Fifty-nine

Fifty-nine
Isabela

The ringing in my ears from the gunshot was deafening. My breath hitched as I saw Gabriel’s body twist, his momentum carrying him to the ground. For a moment, time stopped. The chaos around us became muffled, a blur of shadows and movement.

“Gabriel!” I screamed, breaking out of my frozen state. My feet moved before my brain could process what was happening. I darted toward him, ducking behind a pillar as bullets ricocheted off the stone walls.

Gabriel gritted his teeth, clutching his shoulder where blood seeped through his shirt. His gun was still in his other hand, and despite the pain, his sharp eyes tracked every movement around us.

“Get out of here, Isabela!” he barked, his voice filled with equal parts anger and desperation.

“I’m not leaving you!” I shouted back, my hands trembling as I fumbled for the pistol I’d grabbed earlier. My fingers closed around the grip, and I steadied myself behind the pillar.

“You’re going to get yourself killed!” he growled, firing a shot that sent one of André’s men sprawling.

I peeked out, my heart hammering as I spotted another gunman advancing toward us. Without thinking, I raised my weapon and pulled the trigger. The recoil jolted through me, but the shot hit its mark. The man fell, and I quickly ducked back behind the pillar.

Gabriel’s eyes met mine, a flicker of surprise and pride breaking through the tension. “Nice shot,” he muttered, his lips quirking into a grim smile.

Before I could respond, the hallway erupted into chaos again. Gabriel’s guards arrived, their coordinated movements swiftly turning the tide of the fight. The gunfire began to subside as André’s men retreated, their plans falling apart under the pressure.

Minutes later, silence fell over the west wing. The acrid smell of gunpowder lingered in the air as Gabriel’s guards secured the area. I knelt beside him, pressing my hands against the wound on his shoulder to staunch the bleeding.

“You’re insane,” he said, his voice low but tinged with something softer. “Running into a firefight like that.”

“I wasn’t going to let you die,” I shot back, tears stinging my eyes. “Don’t ever ask me to stay behind again.”

Gabriel’s hand covered mine, his touch warm despite the blood staining his skin. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he murmured, his gaze searching mine. “Thank you.”

The moment hung between us, fragile and filled with unspoken emotions. But it was broken by Laura’s voice crackling through Gabriel’s earpiece.

“The perimeter is secure,” she reported. “But we’ve got a problem. André wasn’t here. This was a diversion.”

Gabriel’s expression darkened. “A diversion for what?”

There was a pause on the line before Laura’s voice came back, sharper now. “The docks. André’s making his move on the shipment we intercepted. He’s trying to recover it.”

Gabriel swore under his breath, pushing himself to his feet despite the pain. “We need to move. Now.”

I grabbed his arm, steadying him. “You’re hurt. You can’t go rushing into another fight like this.”

“I don’t have a choice,” he said, his voice firm. “If André gets his hands on that shipment, everything we’ve worked for falls apart.”

I shook my head, my grip tightening on his arm. “Then let me go. You need to rest and regroup. I can do this, Gabriel.”

“Absolutely not,” he snapped, his protective instincts flaring. “I won’t risk losing you.”

“And I won’t risk losing you,” I countered, my voice trembling with emotion. “We’re in this together, remember? Let me help.”

Gabriel’s jaw tightened as he wrestled with the decision. Finally, he nodded, but his eyes bore into mine with a seriousness that made my chest ache.

“Stay close to Laura,” he said. “And don’t take unnecessary risks.”

The ride to the docks was tense, the air inside the SUV thick with anticipation. Gabriel’s guards flanked the vehicle, their presence a reminder of the stakes. Laura sat beside me, her tablet glowing as she relayed updates from the surveillance team.

“André’s forces are concentrated on the main warehouse,” she said. “They’re trying to break through the outer defenses we set up.”

Gabriel, seated in the front seat, turned to face us. “We’ll split into two teams. One will secure the shipment, and the other will cut off their escape routes. André doesn’t leave that warehouse.”

I nodded, determination hardening my resolve. “Let’s finish this.”

The scene at the docks was a battlefield. Floodlights illuminated the area, casting harsh shadows over the chaos. Gabriel’s team moved with precision, their training evident as they engaged André’s men.

Laura and I stayed close to the perimeter, monitoring the situation through her tablet. The sound of gunfire and shouted orders filled the air, but my focus was on Gabriel. Even injured, he commanded the field, his presence a steady force amid the chaos.

“He’s incredible,” Laura muttered, her eyes following his movements. “But he’s pushing himself too hard.”

I didn’t respond, my chest tightening as I watched him dodge a bullet and take down another adversary. The sight filled me with equal parts pride and terror.

“We’ve got movement,” Laura said suddenly, pointing to the screen. “André’s trying to slip out through the south exit.”

My heart raced. “We can’t let him escape.”

Grabbing a nearby radio, Laura relayed the information to Gabriel. “André’s on the move. South exit. He’s got backup.”

Gabriel’s response was immediate. “I’m on it. Keep Isabela safe.”

But as the seconds ticked by, I knew I couldn’t just stand there. Before Laura could stop me, I was running toward the south exit, my heart pounding in my ears.

I reached the exit just as André stepped into view, flanked by two heavily armed men. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw me, a cold smile spreading across his face.

“Isabela,” he said, his voice dripping with mockery. “How brave of you to join us.”

“It’s over, André,” I said, aiming my pistol at him. My hands trembled, but I held my ground. “Surrender now, or you won’t leave this place alive.”

He laughed, a low, menacing sound. “Do you really think you can stop me?”

Before I could respond, gunfire erupted behind me. Gabriel appeared, his presence a shield against my fear. André’s men turned their attention to him, giving me the opening I needed.

I lunged forward, grabbing the gun from André’s hand and knocking him off balance. He fell to the ground, his smirk replaced by a snarl of rage.

Gabriel was at my side in an instant, his gun trained on André. “It’s over,” he said, his voice deadly calm.

But André’s smile returned, and he reached into his jacket, pulling out a detonator. “Not yet.”

The warehouse behind us erupted in flames, the shockwave knocking us to the ground. As debris rained down, I realized with chilling clarity that this fight was far from over.