The same goddamn grin on his mask, taunting me in the grimy yellow light leaking in from outside.
My finger tightens on the trigger and I don’t waste a moment.
With three rapid shots in his direction, he drops to the ground without a sound.
I spit out through gritted teeth, “Serves you right,”
I hurry past him to where Amara fell.
She’s sprawled out on her back, blood spreading out beneath her like a grotesque angel’s wings.
Her eyes are open though, darting around wildly and she gives a start when I kneel by her side. “Keep going, someone else will get me the fuck out of here.”
I search through the fog to see where she was hit, and find the blood pooling from the back of her leg.
It isn’t coming out like a geyser, but I don’t feel right leaving her here.
I act quickly and grab a nearby towel, tying it around her leg.
She screams out in agony, but at least she won’t bleed out in the meantime.
Amara grits at me, “Go, Python!”
In response, I grip her shoulder in a brief show of solidarity before pushing to my feet.
The world’s still spinning on its axis, but I make it back into the foggy chaos, ready to take down whoever dares to come my way.
Suddenly amidst the smoke, a figure lunges out—lean and quick-footed.
But they don’t come for me quickly enough.
My gun roars once, twice, and then there’s deafening silence.
Once my eyes adjust to the grimy light, it reveals a man—if you can call him that—laid out on the ground.
Blood soaks through his shirt from two precise bullet holes.
One more threat out of the way, but I know there are plenty of others.
I move through the smoke like a shadow, putting distance between me and Amara.
But not too much, at least not as first.
Axel rushes over to her and now knowing our Prez is going to be okay, I leave.
Every step I take is calculated and I remain as quiet as I can.
I approach a door and push it open, revealing something I didn’t expect, but should have.
Tables lined with cocaine, packing supplies, and scales.
This is why Alejandro wanted us here.
He needed us to save his people and his product.
14
Astra