CHAPTER THREE: Run With the Devil
1843 Words
The apartment door exploded inward with a deafening crash.
Wood splintered across the living room floor.
Five masked men stormed inside, each dressed in black tactical gear, assault rifles raised as if they had rehearsed this moment countless times.
"Target confirmed!"
"Kill them both!"
The words echoed through the apartment.
Elena's heart lurched.
Them both?
She barely had time to process the sentence before the mysterious man tightened his grip on her wrist.
"Move."
His voice remained calm.
Almost too calm.
Gunfire erupted.
Glass shattered behind them as bullets tore through the apartment wall.
The stranger yanked Elena behind the kitchen island just before another volley ripped across the room.
Fragments of marble sprayed into the air.
Elena instinctively covered her head.
"What is happening?" she shouted.
"No time."
"Who are they?"
"They're here for you."
Her eyes widened.
"For me?"
"And now..."
He glanced toward the destroyed front entrance.
"...they know I'm here too."
Another burst of bullets slammed into the kitchen.
The stranger looked around quickly, calculating.
His eyes settled on the balcony.
Without another word, he grabbed the dining table and flipped it onto its side, creating a temporary shield.
"Stay behind me."
Elena stared.
"You think that table will stop bullets?"
"No."
"Then why—"
"It'll slow them down."
Three gunmen rounded the corner.
The stranger moved before Elena even saw them.
A pistol appeared in his hand.
Three muffled shots.
Pop.
Pop.
Pop.
The first attacker collapsed.
The second fell before he could fire.
The third barely managed to raise his rifle before another bullet struck his shoulder.
He screamed.
Elena stood frozen.
She had expected panic.
Not precision.
Not perfection.
The stranger never wasted a movement.
Every shot found its target.
Every step was measured.
Like he'd done this a thousand times before.
He grabbed her hand again.
"Run."
They sprinted toward the balcony.
Another explosion shook the apartment.
The remaining attackers were throwing flash grenades.
White light filled the room.
Elena cried out as her vision blurred.
The stranger wrapped one arm around her shoulders and pushed her through the smoke.
Fresh night air hit her face.
The balcony overlooked the alley six stories below.
"There isn't anywhere to go!" she yelled.
"There is."
He climbed over the railing.
Elena looked at him as though he'd lost his mind.
"You can't be serious."
He pointed upward.
She followed his gaze.
A maintenance ladder hung just above the balcony.
He jumped.
His gloved hand caught the bottom rung effortlessly.
With one powerful pull, he climbed onto the fire escape.
Then looked down at her.
"Jump."
"I'm not doing that."
More gunfire erupted behind her.
A bullet shattered the balcony door.
The stranger's voice hardened.
"Now."
Elena swallowed.
She hated heights.
Absolutely hated them.
Another bullet ricocheted off the railing inches from her leg.
She didn't think anymore.
She jumped.
Strong hands caught her wrists before she could fall.
The stranger pulled her upward with surprising ease.
Within seconds they were climbing toward the roof.
The attackers rushed onto the balcony below.
"They're escaping!"
"Shoot them!"
Bullets sparked against the metal ladder.
The stranger climbed faster.
Elena forced herself to keep moving despite the burning pain in her arms.
Finally...
They reached the rooftop.
Helicopter blades suddenly echoed through the night.
Elena looked up.
A black helicopter emerged from behind a nearby skyscraper.
Its spotlight swept across the rooftop.
"Oh no..."
The stranger remained expressionless.
"They came prepared."
"You know them?"
"I know what they're capable of."
The helicopter's loudspeaker crackled.
"There's nowhere left to run."
Several figures rappelled from the helicopter onto the opposite side of the rooftop.
They carried military-grade weapons.
This wasn't a gang.
This was an organized strike team.
The stranger slowly removed the magazine from his pistol.
Only two bullets remained.
He slid it back into place.
Elena noticed.
"That's all you have?"
"For this gun."
She blinked.
"For this gun?"
He reached beneath his jacket.
A second pistol.
Then another.
She stared.
"Exactly who are you?"
Before he could answer, a voice boomed from the helicopter.
"Damien Blackwood!"
The rooftop fell silent.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Elena looked at the man beside her.
Then back toward the helicopter.
Her breathing became uneven.
No...
Impossible.
The mysterious stranger slowly turned toward her.
For the first time since they met...
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I suppose introductions are overdue."
Her mouth went dry.
"You..."
He nodded once.
"My name..."
Gunfire interrupted him.
Bullets ripped across the rooftop.
Damien grabbed Elena and threw both of them behind a massive air-conditioning unit just as concrete exploded where they'd been standing.
The battle had only just begun.
The air-conditioning unit shuddered violently as bullets tore into its metal casing.
Sparks erupted around them.
Elena instinctively covered her head while Damien remained perfectly still, listening instead of looking.
Three seconds.
Four.
Five.
Then...
"They're splitting up," he said calmly.
"What?"
"They're trying to surround us."
Another burst of gunfire answered him.
"They're coming from both sides."
Elena looked at him as though he had lost his mind.
"You can tell that just by listening?"
"I've survived long enough because I pay attention."
He quickly removed a small earpiece from inside his jacket and placed it in his ear.
"Victor."
A voice crackled immediately.
"Boss."
"Status."
"We're two minutes away."
"Too long."
"We've run into roadblocks."
"They're yours?"
"No. Someone planned this."
Damien's jaw tightened.
"I figured."
The line went silent.
Elena stared at him.
"You have people coming?"
He ignored the question.
Instead, he looked at her.
"When I say run..."
"I'm getting tired of hearing that."
"...don't stop."
"You still haven't explained anything."
"I will."
"When?"
"If we survive."
---
The attackers closed in.
Heavy boots echoed across the rooftop.
One...
Two...
Three directions.
They were being boxed in.
Damien slowly rose from behind the air-conditioning unit.
"Stay here."
"What?"
Before she could stop him, he stepped into the open.
Immediately, bullets rained toward him.
Instead of retreating...
He charged.
Elena watched in disbelief.
He moved with terrifying precision.
One attacker lunged toward him.
Damien sidestepped, grabbed the man's wrist, twisted sharply—
Crack.
The rifle clattered onto the rooftop.
Before the second attacker could react, Damien kicked the weapon into the air, caught it effortlessly, and fired three controlled shots.
Two enemies fell.
The third dove behind a ventilation shaft.
Damien tossed the empty rifle aside.
He hated carrying unnecessary weight.
Another masked man attacked from behind.
Elena saw him first.
"Behind you!"
Damien spun.
The attacker's knife flashed beneath the rooftop lights.
Too close.
The blade sliced across Damien's shoulder.
Blood stained his black suit.
He didn't even flinch.
Instead, he caught the attacker's arm, drove his elbow into the man's throat, and slammed him onto the concrete.
The fight lasted less than five seconds.
Silence returned.
For a moment.
Then...
The helicopter's searchlight fixed directly on Damien.
A familiar voice echoed through a loudspeaker.
"Enough games."
Damien's expression changed instantly.
He recognized that voice.
"Show yourself," Damien said.
The helicopter door slid open.
A man stepped forward.
Expensive charcoal-gray suit.
Silver tie.
Polished shoes.
He looked more like the CEO of a Fortune 500 company than someone leading an assassination squad.
He smiled.
"Still alive."
Damien's eyes narrowed.
"Lucas."
Elena looked between them.
"You know him?"
Neither man answered.
Lucas leaned casually against the helicopter doorway.
"You've become difficult to kill."
"I disappoint people."
Lucas laughed.
"You always did."
He looked toward Elena.
"So..."
"This is the famous journalist."
Elena's stomach tightened.
"You know who I am?"
"We've known who you are for years."
Years?
She had never seen this man before.
"What do you mean?"
Lucas ignored her.
Instead, he looked back at Damien.
"You should've stayed away from her."
"I don't take orders from cowards."
Lucas sighed dramatically.
"Such a shame."
He snapped his fingers.
Immediately...
More gunmen appeared on surrounding rooftops.
Laser sights danced across Damien's chest.
Across Elena's forehead.
Dozens of them.
They were trapped.
Lucas smiled.
"I'll give you one chance."
He raised one finger.
"Hand her over."
Damien didn't move.
Lucas raised a second finger.
"Or both of you die."
The rooftop became eerily quiet.
Even the wind seemed to pause.
Elena looked at Damien.
She barely knew him.
He could save himself.
All he had to do...
Was let her go.
She stepped away from him.
"It's okay."
Damien frowned.
"What are you doing?"
"If they want me..."
"They don't."
"They literally just said—"
"They want what you know."
"I don't know anything."
"You will."
She stared at him.
None of this made sense.
Why was everyone acting as though she were important?
Lucas checked his watch.
"My patience is running out."
Damien slowly reached inside his jacket.
The snipers immediately tightened their aim.
Lucas smiled.
"Good."
"I knew you'd make the right decision."
Damien pulled out...
A small black remote.
Lucas' smile vanished.
"No..."
Damien pressed the button.
Half a second later...
The rooftop beneath Lucas' helicopter erupted into flames.
The explosion shook the entire building.
The helicopter lurched violently.
Its pilot fought desperately to regain control.
Smoke swallowed the landing area.
"What have you done?" Lucas shouted.
Damien grabbed Elena's hand.
"Now!"
They sprinted across the rooftop.
Behind them, the helicopter listed dangerously to one side before crashing into an adjacent communications tower.
A deafening explosion lit up the night sky.
Fire spread across the rooftop.
Sirens echoed throughout the city.
Damien led Elena toward the edge of the building.
She looked down.
"No."
He didn't answer.
Instead, he fired a grappling hook toward the neighboring skyscraper.
The cable locked into place.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"We're out of options."
"I've never done this before!"
"There's a first time for everything."
Without warning...
He wrapped one arm around her waist.
"What are you doing?"
"Holding on."
"I can see that!"
"Good."
Then they jumped.
The cable whined under their combined weight as they shot across the street.
Elena squeezed her eyes shut.
Wind roared in her ears.
Far below...
Traffic continued as though nothing extraordinary was happening above.
Within seconds, they slammed onto the neighboring rooftop.
Damien rolled, absorbing most of the impact before helping Elena to her feet.
She stared at him, breathing hard.
"You..."
She struggled to find words.
"...you're insane."
For the first time...
Damien laughed.
A quiet, genuine laugh.
"So I've been told."
Before Elena could reply, dozens of police sirens erupted below.
Blue and red lights surrounded both buildings.
News helicopters began circling overhead.
Blackridge had just witnessed one of the biggest explosions in its history.
And every police officer in the city would be searching for one man.
Damien Blackwood.
He looked toward the city lights, then back at Elena.
"They won't stop hunting you now."
She swallowed.
"Who are they?"
Damien's expression turned serious once more.
"They're called..."
He paused.
"...The Covenant."
Lightning split the sky.
And somewhere in the darkness...
Someone watched them through the scope of a sniper rifle.
A gloved finger tightened around the trigger.
- Writer
