Chapter 134 Sacrifices must be made
Dante's POV
Everything went quiet. The noise stopped for that split second, everything merged into one.
It was not the kind of quiet you hear, it was the kind that swallows you whole.
My ears kept ringing while my vision narrowed down to a tunnel where the only thing left in the world was Marcus tilting over that railing with blood already soaking his shirt.
I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. The footsteps thundering up the stairs, the shooter swinging his rifle up, none of it registered.
All I saw was my brother about to drop three floors to his death.
I moved before my brain patched things up.
I lunged forward with my shoulder slamming into the railing and my arm shooting out as fast as I could.
My fingers closed around the front of Marcus’s jacket just as his boots left the metal.
The sudden weight pulled me hard against the rail as my ribs cracked against the steel.
Pain surged through me, but I locked my grip hard and held on.
Marcus dangled there with one hand grabbing my wrist and the other still holding his gun.
He looked up at my struggling face with blood all over his clothes and gave a crooked grin.
“Little tight on the grip there, Don. You trying to hurt me? Or save me?” He joked.
A laugh nearly escaped my lips, but I suppressed it immediately as a little chuckle nearly led to me letting go.
“Shut up and hold on,” I choked out.
Below us, the door flew open and more of Luca’s men poured through, six, maybe seven rushed in with their rifles up in the air.
Nico rushed towards us and without any wasted second, he dropped to one knee beside me and opened fire.
His shots sparked flames across the stairs and took a few down as he had the advantage.
Two guys dropped while the rest scattered, returning shots that sparked off the railings around us.
Marcus’s weight kept pulling me down as my arm burned and sweat stung my eyes.
“I’ve got you,” I growled through gritted teeth. “Just hold on.”
But the rail was bending and my boots were sliding on the blood-slick step.
Another bullet flashed past my ear and Nico yelled something I couldn’t hear over the gunfire.
He was probably losing out as he was left to hold the line alone.
Marcus looked up again at me with that calm and even carefree smile. “Don… let go,” he muttered.
“No,” I replied immediately.
“I’ve got an idea. Trust me, let go,” he repeated slowly and winked.
I stared at him for what felt like forever, but was barely over a second.
Then, against all my knowledge and heart, I did it, opening my hand and letting go.
Marcus dropped.
And for one horrible second, he fell straight down with his arms spread out.
Then suddenly, both hands came up with his two guns in either hand.
Then he twisted in the air like he’d practiced it a hundred times, firing with an unreal precision.
His bullets hit their target, catching two men on the stairs who were leaning over to aim at us and they toppled.
Halfway to the ground, Marcus turned and aimed for the heavy chain hanging from the overhead pulley system.
The one used to lift crates.
He fired at it twice with the first shot snapping the chain free and the second sending it swinging hard towards him.
Then he caught with both hands as the chain jerked him sideways.
He used the momentum to his advantage and swung far across the open center while still firing at the attackers.
The force took him to the other end of the highest floor as he slammed boots-first onto the floor, right beside a shattered window.
The move silenced the whole structure as it seemed we all paused to witness that master class.
But he didn't rest on that, he was already rolling up and shooting again, covering us from a new angle.
Nico and I didn’t wait any longer. We charged up the last flight, using Marcus’s fire as cover.
I dropped one guy who tried to rush at me while Nico took out the last two on the stairs.
The three of us met on the top floor in that similar unplanned stance with each of us breathing hard and guns out.
But they weren't giving up any time soon. Luca’s men flooded the floor below and started climbing through the spaces and stairs on the outside.
Windows shattered around us as they opened fire from every side and bullets tore through crates and metal.
The air was filled with the intoxicating smell of gunpowder, and something different.
I paused for a second and watched as they began putting masks on their faces while releasing a gas into the building.
They were planning on having us down as fast as possible.
“We need to get out of here!” I shouted and we ran down the hall space till we reached a window that opened up to the woods.
We stopped and stood with our backs to each other as the men approached us from all ends.
“Now what?” Nico asked and I couldn't admit it but we were out of options.
As much as we would love to fight back and we'd probably take them all down, we didn't have enough fire power and it wouldn't take long for the gas to get to us.
And when that happens, it's goodnight from there.
I thought fast then turned around and spotted the trees. That's when the idea came.
“We jump,” I muttered, staring down the window.
“What?” Nico asked.
“Yes, we jumped. Hopefully the trees break our fall, if not, better than letting Luca's men take me down,” I replied.
“Don, that's crazy, it's suicide,” Nico exclaimed and I turned as they reached the top of the stares.
“And I'd rather die by my hands, or feet, than let someone take me out,” Marcus interjected and I nodded.
One of the reasons I would die to save him.
Nico nodded as well and I kicked the glass open.
Through the space now, we could see the dark lines of thick trees, pines and big leaves right below us. It was at least twenty feet down though.
But Marcus was already moving. “Let’s go!” He yelled and jumped out the window.
“Marcus!” Nico yelled and shared a glance with me.
I looked back as the men neared and shrugged at him.
He nodded, took a step back and jumped out, leaving me last.
For a split second, I hesitated. Not because I was scared of jumping, but cause I knew who caused this all.
I knew who started this, and I knew who had to end this. It's been my fault from the beginning for bringing in Serena.
I've lost men, money and goods cause of my selfishness. I guess it's about time I did the right thing.