human limits.
She reached the bedroom door just as two men in tactical gear kicked it open.
Maya pulled the small pistol from her waistband and fired three rapid shots.
The training Gideon had forced her to endure years ago finally paid off.
Both men dropped to the floor, groaning in pain.
Maya rushed into the room and found Leo hiding under the bed, clutching his knees in silent terror.
"Mommy's here, baby, Mommy's here," she promised, dragging him out and picking him up.
She ran toward the back staircase, hoping to find a secondary exit to the roof.
As she reached the landing, a massive figure stepped out of the shadows, blocking her path.
It was Victor Crowe's younger brother, Damian, holding a heavy shotgun.
"Well, if it isn't the dead veterinarian," Damian sneered, racking the shotgun with a terrifying clack.
"Hand over the kid, and I'll make your death quick."
Maya backed away, shielding Leo behind her body, knowing her small pistol was out of ammo.
"You will have to kill me first," she promised fiercely.
"That was always the plan," Damian laughed, raising the weapon.
May you like
Suddenly, the glass skylight above them shattered into a million pieces.
Gideon dropped from the roof like a falling nightmare, landing directly on top of Damian.
