Chapter 5 - The Crossfire
"Well, well, if it isn't the mighty Adrian Moretti running like a scared dog," the driver mocked.
Adrian stepped firmly in front of Mia and me, using his broad shoulders as a human shield.
"Run back to the house, Elena," Adrian whispered over his shoulder, his voice completely calm.
"When I start shooting, you do not look back."
I gripped Mia's hand so tightly her tiny knuckles turned white.
Before I could even take a step backward, the deafening roar of automatic gunfire ripped through the silent night.
I threw myself over Mia, pressing her small body completely flat into the freezing, wet grass.
Bullets chewed through the expensive topiary hedges above us, showering us in shredded leaves and dirt.
Adrian fired back with deadly precision, dropping two of the Falcone hitmen in less than three seconds.
But he was hopelessly outgunned.
A bullet struck Adrian in the shoulder, spinning him violently around before he crashed onto the lawn.
"Adrian!" I screamed, entirely forgetting my own safety for a brief, terrifying moment.
He groaned in agony, clutching his bleeding arm as he desperately tried to retrieve his dropped weapon.
The three remaining hitmen advanced slowly, their rifles raised to finish the execution.
Suddenly, a tall figure stepped out of the shadows of the mansion, holding a massive assault rifle.
It was Marcus, the head of Adrian's personal security detail.
I felt a massive surge of relief, expecting him to eliminate the rival assassins and save his boss.
Instead, Marcus casually kicked Adrian's dropped handgun far out of reach into the bushes.
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He then aimed his heavy assault rifle directly down at Adrian's bleeding, helpless body.
"Sorry, Boss, but the Falcones just doubled my salary," Marcus sneered, placing his finger firmly on the trigger.
