Chapter 15 - THE ROOF TOP AMBUSHUpstairs, the heavy steel security shutters retracted with a loud mechanical hum, flooding the penthouse with the harsh glare of emergency lights.
“He did it!” Izzy cheered, typing furiously on her tablet to verify the lockdown cancellation. “Alright, team! Operation Get to the Chopper is officially a go! Move, move, move!”
I scooped little Chloe up into my arms, while Marco gently guided Noah by the hand toward the private spiral staircase leading directly up to the rooftop helipad.
The cold night air hit us like a physical blow as we stepped out onto the roof. The Manhattan skyline glittered around us in a sea of neon and glass, but the peaceful view was instantly shattered.
From the shadows of the elevator housing, three armed mercenaries dressed in tactical black gear stepped out, blocking our path to the private helicopter.
“Nobody moves!” the lead mercenary barked, raising an automatic rifle directly toward us.
My heart froze. I instinctively pulled Chloe tighter against my chest, shielding her with my body. Noah let out a frightened gasp, burying his face in Marco’s pant leg.
Izzy didn't even flinch.
With a bored, almost irritated sigh, Izzy reached into her trench coat, pulled out a sleek, modified tactical crossbow, and before the mercenary could pull the trigger, she fired.
Thwip!
A high-voltage tranquilizer dart buried itself straight into the lead mercenary’s neck. He convulsed once, his eyes rolling back, and dropped to the concrete floor like a stone.
The other two mercenaries stared in shock, raising their rifles toward Izzy—which was a massive mistake.
Marco drew his sidearm with lightning speed, firing two precise shots that disarmed both men before they could blink.
“Rookie mistake,” Izzy smirked, casually reloading her crossbow. “Never turn your back on an angry Kane.”
Before we could catch our breath, the heavy steel rooftop access door burst open, and Adrian sprinted out onto the helipad, looking wild, disheveled, and completely lethal.
His gray-blue eyes scanned the roof frantically until they landed on me and the kids. In three long strides, he crossed the distance, pulling all three of us into a tight, desperate embrace.
“Are you hurt? Did they touch you?” Adrian demanded, his hands frantically checking me over.
“We’re fine, Adrian, we’re fine!” I gasped, laughing through the adrenaline-fueled tears threatening to spill over. “Your sister just took out a hit squad with a crossbow like an action hero.”
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Adrian looked over at Izzy, who offered a cheerful two-finger salute.
“Good shooting, sis,” Adrian muttered, before turning his gaze back to me, his expression softening into something raw and fiercely tender. He cupped my face, pressing his forehead against mine. “I told you... I am never letting anything happen to you.”
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