One attacker jumps the last five steps, landing behind a generator.He fires blindly.
Riot lunges sideways, rolling behind a pillar.
He fires twice.The man collapses with a grunt.
Another figure moves along the left wall, silent like a ghost.
I see him before Riot does.“RIOT—LEFT!”I scream.
Riot whips around, but the intruder already has the gun raised.
Time slows.
Riot can’t dodge in time.He’s too far.He’s exposed.
So I move.
I don’t think.I don’t breathe.
I act.
I raise the gun Riot gave me and fire.
The recoil shocks my entire arm, jolting through my shoulder so hard my bones vibrate.But the bullet lands.
The man jerks, stumbling backward, gun flying from his hand as he collapses against the wall.
Everything stops.
Riot’s head snaps toward me.
His eyes—oh God.
Raw.Wide.
Something between horror and pride and terror.
“Kelly,” he starts.
But another masked man barrels down the steps behind him, swinging something heavy.Riot ducks as it smashes into the pole.Sparks fly.
Riot spins, fist connecting with the man’s jaw—once, twice, three times—until the masked figure drops like a stone.
But I barely process it.
All I can hear is the ringing in my ears.All I can feel is the tremor in my arm.All I can taste is adrenaline.
I shot someone.To protect him.
The realization hits hard, but before I can spiral— THUNK.
The emergency exit behind us slams open from the outside.
Riot curses.“Backup door—should’ve been locked.FUCK!”
A massive figure steps in, a different build than the others.Taller.Heavier.Almost strangely calm.
He wears a different mask.
