Chapter 73

Brandon's grip tightened on the weapon, and he swung the barrel toward Alexia without the slightest hesitation.

Malice glinted in his eyes. "Don't put this on me.You're the reason I'm tangled up in all this. If you're angry, save it for whoever set this trap."

He squeezed the trigger. In a blur of motion, Alexia shoved the scar-faced man in front of her, the bullet punching through his chest.

With a gasp, the scar-faced man crashed to the floor,his body landing hard in front of the others.

No sooner had he fallen than the skinny thug lunged forward,snatching the gun from Brandon's stunned hand,and barreled after Alexia.

Lead whined through the air as bullets pinged off metal beams, orange sparks slicing past Alexia's side The gunman's shouts and wild curses bounced through the empty warehouse.

A quick check of her magazine revealed two rounds remaining.

That would have to do.

Wiping grime from her brow, Alexia scanned the space and spotted a half-open steel cabinet twenty meters away.

Boots pounded closer from the northwest, their precise rhythm hinting at military discipline.

She yanked the ancient breaker from the wall,copper wires exposed, and let them scrape against a nearby pin. Electricity sizzled as sparks flared.

The bald pursuer charged in, but Alexia reacted first,kicking the tangle of live wires straight at him. Metal met copper with a jolt; high voltage shot through his body, sending him convulsing to the floor.

Death claimed him in a matter of seconds.

A howl of rage tore from the skinny thug as he watched his companion's ggrisly fate. Fury overtook him,and he hurled a steel pipe toward Alexia.

She sidestepped the attack, leveling her pistol and squeezing off a shot in reply

A frantic warning burst from Brandon."Watch out!"

Reacting to the shout, the skinny man jerked his head aside just in time for the bullet to graze his ear.

A shriek erupted, panic overtaking bravado.

But for Brandon's call, Alexia's shot would have been lethal.

Alexia gave Brandon a frosty glare, mouth curling into a cold,mocking sneer.

"Come out, coward!" The thug's voice was ragged with fear and fury. "You think you can hide forever?I know that gun only has one round left! When you're out, I'll be waiting, and you'll beg for mercy!"

Staring at the long shadow she cast on the wall,Alexia recalled her teacher's words. With a single bullet left,she had to become that bullet. Defeat wasn't an option.

Crouching behind a barricade of barrels, Alexia grabbed a stray wooden stick and tossed it left.Predictably, the skinny thug's aim shifted,gun tracking the noise.

She moved in a heartbeat. Both pistols fired, and her foot lashed out, kicking the weapon from his hand The sound of a bullet ripping through flesh mingled with the heavy thud of broken ribs.

Pain ripped through the skinny man as he crashed to the floor, hacking and gasping, only to realize his foot was bleeding, a bullet having torn straight through.

Movement was impossible.

Frustration spilled out in a fist pounding the concrete."Damn it!" he spat, fury and humiliation etched on his face.

What a cunning woman!

Seizing her opening, Alexia sprinted for the exit,determination etched into every step.

Eyes narrowed, the skinny man slipped a dagger from his pocket and tossed it toward Brandon.

This was their last chance.

Brandon paused, torn by doubt.

Yet as he considered Alexia's fierce and stubborn spirit, he realized with a sinking feeling that if she managed to slip away now, it would only be a matter of time before she returned to hunt him down.

And it would mark his complete and utter downfall.

Dread settling in his gut, he snatched up the blade and tore off after Alexia.

Outside, Alexia darted into the open, scanning frantically. Her gaze landed on a white car, tucked away in the shadows of the corner lot.

Behind her, footsteps thudded urgently against the pavement.

Spinning around, she found herself facing Brandon's crazed eyes and the gleam of a dagger driving straight for her.

Wildness had seized him. "You're not getting away this time!"

A gunshot cracked through the night, sharp and sudden.

One bullet found its mark in Brandon's wrist. The knife clattered to the ground as he howled, collapsing in agony. "My hand! You've ruined my hand!"

Blood mingled with the cold night air, the metallic scent thick between them. Alexia's instincts kicked in;she whirled to see Waylon, radiating icy fury.

Within seconds, agents swept in and pinned Brandon to the ground. Simon stood to the side,eyes flicking to Waylon, surprise flickering in his usually unreadable gaze.

From Korbin, such violence would have been expected; he had been raised on military tradition,hardened by a life at the front.

But Waylon's place was in the polished halls of the elite. He was revered for his composure, a man others looked up to for his calm and unshakable grace.

Whenever he desired it, there were countless individuals eager to carry out his most unsavory tasks.

However, when it came to Alexia, he found himself willing to bend his own rules and grant her a rare exception.