Chapter 5 - The Descent into ChaosPanic and realization crashed over Clara like a freezing wave. The massive Cane Corso wasn't just a guard dog—he was the primary target of an international manhunt.
"We need to get out of here," Clara urged, stepping forward. "If Rossi is in Ashford Falls right now, Walt, the diner owners, everyone is in danger!"
Daniel cut the zip-ties binding the mercenary with a swift flick of his hunting knife, hauled the man to his feet by his tactical vest, and threw him toward the forest trail. "Run back to your boss, slick. Tell him if he steps foot on this ridge, I’ll feed him to my dog."
As the terrified mercenary tripped over his own boots and fled down the mountain, Daniel turned to Clara with absolute urgency. "He’s right about one thing. We have to go back down. Not to hide, but to protect the town."
Within minutes, Daniel and Clara were speeding down the winding mountain road in his heavy-duty pickup, Bane standing alert in the truck bed, wind whipping through his dark fur.
As they approached the outskirts of Ashford Falls, the ominous signs of trouble were impossible to ignore. Two sleek black luxury SUVs with tinted windows were parked haphazardly outside Sutton’s Hardware. The usually bustling Main Street was completely deserted; doors were bolted, blinds drawn tight.
Daniel parked the truck half a block away, cutting the engine.
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"Stay in the truck with Bane," Daniel instructed, checking the magazine of a sidearm he had retrieved from a hidden compartment in the dashboard.
"No way," Clara retorted fiercely, her six-foot-four frame straightening with fierce resolve. "They're terrorizing my town, and they're looking for me and this dog. I'm going with you."
