Chapter 244: The Price of Loyalty

Ethan stepped out of the armored vehicle just as the radio chatter erupted in his earpiece.

"The president is down!"

His blood ran cold.

For a split second, he didn't move. Couldn't move. Chris? Shot? That wasn't possible. That wasn't—

He clenched his jaw. Focus.

With measured steps, he advanced toward the warehouse entrance, his grip tightening around his rifle. Inside, the scene was chaos—bodies, blood, soldiers scrambling to secure the perimeter. And in the center of it all—

Chris.

Lying on the ground. Unmoving.

Cole was pressing down on the wound, his hands slick with blood. Skylar was hovering, her face pale. Soldiers had Ava pinned against the wall, her mouth curled into a twisted, breathless smile.

Ethan exhaled sharply.

"Who fired?" His voice was ice.

A soldier snapped to attention. "Unknown. Sniper fire. We think they had an outside shooter, but the area is clear now."

Ethan's fists clenched. Too clean. Too calculated. Whoever had done this was already gone.

He crouched beside Chris, his gaze sweeping over the wound. Bad. But not immediately fatal.

"He needs to be evacuated. Now," Ethan said, already pulling out his radio.

Cole nodded, his usual cocky demeanor gone. "I've got the med team on standby."

Ethan's gaze flickered toward Ava.

She was watching them. Studying them. Waiting.

Ethan stood, walking toward her slowly, his boots echoing against the concrete. He stopped just inches away.

Ava smirked. "You look angry."

Ethan didn't speak.

He simply pulled out his gun—

And pressed it against her forehead.

The room went silent.

Ava's breath hitched for the first time.

Ethan's voice was deadly calm.

"Give me one reason not to pull this trigger."