Chapter 4 - The Poisoned Blood
The heavy splash in the dark tunnel made Orion instantly raise his weapon.
He shielded his vulnerable father with his own body, his eyes straining against the absolute darkness.
Ren clicked off her flashlight, plunging them entirely into complete, terrifying blackness.
They held their breath silently, listening to the slow, deliberate footsteps echoing through the water.
A voice called out from the dark, falsely claiming to be a lost hiker seeking shelter from the explosion.
Orion knew immediately that it was a pathetic lie designed to lower their defenses.
Caesar lunged forward with a ferocious, echoing roar, disappearing entirely into the dark passage.
A man screamed in absolute terror and pain as the massive dog pinned him into the muddy water.
Ren turned the flashlight back on, revealing a heavily armed mercenary struggling desperately against Caesar.
Orion stepped forward quickly and knocked the man completely unconscious with the butt of his gun.
He praised the brave dog, realizing Caesar was truly worth more than a dozen highly trained bodyguards.
They continued exhaustingly down the tunnel until they reached a rusted iron door leading to the surface.
Orion pushed the heavy door open, and they emerged into a dense, freezing, foggy ravine.
Suddenly, a wave of intense, deeply burning pain shot violently through Orion's injured arm.
His vision blurred dangerously, and he collapsed heavily against a damp, mossy rock.
Ren rushed to his side and quickly examined the fresh gunshot wound on his bicep.
The skin completely around the gash had turned a sickly, terrifying dark purple color.
She realized instantly that the bullet that grazed him had been coated in a deadly neurotoxin.
The poison was slowly and agonizingly paralyzing his nervous system, and he only had hours to live.
Ren stated urgently that she needed a specific, highly regulated counteragent to stop the venom.
Orion laughed bitterly, knowing the nearest hospital was heavily controlled by Vance's corrupt police officers.
He told her weakly to leave him behind and save his innocent father instead.
Ren refused angrily, absolutely refusing to let another person die right in front of her.
She said there was an illegal underground clinic ten miles away that carried the specific antidote.
They managed to steal an abandoned, rusty logging truck parked near the edge of the dark woods.
As Ren started the loud engine, Aldrich groaned softly and slowly opened his eyes.
The older mafia boss looked at his son with profound, heartbreaking sadness and deep regret.
May you like
He whispered weakly that Vance was only a pawn taking direct orders from someone much higher up.
Aldrich revealed a terrifying truth that the true mastermind behind the assassination was Orion's own brother, Silas.
