Chapter 12 - Fire And Glass
The flashbang detonated with a blinding roar, shattering the remaining glass panes in the skylights and disorienting the men below in a whirlwind of white light and deafening noise.
Dominic dropped twenty feet from the catwalk, landing in a combat roll onto a stack of wooden pallets. He emerged firing with both weapons.
The two mercenaries nearest the chair collapsed before they could clear their vision, rounds piercing their chest plates. Viktor, seasoned by years of combat, recovered quickly and dove behind a forklift, blind-firing his submachine gun in Dominic's direction.
Bullets ricocheted wildly off concrete and steel. Dominic sprinted toward the pillar nearest Elena, returning fire with single, controlled shots that forced Viktor to keep his head down.
Julian, panicked and screaming curses, scrambled toward the warehouse's rear exit, drawing his sidearm blindly.
""Julian!"" Dominic bellowed, stepping out from behind cover and firing a round directly through Julian's right shoulder.
Julian shrieked, dropping his gun and crashing into a pile of rusted metal scrap, clutching his bleeding joint.
Dominic didn't stop moving. He vaulted over the forklift hood, catching Viktor off guard as the mercenary reloaded. Dominic struck him across the jaw with the heavy steel frame of his rifle, breaking the man's nose, followed by a sweep that drove Viktor’s head violently into the concrete floor, rendering him instantly unconscious.
The warehouse fell into a sudden, ringing silence, broken only by Julian’s pathetic groans and the heavy hiss of ruptured steam pipes.
Dominic rushed to Elena's side. Drawing his combat knife, he severed the thick nylon ropes binding her wrists and ankles.
Her body slumped forward, but Dominic caught her against his chest. Her skin was feverish, her eyes barely able to focus.
""Dominic..."" she coughed, tasting blood. ""You came...""
""I promised her I would,"" he whispered, lifting her carefully into his arms.
""Maya... where is Maya?""
""She's safe. At the mountain lodge.""
A faint, trembling smile crossed Elena's bruised lips before her head fell against his shoulder.
May you like
Behind them, the sound of dragging metal made Dominic turn. Julian was crawling on his stomach, reaching desperately for the fallen pistol ten feet away.
Dominic laid Elena gently onto a wooden crate, retrieved his weapon, and walked slowly toward his brother.
