Countdown

[A continuation from how Duke separated from the others.]

"We can't just yet," Tyler said

"Why not?" Nadia asked as her gaze darted to Tyler.

"They need to step on the net for it to work. And the gun fires from our end, won't let them come any closer till they're sure we have no bullets left in our weapon."

Duke stands up suddenly already coming to a decision. He grabs Ryker's gun before he lets out. "Throw the net and make a run for it once it apprehends them."

Without waiting for a response, he started running back to the house, where they came from. Duke's footsteps pounded the dusty ground as he sprinted back to the house, his gun held tight in his hand. He wasn't sure if he caught the attention of the unknown gunmen since no one chased him in. But Duke could only hope that was a good thing, and the mosquito net plan had worked. As much as he wanted the others (Nadia, Tyler and Ryker) to not pick the stupid option; to miss the opportunity to save themselves once the net apprehends they shooters, He couldn't help feel a sense of loss being detached from them.

Duke bursts through the front door, slamming it shut behind him, and leaned against it to barricade himself inside. His chest heaved with exhaustion and his gun was still clutched in his hand.

Panting, he looked around the room, his eyes scanning for any sign of danger. He caught sight of the hole in the ceiling, a stark reminder of the precarious situation.

"Safe house indeed" Duke muttered, his tone laced with bitter sarcasm. Suddenly he heard the sound of footsteps, light and cautious, coming from the next room. Duke's grip on the gun tightened.

Just as the footsteps entered the room, Duke swiftly ducked into a corner, his gun still clutched in his hand. He wanted to assess the situation, to know exactly how many adversaries he faced, and figure out the best course of action. He was all too aware that the bullets in his gun were scarce, and he needed to make every shot count. Holding his breath, he watched with intense focus as the shadowy figures cautiously moved into the room, their silhouettes slowly taking shape in the dim light.

Duke's eyes scanned the room, his mind racing with strategies, as he waited for the perfect moment to strike. He knew he had to act fast, before they discovered him hiding in the corner. The men moved with a practiced ease, their weapons at the ready, and Duke could tell they were professionals. He counted four of them, each one a formidable opponent, and his heart sank. The odds were against him, but he refused to give up.

As the men began to fan out, searching for any signs of their prey, Duke's grip on his gun tightened.

Just then a notification popped up in his vision.

Duke never thought he would be so happy to receive a notification with orders to carry a task from the system.

[Special Order] - Priority Level: Critical

Duke's eyes widened as he read through the notification. His objective was clear: eliminate all hostiles in the area. The reward was enticing: 5,000 coins and increased system support. But the timer was a concern - ten minutes was a tight window, especially given the challenges he had faced in his previous task. Duke couldn't help but feel the system was biased against him.

However, the system was offering him a set of skills to aid in his mission. Duke scanned the options:

- EMP Blast: Disables enemy electronic devices within a small radius (Not Activated)

- Smoke Grenade: Creates a smoke screen for escape or repositioning (Not Activated)

- Bullet Time: Slows down time for one minute to allow precise shots (Not Activated)

- Viewpoint: Grants an advantage in combat or exploration (Activated)

The skills seemed like a distant memory, irrelevant to his current predicament. Duke's mind was consumed by fear and uncertainty. He had never been in a situation like this before, and he had no idea how he was going to get out alive.

A write-up appeared above his screen, indicating his time had started, and Duke felt a cold sweat trickle down his spine.