Love beyond ice

Ambush

The first light of dawn painted the sky in pale hues,the golden reflection from the sun was mixed with the previous night’s dusk, creating a mesmerizing purple layout in the sky. The black-havens estate buzzed with the energy of impending action.

Carson’s men were ready, their weapons gleaming to the reflection of the early morning sun. Everything was in place for the retaliation against Lord Gabez and his crew,except for one crucial element-Esme. Don Carson stormed through the corridors,his frustration mounting. “Where is Esme?”he demanded in a rash tone,his voice echoing through the halls. “She was here last night. His right hand man-Azai,was equally puzzled. “I’ve sent out men to search the entire estate,Don,but there is no sign of her. Its like she completely vanished into thin air” Carson’s jaw tightened. “Gabez may have a hand in this,and if so,it means to there is a traitor amongst us” Carson spat agressively, as he monitored closely,all his men’s faces and dispositions. “We can’t delay this pending mission, let’s move.” Carson ordered, getting into the last SUV,along the long line of sleek black SUV’s arranged for the mission. The convoy moved through the city with practiced precision,as the SUV’s sliced through the morning traffic with its passengers tense and ready for battle. Carson’s mind was in a storm of thoughts,trying to reconcile the sudden disappearance of fake Esme,with the mission at hand.

As they approached Gabez’s lair,an old industrial complex on the outskirts of the city,Carson’s instincts were on high alert as the resistance they encountered was fierce,more organized than anticipated. Gunfire erupted,echoing through the corridors,as Carson led the charge,his focus being unshakable. “Stay tight!,push forward!” He ordered ,his voice cutting through the chaos,while Azai was at his side,and their coordination,sleek.

Fake Esme had slipped away during the early hours of the morning,as her mission was to create a distraction- making Carson distracted enough to stay behind and order a search for her,while he sends his men forth to the ambushed battle,wiping out his forces. She wanted to play smart with Lord Gabez,while protecting Carson. “After the battle, lord Gabez would be convinced he had won,which would enable me plan an escape with Carson,and buy some time to double cross Gabez,while the real Esme gets eliminated in the process,and I remain forever with Carson!” Fake Esme planned with herself,as she sleekly snuck away from the estate. She knew the attack was imminent,and her goal was to ensure Carson and his forces were distracted and divided (without Carson being in the battle,Gabez and his men would have the upperhand,over Carson’s men).

She found a secluded spot away far away from the war zone,monitoring the situation and reporting back to Gabez-unknowingly to her that Carson was at the forefront of the attack. Gabez’s men prepared for the assault,and executed their ambush with precision,while Carson’s men were met with a barrage of gunfire,the corridors becoming a deadly trap.

They fought valiantly,but it quickly became evident that they were walking into a well laid ambush. Azai noticed the increasing chaos. “This isn’t right Carson, we are being outmaneuvered!” Azai exclaimed whilst Carson’s eyes narrowed. “We obviously can’t back down now. We need to push through and get to Gabez.”

Back at the warehouse,unknowingly to Esme,her fake clone, had already plotted with a few of Gabez’s men to handle her assassination, while the war goes on. Esme had already spent days gradually and undetectably loosening the ropes binding her wrists, and carefully studying the guards routines. Her chance for escape arrived when a new guard grew careless, leaving her cell door slightly ajar, for some minutes break. with a surge of adrenaline, Esme slipped out of her bindings, and crept in the dimly lit corridors. She knew the layout of the warehouse from the faint sounds, she had memorized while being captured for sometime. Her heart raced as she neared an exit, with the cool night’s air beckoning her. Just as she was about to make her escape, she heard footsteps approaching. Thinking quickly, she ducked into a dark corner, her breath held quickly,as the guards passed by. When her coast was clear, she continued her escape,determined to get far away from the warehouse before she is caught, and also find a way to warn Don Carson about Gabez’s plan,and the clone.

Back at the city, the battle raged on,but Carson’s forces were dwindling. Half of his men were down,wounded or dead- the ambush was taking its toll on them. Carson pushed forward to reach Gabez and take him down,but the sudden realization that they were outmatched started to sink in.

Azai,who covered Carson’s back closely, observed a strange setup by Gabez’s men, trying to take Carson out from a distance with a single shot. Without thinking twice,before the blink of an eye,Azai jumped right in front of Carson,pushing him away and taking the shot right on his heart. He fell to the ground,his eyes wide in utter shock. “Azai!!!” Carson shouted,rushing to his side.

Blood pooled around Azai ,his breath coming in ragged gasps. “Stay with me”,Carson urged ,trying to suppress the gush with his palms,and his heart heavy with grief and hate.

Azai’s hands grilled Carson’s,his strength fading “don’t… give up,” he whispered,his voice now barely audible. “Find Esme…stop Gabez…” With a final,shuddering breath,Azai’s grip slackened,and he was gone. Carson’s heart ached with the loss of his loyal right hand man,who had been like a close blood to him over the years,and his loyalty unmatched by no one else. Carson knew that he couldn’t let grief consume him at the moment,as he had to keep fighting. Eventually realized that they were outnumbered and outgunned,Carson knew that they had to retreat either ways. He couldn’t risk loosing more of his men anymore,and with a heavy heart,he gave the order. “Fall back!” He shouted,his voice carrying over the chaos.“we need to regroup”

The remaining members of his team fought their way out,carrying their wounded with them. Carson made sure that Azai wasn’t left behind,as the best he could do was give him his last respect befittingly,with a proper respectable burial. The retreat was chaotic,but they were able to eventually escape,leaving behind a trail of blood and destruction.

Back at black-havens estate,Carson regrouped with his remaining men. The loss of Azai weighed heavily on him,but he couldn’t afford to dwell on it much longer as there were more serious issues to tackle at the moment. He had to find a way to take down Gabez once and for all.

As he entered the mansion,exhausted and grief stricken,he was met with a sight that stopped him right in his tracks. Esme was there,standing in the foyer,looking concerned and disheveled. “Esme!” Carson sparked in anger. “What happened to you? Where did you go? On whose accord did you leave the estate…? I demand to know !” Carson fumed. Fake Esme stepped forward,her eyes wide with a convincing mix of fear and faked sincerity. “I’m sorry Don,I got a rumor from one of our guard,that a link to our communication system was disrupted, and I rushed out immediately at the early hours of the morning to get it fixed and secured before the attack. I wanted to contact you first,but knowing you must have been eager and pressurized,I decided to head out quickly,and handle the situation as fast as possible,before the crew heads out”

Carson’s gaze softened,his anger and frustration melting away. “You shouldn’t have gone alone,I thought I lost you again” he breathed ,his voice both stern and gentle. “But I’m glad that you are safe!”.

Carson, completely unaware of the real Esme’s fate,ordered an immediate regroup,and sent out messages to his close reliable fellow Dons and Lords,ordering for more men and weapons to be shipped directly into the city immediately!.

He isn’t going to backdown till he has seen the end of the powerful treacherous Lord Gabez. The ambush had been a devastating blow,and he had ordered for the supposed traitor to be fished out as soon as possible,vowing to avenge Azai,and the fallen.

Back at the eerie quiet road,a distance away from the warehouse,Esme ran as fast as legs carried her,to find help and contact Carson. The sky dimmed slowly,as dusk emerged with a full blown force. The crickets chirped,and frogs croaked from the bushy plantations at the side of the road,as the roads became more silent and dreadful with each ticking second. Esme’sheart pounded with fear,hope and determination as she had escaped the worst,and anticipated for the best. As she darted across the darkened streets,she didn’t see the little truck barreling towards her until it was too late. The forceful impact was brutal,as it sent her sprawling across the pavements,with her visions gradually fading,and faint voices sounding disoriented in her eardrums,as she finally slipped into a world of unconsciousness…