Chapter 273
Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-Three
Stephen
While it was somewhat macabre, I got enjoyment from counting out loud whenever I took out one of the
guards. “One…two… three…” So far no one else in the warehouse had noticed. “Four…five…” Still
business as usual in the warehouse. “Six, seven, eight…thatst group shouldn’ta been f**king around
on duty, but I appreciate them making my job easier.” I heard quiet.ughter over my earpiece.
“Aaaaand…nine. Almost to a personal best, folks.” Moreughter through my earpiece. “Oh, number
ten found number nine. That’s not helpful, number ten. But wait, there’s more. Eleven…twelve…go.
Now.”
I could see everyone moving from my vantage point. The people inside the warehouse were slowly
bing aware that something was going on. I was trying to pick them off as they came out of the
building. Andrei and Oscar were systematically moving around the building, setting up the explosives.
The two guys that went with them for the first two warehouses were moving in the opposite direction
around the building. Everyone else was providing cover for them.
I kept an eye on as much as I could through the scope of my rifle. Things were happening quickly, I
caught sight of one guy that had taken cover as he came out of the warehouse. He was on the phone.
His call ended abruptly, thanks to me. “We may have a problem. Someone made a call. Everybody
watch your 6.”
“One wall to go,” Andrei said.
The people inside the warehouse had barricaded themselves inside, thinking that was going to save
them. I took a moment to find Sephie. She was between Adrik and Ivan, her gun pointed at the
warehouse like she belonged here. She was one of us now.
I checked the alley leading to the warehouse. Quiet, so far. I could hear gunfire at the back of the
warehouse, where Andrei and Oscar were. “Remind me to thank Trino for sending Oscar. He just
saved my a ss,” Andrei said. “All charges set. On our way
back.”
I did another sweep of the perimeter. This time, there was movement up the alley. “We’ve gotpany.
Their backup just arrived. Don’t know how many yet, but I’ll try to get as many as I can. They’reing
up the alley,” I said.
I counted five guys trying to quickly make it to the warehouse. They were being smart about moving up
the alley, so I couldn’t, get a clear shot. Whoever made the call must’ve warned them I was here.
“They’re on to me. It’s difficult for me to get a clear shot on any of them.” I looked further down the alley
to see more guysing. “More guysing too. I count 15 total. So far. I need help drawing them out
so I can get a clean shot. They’re using cover as much as possible. Oops. Make that 14.”
Misha and Viktor moved closer to the alley, along with several of the security detail guys to try and
keep the new group from advancing any closer. The alley was the easiest entrance point. The pressure
from Misha and Viktor caused the new arrivals to make mistakes, which gave me a clear shot. “Down
to 11. I haven’t seen anymoreing yet. I also haven’t checked the other ess points. Be careful
down there.” As soon as I said that, I heard Ivan say, “we’ve got moreing from the west side.”
Shi t. That’s directly beside where Ivan, Adrik, and Sephie were. “How many? Can you tell?” I asked.
“Looks like just a handful. We should be able to hold them off. Andrei’s back,” he said.
N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.
There was steady gunfire in both directions now. I was slowly working on picking off the guys in the
alley. I checked on the grouping from the other direction, toward Ivan. I couldn’t get a clear shot on
any of them. I went back to the alley just in time to see more guys arrive. “Shi t. We’ve got more
iing up the alley. At least 20 this time.”
“Almost clear this way, but I don’t like that more are showing up. We need to get out of here,” Ivan sald.
“We can go around the warehouse,” Andrei said.
“I can’t cover you that way,” I said.
“You won’t need to. I can bl ow the building as soon as we’re clear. Bait the rest of the guys toward the
building, we won’t have to worry about being followed,” Andrei said.
“We’ll do it. Ivan, get Sephie out of here. Stephen, cover Ivan and Sephie as far as you can. The rest of
us are going around the warehouse. Andrei will detonate as soon as we’re clear,” Adrik said.
No one had time to object. Ivan grabbed Sephie’s hand and was moving quickly toward the exit to the
west. It was clear. There was a bike close, so they’d be able to leave quickly. Misha and Viktor were
falling back toward the rest of the group, drawing the guys in the alley toward them. Everyone moved
together, slowly, toward the back of the warehouse. I covered Ivan and Sephie until they got on the
bike, then I lost sight of them. I went back to covering the alley. I managed to get a few more guys, but I
would need to move soon or I’d be caught in the st.
“Stephen, get out of there,” Adrik said as they neared the back of the warehouse.
“You ain’t gotta tell me twice,” I said,ughing to myself.
It went quiet as I broke down my rifle. It took me exactly 45 seconds to get it broken down and ready to
move. I was on my way down the stairs within a minute. As soon as I hit the ground floor, my bike was
waiting on me. I’d pulled it inside the building to hide it from sight. “Clear,” I said as I pulled out of the
building. I was one block over from the warehouse, so the street was quiet. I still didn’t waste any time
getting out of there.
“3…2…1…” Andrei said. I felt the explosion when it happened. I expected it to knock out our earpieces,
given that there were explosions throughout the city at the same time, so I wouldn’t know that everyone
made it out until we were back at the penthouse. The n was to regroup at the building, then we were
going to grab Dr. Moretti in the wee morning hours, so he wouldn’t know what hit him.
This was the worst part of any n. The waiting. The not knowing. I expected Ivan and Sephie to be
waiting on me when I got to the building. Then we’d wait for the rest of the group to show up. I tried not
to be nervous, but I always failed miserably.
I pulled into the parking garage. No bike. Shi t. Ivan and Sephie should be here. Where the f**k are
they?
I only had to wait a few minutes and the rest of the group showed up. “We’ve got a problem. Ivan and
Sephie aren’t here,” I said as they pulled up. Adrik went nuclear right away.
“They should be here already. Where the f**k are they? Did you see anything before you left?” he
asked, His anger, much like my own, turned him into a beast. He wasn’t Adrik anymore. He was his
anger personified. I knew his anger wasn’t directed at me, but he was still a sight to behold. The
dealers were visibly apprehensive. They’d never seen this side of Adrik. He looked like he was ready to
snap at any moment. Every muscle in his body was flexed, every vein engorged with blood. If I really
was a vampire, I’m sure I’d be able to hear his heartbeat loud and clear. His eyes had an intensity to
them when he was angry that made you feel a sort of primal fear. You felt like he was a predator and
you were definitely the prey.
“I covered them until they got on the bike. I lost sight of them after that. The explosion knocked out the
earpieces so I didn’t hear anything either,” I said.
Viktor pulled his phone from his pocket. “I gave Sephie a tracker just in case,” he said as he checked
his phone. “I’ve got a location. She’s moving ”
Misha had gone to one of the SUVs to grab new earpieces for everyone. “What direction?” he asked as
he handed us all new earpieces. It was easier than waiting for them, all to reset themselves. Faster,
too. We didn’t have time to waste.
“They’re headed to the north end of the city,” Viktor said.
“That’s Sal’s area of the city,” Andrei said, a clear look of worry on his face.
“He’s a dead man.” Adrik said as he grabbed a helmet and climbed on a bike. We all followed quickly.
Even the dealers jumped into two SUVs, ready to help us out once more. Looks like taking care of
Salvadori was getting bumped up on the schedule.