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Pain explodes behind my skull and the world goes black.
I come awake in stages.
Head throbbing with pain, I blink awake, reaching up to touch it.
But as I reach out, I find my hands bound together with thick duct tape. Panic surges through me as I realize I can’t move a muscle. My heart races as I frantically search around me to figure out where I am.
The darkness is suffocating, pressing in on me from all sides. I can barely see my own hand in front of my face, and the silence is deafening.
But the muffled roar of an engine interrupts the silence and my stomach lurches with dread as I realize where I am. Memories flood back in a rush—Dr. Thornton's house, the confrontation, the struggle. He attacked me, tried to kill me, and now I'm tied up in a dark place.
I strain against my bindings, desperate to escape, but it's futile. The tape holds firm, cutting into my skin with every attempt to free myself. Fear grips me as I think about what Dr. Thornton might do to me, and where he might be taking me.
Without warning, the car slows to a stop, the engine’s noises fading into silence.
My breath catches in my throat as I hear the faint sound of footsteps approaching from outside. Dread washes over me in waves as I realize with chilling clarity where I am and what awaits me.
Dr. Thornton is going to kill me, and no one can save me.
43
CALEB
As we approach the abandoned auto plant, my heart races with anticipation and fear. The sun beats down relentlessly, casting harsh shadows on the gravel beneath our feet.
“We brought weapons,” Bastian reveals to the assembled Blades. “Guns, ammo, knives, anything you could want. Take your pick.”
“We need to get a move on,” Dominic urges. “The Serpents are already on their way. We need to get to the warehouse so we have the advantage. There’s plenty of places to use as cover in there, and the Serpents are going to fight vicious, and fight dirty.”
“Let’s go,” I say, walking back to the car and popping the trunk. Gleaming metal winks up at us and I reach in and grab a gun. It’s going to be a rough day and I’m starting to realize that I might not survive.
Just as the fear rises, so does a sense of resolve. This is bigger than me now, this is not just about the Serpents versus the Blades. This is about how we’ve been screwed out of so muchin our lives, and the Serpents aren’t going to take anything else away from us.
“Whatever happens, I’m glad to have fought beside you,” Bastian says quietly to me and Dominic. “Now let’s go show them what the Blades are made of.”
Bastian's determination is palpable as he addresses the group, rallying us for the fight ahead. But amidst his words of encouragement, I can't shake the knot of fear tightening in my chest. This isn't just another skirmish; it's a battle for our lives and our freedom.
Memories of past struggles flood my mind. But amidst the turmoil, a sense of determination takes hold. This fight is bigger than us—it's about justice, retribution, reclaiming what's rightfully ours.
Dozens of engines roar at once, and tires squeal on the gravel, announcing the Serpents’ arrival.
Each Blade stands together in a line, making a tight formation as we face off against the people who have made our lives hell for too long.
“Last chance to back down!” Diego calls as he gets off his bike. He pulls off his helmet and his wide smirk is visible from where I’m standing.
With a nod to my brothers, I steel myself for the battle ahead. The weight of the gun in my hand is a reminder of the stakes, but I refuse to cower to these bastards. We've come too far to let the Serpents win now.
“Crimson Blades never back down,” Bastian hisses through clenched teeth, hands balled into fists.
“If it’s a war you want, it’s a war you’ve got,” Diego says with a shrug. “Kill them all,” he orders.
The world erupts into chaos as I scramble, rushing to duck behind a stack of pallets with my gun, peeking out and taking aim at the first Serpent I see.
He goes down with a scream, but I spot another pointing their gun at me and I have to duck to avoid being blasted.
Gunshots whizz through the air around me as people start fighting. Serpents clash with Blades, some going hand-to-hand while others choose to position themselves strategically and hunt down the enemy as they come.
I’m running on pure adrenaline now, trying to keep myself alive while showing the Serpent Syndicate that the Crimson Blades won’t go quietly into that good night.
