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Two more guys in red appeared. They moved with a cocky swagger.
“It's him!” one said.
“If it is, he won't make it inside.”
“Fuck yes. I'll put my bullets on that bet.”
They strolled by. Their eyes weren't searching; their fingers were too loose around their guns.
They were clearly expecting an easy night.
That was their fatal miscalculation.
I emerged from the shadows.
There was no sound.
No warning.
They didn't stand a chance.
The first had only a moment to widen his eyes in surprise before my hand silenced him forever. The second, reacting to his partner's sudden collapse, turned just in time to meet his own end.
The only evidence of my presence was the soft thud of their bodies as they hit the ground.
I have to get upstairs.
I moved deeper into the mansion.
Each room I passed was a potential ambush point, each opulent doorway an unknown risk.
Suddenly, a door to my left creaked open.
Instinctively, I pressed against the wall, blending into the darkness.
Another man stepped out.
Quick, I closed the distance between us.
Before he could react, my hand clamped over his mouth.
My other arm delivered a precise, lethal strike.
He slumped to the ground, and his gun joined him.
There we go.
I turned a corner and stopped short.
Ahead, a lavish staircase spiraled upwards, likely leading to Francesca's private quarters.
There we fucking go.
I raced upstairs.
On the second level, the chaos of the battle outside was a mere echo.
Zuri and Carmen's faces flickered in my mind. Their faces were my calm amidst this storm of violence, a reminder of the life I was fighting to return to.
Raising my gun in front of me, I rounded a corner and encountered a trio of Crimson Mob.
Their surprise was evident, but they recovered quickly, reaching for their weapons.
I didn't hesitate.
The first shot rang out, precise and deadly, dropping the closest guard.
The second and third moved to engage, but I was faster.
One guard lunged at me, I sidestepped and used his momentum against him, slamming him into a large, framed painting that adorned the wall.
The sound of shattering glass mingled with his grunt of pain.
The last guard advanced.
Determination filled his eyes.
I met his charge with a cold resolve, blocking his strike and countering with brutal efficiency.
He fell into the wall.
I slammed my elbow into the center of his throat, shattering his trachea and killing him instantly.
The sounds of escalating violence reverberated from downstairs.
Up ahead, I spotted a room with crimson red double doors and outlined in gold.
That has to be her bedroom.
I ran over there, grabbed the knobs, quickly opened the door, and entered.
Officer Daniels stood with a massive torpedo gun in hand. “Merry Christmas, Dante.”
I froze.
The moment our eyes met, his finger tightened on the trigger.
Shit!
I dove for cover and rolled out of the room just as the torpedo gun roared to life.
The projectile tore through the air where I had stood merely a second before. The blast was deafening. Debris and dust filled the air.
Flat on the ground, my heart thundered in my chest.
Zuri's face flashed across my mind.
I will make it home.
Daniels' voice boomed. “Bring more men out! He's here!”
Goddamn it.
I lay still, gathering my thoughts, planning my next move.
What do I do?
Above me, the light fixture glowed.
Time to go dark.
I aimed at the fixture and fired a single shot, shattering the light. Darkness enveloped the hallway.
There we go.
I remained in the dark cloak of invisibility.
Pressing the button on my glasses, I switched to thermal.
I caught the heat signatures of Daniels' reinforcements as they poured into the hallway, unaware of my position.
Come on. Get closer.
I waited, my breathing controlled, my gun steady.
The first figure stepped into my line of sight.
I squeezed the trigger.
The silenced shot was a whisper in the darkness.
He fell to the ground.
Another stepped forward, and met the same fate.
Each guard who entered my field of vision was swiftly and silently dispatched.
One by one, Crimson Mob fell, until only Daniels and I remained in the darkened corridor.
I could feel his fury and confusion, his heat signature a blazing beacon of anger and fear.
The moment had come.
It was him or me.
And I had too much to live for, too much waiting for me beyond this damn mansion.
“You know what's really yummy, Dante?” Daniels sneered and pointed that torpedo gun in my direction.
Too bad he didn't know I was right in front of him.
“Sometimes death can be so satisfying.” Daniels inched closer. “Especially, when it's a big ugly bastard like you that deserves it.”
I made sure no other men were behind him.
“You want revenge, Dante?” Daniels laughed. “Then, come get your revenge!”
In the veil of darkness, I lunged and grabbed him, knocking the torpedo gun out of his hold.
It fell to the ground.
I yanked him into a chokehold. “This isn’t about revenge anymore, Daniels. I'm done with that.”
He struggled against me.
“Now, it’s about family.” Fast, I let him go.
Coughing, he took one step away.
