Chapter 4 - Blood and RedemptionThe foyer erupted into absolute chaos.
Vane’s four bodyguards unholstered their weapons, but Adrian’s elite guards dropped from the upper balcony catwalks, raining down a hail of suppressing fire. Two of Vane’s men hit the marble floor instantly, riddled with bullets.
The remaining two lunged forward, returning fire. One bullet clipped the wooden armrest of Adrian’s wheelchair, splintering the mahogany.
Adrian snarled, dropping his pistol, pulling out a tactical combat knife, and driving it directly into the tire of an advancing mercenary, throwing the man completely off balance. I raised the MP5 I had scavenged, pulled the trigger, and sent a sustained burst into the second guard's chest.
Vane, realizing his backup was annihilated in seconds, spun around and sprinted toward the courtyard doors.
"He's mine!" I shouted, handing our baby back to Adrian with lightning speed. "Watch our son!"
I vaulted over the marble banister, landing hard on the carpeted stairs below, and sprinted after Vane into the torrential rain of the courtyard.
Mud splattered against my face as I chased him across the pristine stone patio. Vane stumbled, slipping on the slick courtyard tiles, and fell hard onto his back.
Before he could draw his backup pistol, I planted my boot firmly on his chest, pressing the cold barrel of my gun right between his eyes.
Vane coughed, spitting blood onto the wet stone, staring up at me with panicked, bloodshot eyes. "Do it," he choked out. "Kill me. Just like your father."
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"My father was a better man than you will ever be," I whispered. "He died saving a boy who grew up to burn your empire to ash. You don't deserve the honor of a clean death."
I didn't pull the trigger. Instead, I brought the butt of the MP5 down hard across his temple, knocking him out cold in the freezing mud.
