Chapter 241: Tactical Response

The force of the explosion sent debris flying, the warehouse shaking as the entrance was blasted open. Through the smoke, masked gunmen stormed in, weapons raised.

Chris remained unnerved.

His phone was already in his hand as he typed a single message.

—Hostile ambush. Perimeter breached. Deploy backup immediately.

He hit send. The message went straight to General Whitaker, the man in charge of the military units still stationed in the city. Reinforcements were coming.

But until then—they had to hold the line.

Cole fired the first shot.

The gunmen retaliated instantly, the air filled with the sharp, deafening crack of bullets. Sparks flew as rounds ricocheted off steel crates.

Chris ducked behind a pillar, gripping his side for a moment before forcing himself to stand tall. His wound burned, but it didn't matter. Pain was secondary. Control was everything.

He raised his gun and fired. Two shots, two men down.

Skylar, still frozen behind cover, watched him—this was the man she once thought she knew. Calculated. Ruthless. A leader who never panicked.

But he wasn't invincible. Blood still dripped from his coat, his movements slightly slower than usual.

Ava was nowhere in sight. Had she escaped in the chaos? Or was she waiting for the right moment?

Cole reloaded quickly, ducking next to Chris. "Reinforcements?"

"En route," Chris said. His voice was steady, but there was something sharper in his eyes. An edge of anticipation.

He thrived in moments like this.

The warehouse was turning into a battleground.

Now it was only a matter of who would still be standing when it was over.