Chapter 11 - The Black Depths
The concussive force of the underwater gunshot slammed through Julian’s skull, the shockwave rippling through his chest. But the hardened steel casing of the lock fractured. Julian kicked the broken metal free, wrenching the heavy cage door open.
He reached inside, grabbed Lily by her waist, and pulled her limp body into his arms.
Her eyes were closed. She had stopped struggling.
Julian pressed his lips to hers beneath the surface, exhaling the last reserve of oxygen from his lungs into hers, then kicked furiously toward the surface. The pressure dragged at his limbs; the freezing water sapped his motor functions by the second. His vision began to tunnel into gray static.
Breathe, little bird. Just breathe.
They broke through the surface of the harbor in an explosion of spray.
Julian gasped for air, coughing out seawater, holding Lily's head high above the waves. She wasn't breathing.
"Lily! Lily, look at me!" Julian dragged her toward the rusted ladder of the pier wall. Above him, gunfire continued to rattle as Marcus engaged Thorne's remaining mercenaries on the dock.
Julian hauled Lily onto the wooden decking, falling beside her. He locked his hands over her sternum and began CPR, rhythmically compressing her chest. "One, two, three... come back to me. Come on!"
He pinched her nose and breathed into her mouth.
Nothing.
"You don't get to leave me!" Julian roared, slamming his palms down again. "Live, Lily! LIVE!"
On the fourth compression, the little girl convulsed, coughing up sea water, gasping for air with a ragged, terrifying cry. Julian pulled her soaking, shivering body into his arms, holding her so tightly his muscles locked, burying his face in her wet hair as tears finally broke through his hardened exterior.
"Daddy..." she whispered, trembling uncontrollably against his chest.
"I have you," Julian choked out. "You're safe. I've got you."
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A heavy footstep echoed on the wooden planks behind them. Julian’s hand dropped instinctively to his sidearm, but his holster was empty.
He turned around, shielding Lily with his back, and found himself staring at the barrel of an automatic rifle held by a figure in black tactical gear.
