MASKED ALLEGIANCE

chapter 3

The bright headlights blinded Victor for a split second. The heavy black van roared down the narrow alleyway with its tires throwing up dirty water from the puddles on the ground. It was speeding directly toward him with no intention of stopping.

Victor did not panic. His body reacted before his mind even had time to process the danger.

He lunged backward just as the front bumper of the van slammed into the side of his parked sedan with a loud screech of twisting metal and shattering glass. The impact pushed his car hard against the brick wall, crushing the driver side door completely.

If Victor had been half a second slower, he would have been crushed between the two vehicles.

The sliding side door of the moving van flew open before the vehicle had even come to a full stop. Two large men wearing heavy black tactical gear and ski masks jumped out onto the wet pavement. They rushed toward Victor with heavy boots splashing in the water.

Target is secured, one of them shouted into a small radio clipped to his collar. Grab him now.

Victor spun around as the first attacker swung a heavy fist straight at his face. He ducked under the punch at the last second, stepping inside the man guard. With sharp precision, Victor drove his elbow upward into the attacker chin. A loud crunch echoed through the alley as the man stumbled backward, dropping to his knees.

The second attacker did not hesitate. He pulled a heavy metal baton from his belt and lunged forward, swinging it wildly toward Victor ribs.

Victor twisted his body to the side, letting the baton graze his jacket. He grabbed the man extended wrist with both hands, using his full body weight to twist the arm downward while driving a sharp kick straight into the man stomach.

The attacker gasped for air, his eyes rolling back as he collapsed hard onto the wet concrete.

Heavy footsteps echoed from the other end of the alley. More men were pouring out from behind the van, flashlights cutting through the dark shadows. They had reinforcements coming from the main street.

Victor did not wait to fight them all. He sprinted past the back of the van, leaping over a stack of plastic crates and scaling a low brick wall that led toward the neighboring street.

He dropped silently onto the pavement on the other side, blending into the shadows of the busy downtown avenue. He kept his head down, walking fast as he blended in with the late night pedestrians.

After walking three blocks, Victor pulled his phone from his pocket and pressed a single speed dial button. The call connected instantly.

They sent a hit squad to the hotel, Victor said, his breath still coming in slow, controlled rhythms. They knew I was there.

The voice on the other end went silent for a moment. When the person spoke again, the tone was colder and sharper than before.

That means Arthur does not just suspect you are back, the voice replied softly. It means he is terrified enough to kill you. And that means he is about to make his first big mistake.

Victor looked up at the towering skyscrapers glowing against the rainy night sky.

Let him make it, Victor whispered. I am ready.

He turned the corner toward the subway station, but as he stepped under the flickering light of the streetlamp, a black luxury town car slowed down right beside the curb. The rear window rolled down smoothly, revealing a face Victor never expected to see again.