Chapter 15 - The Crossfire
Julian pushed the rolling stretcher behind the reinforced shipping container where Clara was waiting, his breath coming in hard, heavy gasps.
“Are you hit?” Clara demanded, running her hands desperately over his bulletproof tactical vest, checking for blood.
“I’m fine,” Julian grunted, reloading his handgun with a fresh magazine in a fraction of a second. He looked down at Leo, who was wide-eyed and clutching the rails of his stretcher, but completely unharmed by the firefight. “You alright, kid?”
“You’re Julian Thorne,” Leo breathed, staring up at the massive, scarred billionaire with naked admiration. “You’re the guy who owns my sister’s company. You just took out three guys like John Wick.”
“Let’s save the hero worship for when we’re off Pier 42,” Julian said, a grim smirk touching his lips before he turned his attention back to the battlefield.
The gunfire in the warehouse was beginning to thin out as Marcus and Alpha team systematically neutralized the remaining Chicago mercenaries. But the main hangar doors at the far end of the building were suddenly jammed shut by a manual lockdown lever, cutting off their primary escape route.
“Boss!” Marcus’s voice crackled urgently through the comms. “Damian is making a run for the private loading dock at the rear of the warehouse! He’s trying to reach his armored speedboat before the Feds arrive!”
Julian’s eyes darkened, the lethal, predatory chill returning to his face with terrifying force. He looked at Clara, resting his hand heavily on her shoulder.
“Stay with Marcus when he comes down from the catwalk,” Julian commanded softly. “Get your brother into the utility truck and drive straight to the safehouse. Do not wait for me.”
Clara grabbed his arm, her grip fierce and unyielding. “Where are you going? Julian, the police are going to be here any minute! The logic bomb broadcasted these coordinates to the FBI!”
“I know,” Julian said, gently peeling her fingers away from his arm and pressing a soft, lingering kiss to her forehead. “Which is why I have exactly five minutes to finish this before the authorities arrive. My brother tried to kill you, Clara. He threatened your family. He doesn't get to walk away from that.”
Before she could stop him, Julian turned and sprinted out from behind the shipping container, disappearing into the dark, smoke-filled labyrinth of the warehouse toward the rear loading docks.
Clara stood frozen for a second, her heart tearing in two between protecting her brother and running after the man who had just saved their lives.
“Clare!” Leo called out from the stretcher, reaching out to grab her hand. “Go help him! He saved me! Don’t let him go alone!”
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She looked down at her clever, brave brother, then looked at the loaded backup pistol Julian had pressed into her hands minutes before. A calm, absolute resolve settled over her exhausted mind.
“Stay low, Leo,” she whispered. “I’ll be right back.”
