Chapter 16 - The Rain of Fire
A heavy barrage of suppressed sniper fire tore fiercely through the ruined church, systematically dropping three of Russo's mercenaries before they could even raise their weapons.
I immediately dove behind the heavy wooden altar, covering my head as deafening gunfire erupted from every single direction.
Owen’s elite assault team violently breached the main doors, throwing blinding flashbang grenades into the sanctuary.
The explosive light and concussive sound completely disoriented the remaining enemies, throwing Russo's operation into absolute, chaotic panic.
I peered cautiously around the edge of the altar and saw Owen moving through the smoke like a terrifying, unstoppable phantom.
He was wearing a sleek tactical vest, his assault rifle delivering incredibly precise, lethal bursts of fire.
Russo fired wildly in Owen's direction, desperately backing toward the heavy iron door leading to the church's catacombs.
"He is heading for the basement!" I yelled into my earpiece, entirely ignoring the bullets sparking dangerously against the stone pillars.
Owen gave me a swift, affirming nod, aggressively advancing toward Russo’s retreating position.
The remaining mercenary grabbed a heavy shotgun and stepped out from behind a pew, aiming directly at Owen's unprotected flank.
Owen was completely focused on Russo and did not see the lethal threat rapidly emerging from the shadows.
I did not hesitate, relying entirely on the brutal survival instincts I had developed over the last few terrifying months.
I drew the compact pistol Owen had given me back at the safe house, gripping it firmly in both hands.
I stepped out from behind the altar, lined up the glowing sights precisely on the mercenary's chest, and squeezed the trigger twice.
The recoil snapped sharply into my palms as both bullets struck the man squarely, dropping him instantly to the stone floor.
Owen briefly glanced over his shoulder, a look of profound, immense pride flashing in his dark eyes before he kicked the heavy iron door open.
He disappeared into the dark stairwell, relentlessly pursuing the desperate rival boss.
May you like
I secured my weapon and sprinted across the ruined sanctuary, determined to follow the man I loved into the absolute depths of the fight.
I descended into the damp, freezing catacombs, my heart hammering wildly as the sound of a brutal, hand-to-hand struggle echoed from the darkness below.
