Eleanor shielded her eyes from the blinding light. As the figure walked toward her, she couldn''t see his face clearly, but she recognized him in an instant.
Mansfield.
Then, she saw the cold glint of knives in the kidnappers'' hands. "Mansfield, don''te any closer!" she screamed in panic.
Mansfield reached the entrance, and the headlights behind him illuminated the scene inside, revealing Eleanor on the floor. Her cor was torn, a handprint was visible on her cheek, and her disheveled hair told the story of what she had just endured.
In an instant, a raging fire ignited in Mansfield''s eyes. His fists clenched so tightly they audibly cracked, and a murderous aura emanated from him.
The four kidnappers had thought they were dealing with just one man, but now they sensed he was no easy opponent. They exchanged a look and tightened their grips on their knives.
"All of you, take him down," the leader ordered his men.
The first kidnapper lunged, knife raised, aiming for Mansfield. Mansfield sidestepped, grabbed the man''s wrist, and twisted. The sharp crack of breaking bone echoed in the quiet of the reservoir.
"Argh!" The kidnapper''s scream put the other three on high alert. They were up against a formidable foe.
Eleanor''s heart was in her throat. Watching Mansfield face four armed men alone, she feared for his safety, even knowing his military background.
The remaining three quickly surrounded him. The second man thrust his knife forward while the third attacked from behind, and the fourth wrapped his arms around Mansfield''s waist, trying to restrain him.
They swarmed him like a pack of wolves. Mansfield first kicked a dagger out of one man''s hand with pinpoint uracy, then twisted to deliver a sharp elbow to the forehead of the man holding him. The one attacking from behind saw his chance, aiming to stab Mansfield through the heart, but Mansfield dodged just in time. The de only sliced his arm, and blood immediately stained his sleeve. He didn''t even flinch. Instead, he spun around and executed a perfect shoulder throw, mming the man hard onto the ground.
The kidnapper with the broken wrist scrambled to pick up a knife and started moving toward Eleanor. Her attention was fixed on Mansfield, and by the time she realized what was happening, the man was already raising the de. "You bitch, I''ll deal with you first!"
"Eleanor!" A desperate shout.
Mansfield broke free from the man clinging to him and lunged forward like a panther. In the split second before the knife could strike Eleanor he threw himself in front of her, taking the blow. The de sank into his shoulder with a sickening thud.
Eleanor''s eyes widened in horror. She wanted to scream but no sound came out, only a flood of tears.
Mansfield, however, seemed to feel no pain. He simply threw a punch, sending the kidnapper staggering back.
The four men were all injured, but when they saw the blood pouring from Mansfield''s shoulder, they knew they still had a chance to win.
"Don''t be afraid. I''ll take care of them and get you out of here," Mansfield said, his voice raspy.
But just then, three more sets of headlights pierced the darkness at the entrance. A convoy of cars streamed into the yard of the abandoned facility, flooding the warehouse with light as bright as day. s?novel
The moment he stepped into the warehouse, the scene that met his eyes unleashed
a terrifying, murderous rage from deep within him.
Eleanor was slumped on the ground, her clothes in disarray, while a blood-soaked Mansfield stood protectively in front of her.
Lanny''s men rushed in, and the kidnappers'' faces turned to masks of pure terror as they tried to flee.
"Don''t let a single one get away,"n''s voice was ice-cold.
His bodyguards moved swiftly,
subduing the four men in se ne
off his suit jacket and draping it over her trembling shoulders.
"I''m sorry." He reached out, as if to touch the bruise on her face. "I''mte."