Chapter 9 - The Final ReckoningJulian rose slowly to his feet. The cold, untouchable aura surrounding him was darker than anything Mara had ever witnessed.
"Stay here with Eli," Julian told his squad leader.
"Boss, you can't walk out there alone," the leader protested. "Vance brought a small army."
"I am not alone," Julian said, his eyes locking onto Mara one last time.
He walked out into the smoking corridor, his footsteps echoing against the concrete. Mara scrambled to her feet, ignoring Eli’s panicked protests, and crept to the edge of the shattered doorway to watch.
Standing in the center of the grand courtyard lobby was Vance—a bulky, scarred man holding an assault rifle, flanked by a dozen heavily armed mercenaries. The floor around them was littered with the bodies of fallen guards.
"Well, well, well," Vance laughed, his voice echoing off the glass ceilings. "The great Julian Vale, cornered in his own cage. Who’s going to save you now, Julian? Your little girlfriend from the diner?"
Julian didn't flinch. He walked slowly toward the center of the room, hands empty, his charcoal shirt stained with soot and smoke.
"You made a mistake coming into South Philadelphia, Vance," Julian said softly.
"South Philly belongs to whoever takes it!" Vance snarled, raising his rifle. "And tonight, I take it all!"
Vance pulled the trigger—but the rifle clicked on an empty chamber.
Vance blinked, staring down at his weapon in utter confusion. He pulled the charging handle back, but nothing happened.
Around him, the dozen mercenaries suddenly dropped their weapons simultaneously, their hands rising into the air as the red laser sights of thirty sniper rifles locked onto their chests from the upper balconies.
Julian stopped three paces away from Vance.
"You thought you bypassed my security," Julian said, his voice dangerously calm. "You didn't bypass it, Vance. I invited you in."
Vance’s face drained of all color. "No... that's impossible."
"You wanted to find my weakness," Julian continued, taking another step forward. "You thought my weakness was the Blue Lantern. You thought it was Mara."
Julian’s fist snapped forward with the speed of a striking cobra. The blow caught Vance squarely on the jaw, sending the larger man crashing backward over a marble table, unconscious before he even hit the floor.
May you like
The battle was over almost as quickly as it had begun.
Julian stood amidst the silence of the fallen compound, breathing slowly, his dark eyes searching the shadows until they found Mara standing by the doorway.
