The suppressed gunshot cut through the air.
Ochieng reacted in an instant, twisting to the side as the bullet whizzed past his ear. Too close.
Lin Feng moved faster. He kicked the assassin's wrist, knocking the gun from his grip. The weapon clattered to the ground, but the attacker didn't falter. He lunged forward, a knife flashing in his hand.
Wrong move.
Ochieng caught his wrist mid-strike and wrenched it sideways with brutal force. Snap! The assassin gasped, his arm twisting unnaturally.
Cassandra wasted no time. Her gun barked twice.
Bang! Bang!
The assassin's body jerked as two bullets ripped into his chest. He staggered, mouth opening in shock, then collapsed at their feet.
Silence settled over the room.
Lin Feng exhaled. "We need to leave."
Cassandra checked Marco's pulse again. Weak. Unstable.
"He won't make it unless we move now."
Ochieng grabbed his earpiece. "Backup?"
A voice crackled to life. "Five minutes out."
Ochieng's jaw clenched. They didn't have five minutes.
---
Cassandra grabbed Marco, pulling his arm over her shoulder. Blood smeared her sleeve, but she didn't hesitate.
Then—
Boom!
A nearby explosion rocked the building. The floor trembled beneath them. Smoke. Heat. Chaos.
"Damn it," Lin Feng cursed. "Veyron's men aren't done."
A fire erupted in the hallway, blocking the main exit. Trapped.
Ochieng's mind raced. "The emergency stairwell?"
Lin Feng's face was grim. "Probably crawling with hostiles."
Marco groaned in Cassandra's arms. He wouldn't survive another attack.
Ochieng made a decision. They wouldn't fight their way out—they'd vanish.
"New plan." He grabbed his phone and sent a single message.
Seconds later, the fire alarm blared.
The building's security system automatically triggered the sprinkler system, drenching everything. At the same time, emergency lockdowns disengaged. Every door in the building was now open.
Including one that led to the hidden elevator shaft.
Lin Feng's eyes widened. "You knew about this?"
Ochieng smirked. "I do my homework."
They sprinted toward the shaft, Ochieng pulling open the concealed panel. A maintenance ladder stretched down into darkness.
Cassandra didn't hesitate. She slung Marco onto her back and began climbing down.
Lin Feng followed.
Ochieng took one last glance behind him. Shadows moved in the smoke—Veyron's men, searching for them.
Too late.
Ochieng grabbed the ladder and disappeared into the darkness.
---