The Ambush

(IVAN'S RESIDENCE)

When Ivan's spy went missing in action and failed to report back to base, Ivan knew something had gone awry. He had been captured. But that was the least of Ivan's worries. After all, it was just a foot soldier—a disposable asset.

What worried him was that the plan to ambush and kidnap Emi might be compromised. Satoshi would be planning a counterattack. Ivan knew he had to strike first and strike hard. Otherwise, Satoshi would have his head separated from his neck sooner or later.

Either way, he decided to proceed with the plan to test Satoshi's strengths. There was also the chance that his spy had not been captured but had rather decided to run away. Ivan was willing to take his chances—to gamble with his foot soldiers' lives.

He also demanded Romeo join the hunting party. This was so he could test his abilities and make him watch as his former comrades were cut down. This should be enough to break Romeo's spirit—to soften him up.

(SATOSHI'S RESIDENCE)

Satoshi decided he was going to bait Ivan by sending Emi out. But he would send her with ample protection. He was sure Ivan's men would be no match for his troops, who would roll into their battlefield with twenty armored Toyota pickup trucks mounted with machine guns.

Emi was unaware of the plans going on behind her back. She had no idea she was about to be used as a pawn in a bloodbath as she prepared to get into her BMW and head out to meet a friend at about 8 PM.

Unbeknownst to her, ten armored cars packed with men armed to the teeth left the compound via the back exit just minutes before her, with the intention of setting up an ambush in the trees along Lavington Road.

Another ten armored cars and one pickup truck mounted with a machine gun would follow minutes after her departure.

She was the trophy in a match she wasn't even aware of.

(THE BATTLE)

Romeo was sandwiched between two armed men at the back of a Mercedes AMG. He was not armed. He had no idea where or why they were headed, but judging by the assortment of weapons, they were heading to a warzone.

They had driven along the lonesome Lavington Road for about twenty minutes when a sudden crack of gunfire was heard, followed by a screeching of tires as the first car in their convoy lost control and veered off the road, bursting into flames as it rolled over multiple times.

Everything spun into a blur as the car Romeo was in came to a sudden halt. All the men jumped out, aiming their semi-automatic rifles at a group of cars firing at them from behind a bunch of trees where they were concealed. Ivan's men opened fire.

Bullets flew back and forth. Men fell on both sides.

Sparks lit up the moonless night as the air filled with the sound of metal hitting metal and the sharp stench of gunpowder.

Romeo crouched down. He could hear men groaning as they went down, one after the other. This was his chance to escape. His chance for freedom as hell freed all doom.

Then Romeo raised his head—just in time to see a familiar car drive into the shootout scene, seemingly oblivious to the ongoing chaos.

Fuck. It was Emi.

A spark flew as a bullet ricocheted off the BMW's hood. Another bullet hit instantly, disabling the car's engine. Emi was the target now.

The hairs at the back of Romeo's head stood straight.

Romeo the maniac rarely came out. This was one of those rare times.

Instinct took over—the instinct to protect the love of his life.

For her, he would tear down an army of a thousand men with the precision of a hungry, Dracula-level vampire.

His fangs were bared.

Everyone and everything that posed a threat to her was the enemy.

And all enemies gotta die.

At that moment, Romeo became a madman, a rabid dog. His training and experience with machine guns kicked in.

He jumped out of the now bullet-ridden Mercedes in which he had been holed up.

The others could have sworn he was on fire like Nicolas Cage in Ghost Rider as he hopped onto the bed of one of the machine gun-mounted pickup trucks.

His motions were fluid, mechanical, calculated, focused. Flawless.

He got his hands on the gun and started spraying gunfire at anything and everything that moved. Everything except the BMW and its occupant.

Minutes later, he came back to his senses as he saw the last man fall to the ground.

Before him stood twenty stationary vehicles, all peppered with bullet holes.

He was the last man standing. The only man standing.

Diablo Gato.

The BMW was still. Motionless.

Worried something might have happened to Emi, he ran toward the car and ripped open the passenger door with so much force he almost tore it off its hinges.

She was right there, curled up in a bracing position—like the pilot had announced "brace for impact" before a crash landing.

Romeo shook her back and forth, shouting, "Emi! Emi! Are you okay?"

Emi could not believe her ears as she slowly opened her eyes and raised her head.

"Luc...Lucky, is that you? Am I dead?" she asked, calling him by his nickname. Still in shock.

She thought she was in hell—because there was no way Romeo could be in heaven.

She believed he was long dead. She had not heard any news about him since the night of the forbidden fruit.

"Are you hurt?" Romeo asked, inspecting her body for injuries.

"N-no," she managed to stammer.

They locked eyes.

For a moment, the world froze. The world was theirs.

They got lost in each other's eyes.

Their lips grew moist as they pulled into each other.

They locked lips.

They shared a kiss so deep they could have drowned in it.

Maybe they did.

"Those eyes… Damn, I love you," Romeo whispered as they pulled back after what was the most sentimental moment either of them had ever experienced.

At that moment, something moved within them.

Cupid had done his thing.

Love burned deep in their hearts, the strings tied in a knot too tight for even Houdini to escape.

Just as they were about to move in for another kiss, the engines of fast-approaching cars could be heard.

Romeo knew Emi's backup was here.

The last place he wanted to be was back in Satoshi's basement.

So he kissed her one last time and hopped out of the BMW.

Emi was left bewildered.

Was she dreaming? Was this a nightmare? Or a dream?

Could it be both?

She had to sink her teeth into that forbidden fruit again… and again… and again…

Romeo disappeared into the nearby bush, running. Escaping.

"Finally… my escape."

Then—from the corner of his eye—he saw the distinct red dot from a sniper scope.

"Fuuuuuck!!" he screamed as he stopped in his tracks.

Before he could dive behind a tree—

A single gunshot rang out.

A sharp pain in his hip.

He reached for the wound, expecting blood—but instead, he pulled out a tranquilizer dart.

Just then, the ground rushed up to his face.

"Fck!" he swore one last time.

The sound of heavy footsteps approaching was the last thing he heard before he passed out.