Rain hammered the ground like bullets from the heavens.
The forest burned with flashes of gunfire and the echo of shouts of chaos swallowing every breath.
"ISABELLA!" Damian's voice tore through the night. His pulse pounded in his ears as he pushed through smoke and mud, gun raised, eyes wild. Luca was beside him, bleeding from a graze on his arm but still firing back at the advancing line of shadows.
"They're surrounding us!" Luca shouted.
Damian cursed under his breath. "Adrian's moving faster than I thought."
Then came the sound of an engine revving, tires crushing gravel a black SUV cutting through the trees, its headlights a blinding flare.
"Down!" Damian roared, shoving Isabella to the ground as bullets shattered the branches overhead.
Sophia fired toward the lights, her face pale but focused. "They're flanking left!"
Luca moved to cover her, returning fire. "Damian, get her out of here!"
