Chapter 9 - The Final Stand
Time seemed to slow to an agonizing crawl as I stared at the lethal red dot on Grace's chest.
I threw myself directly in front of her just as a loud gunshot echoed through the storm.
The high-caliber bullet tore cleanly through my left shoulder, spinning me violently to the floor of the boat.
Grace screamed in sheer terror, dropping to her knees and pressing her hands against my bleeding wound.
Amara began to cry hysterically, clinging to Grace's jacket as the boat rocked in the rough water.
High up on the steel bridge, Seraphina coldly racked the bolt of her rifle to chamber another round.
She was taking careful aim at Amara this time, determined to erase the final piece of her past.
I tried to raise my handgun, but my left arm was completely paralyzed from the sniper round.
Just as Seraphina prepared to pull the trigger, a sleek black helicopter ascended rapidly from behind the bridge.
The side door of the chopper was wide open, revealing my mentor Carlo manning a heavy machine gun.
He had separated from us in the tunnel to retrieve our aerial backup.
Carlo opened fire, unleashing a devastating hail of bullets across the top of the bridge.
Seraphina was struck multiple times, dropping her rifle as she collapsed onto the wet steel grating.
The corrupt police officers on my payroll swarmed the bridge seconds later, officially arresting the bleeding traitor.
Carlo lowered the helicopter closer to the water, shouting down to ask if we were still alive.
I looked up at him, gripping my bleeding shoulder, and gave him a tired, triumphant thumbs-up.
I turned back to Grace, who was weeping tears of absolute relief.
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I reached out with my good hand and gently wiped the rain and tears from her beautiful face.
"It is finally over," I whispered to her.
