Chapter 4 - Crossfire and Confessions
The man holding the blade against Maya’s neck was startled just enough by the gunfire to lose his grip. Twisting around with the desperate agility of someone who refused to go down quietly, Maya slammed her heavy iron cleaning caddy directly into his shin.
The man howled in pain, stumbling backward. Without looking back, Maya sprinted down the corridor toward the grand staircase, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. Downstairs, chaos had erupted. Armed mercenaries in tactical gear were swarming the grand lobby, while loyalist guards traded heavy fire near the main entrance.
Before Maya could reach the service stairs, a strong hand grabbed her arm from the shadows of an alcove and yanked her violently into a recessed alcove.
She gasped, raising her fist to swing, only to find herself staring straight into Adrien Moretti’s intense, dust-streaked face.
"Are you out of your mind?" Adrien hissed, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he checked her for injuries. "I told you to stay in the east wing quarters!"
"Marcus Thorne and your financial team are framing you!" Maya blurted out, ignoring his scolding. "They planted false embezzlement files in your safe for the federal auditors tomorrow morning! The attack outside is just a distraction to cover their escape!"
Adrien stared at her, a dark, dangerous realization flashing in his green eyes. He didn't doubt her for a second. He gripped her shoulders tightly, his expression fierce. "Thorne is trying to clean house. If we don't reach the safe in my study before he wipes the physical hard drives, I lose everything."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Maya challenged, grabbing a heavy brass candlestick from a nearby side table. "Lead the way, boss. I brought backup."
Adrien couldn't help the grim, ferocious smile that broke across his face. He drew his sidearm, keeping Maya shielded behind his broad frame as they fought their way back up the grand staircase, neutralizing two mercenaries who crossed their path with cold, calculated precision.
They reached the study just as Marcus Thorne was frantically downloading files from the master terminal.
"It's over, Marcus," Adrien’s voice rang out, cold as winter ice.
May you like
Thorne spun around, a small derringer pistol in his hand, pointing it directly at Adrien. "You're too late, Moretti! The feds are already mobilizing!"
Before Thorne could pull the trigger, Maya didn't hesitate. With the uncalculated precision of a woman who had spent years dodging chaos, she hurled the heavy brass candlestick across the room. It struck Thorne squarely across the wrist with a sickening thud, sending his pistol clattering across the hardwood floor just as Adrien fired a disabling shot into the traitor's shoulder.
