Chapter 157 The Hunted becomes the Hunter
\[Lilia\]
I snatched the lighter off the table, cracking it a few times before it sparkled into flames.
I first melted the rope around my ankle, ignoring the heat and blowing the fire out before it could burn me alive. The ties loosened and I was able to free my feet first. I can now stand with ease but my hands were quite difficult to release since I cannot hold the lighter properly to burn it from my wrists.
There must be something in here.
I rummaged through his drawers and closets, trying to find anything until I found a Swiss knife buried under the layers of scratch paper. I flicked the blade and quickly dropped to the floor, sandwiching the handle in between my feet then started sawing the rope. It takes longer than burning it, but eventually, I finally cut the rope in half. Using the Swiss knife, I picked the lock on the doorknob, just like how Sasha taught me. Surprisingly, without her guidance, I managed to twist the knob and unlock the whole thing.
I wanted to celebrate but I still had to find Kael before I could do that. Creeping into the deserted hallway, I followed the sound where the gunfire roared. I held the knife firmly in my hand in case one of Ronan’s men jumped out of nowhere and attacked me. It’s better to be ready than to be sorry.
Right on the corner where I was about to descend down the stairs, something suddenly makes me halt in my tracks. I followed the whimpering voice and right behind the huge grandfather clock, Linda’s trembling frame curled on the floor.
“Linda, what are you doing here? I crouched down, touching her shoulders, but she only flinched away in fear. Her eyes were wide with terror, but then she relaxed as soon as she realized it was me.
“Lilia! Oh!” She suddenly throws her arms around me. The tears she had been holding burst into her eyes.
“The blast! It killed almost everyone. I was only able to leave the kitchen when it happened…” her words spurted out of her mouth into incomprehensible mumblings but fortunately, I was able to make out what she was saying.
Even though I was frightened myself, I tried not to show it to her. I just let Linda embrace me for a moment until her body stopped quivering.
“Linda listened. We need to get out of here.” I tell her firmly, wanting her to keep her wits together if she wants us to get out of here safely. She only nodded, not trusting her voice, and I motioned her to follow me closely.
We threaded wounded down the stairs, the knife positioned in front of me, ready to stab anyone that would come our way. My gaze landed around the mayhem that just happened along the foyer. Bits of debris scattered around the area, shards of broken glasses, and unalive bodies strewn haphazardly from the impact. Relief washed over me as I veered my eyes over the corpses and hadn’t seen a familiar bulk. That means Kael had gotten away after the blast.
“Wait here,” I tell Linda.
As soon as we reached the last step, my attention went to the closest body of a guard laying upside down on the floor. I hastened my steps towards the body and snatched the gun off his hand. It wasn’t a high caliber, but it is good enough to defend ourselves aside from the Swiss knife that I am holding. I quickly checked the magazine, thanking the gods to find out it was loaded. Then I click it back in place, unlocking the safety pin before I go back to get Linda.
She looked at me with her eyes still wide with perplexity, her gaze drifting back and forth to the gun I was holding.
“Do you know how to use that?”
“Trust me, it can save us both,” I said, cocking my head, wordlessly telling her to move. Instinctively, she follows without asking too many questions.
I have no idea how to distinguish Ronan’s guard from the one that is actually on our side. They have the same uniform, but as far as I have observed earlier, they were following the bastard’s orders instead of Pa. So that only means one thing, they all have turned against my grandfather, which means they are all my enemies as well.
Linda and I trailed closer to the wall, the gun poised on my hand, ready to fire just as everything around us was thrown into full-blown chaos.
“La signorina sta scappando!” (The young lady is escaping)
Shit!
I quickly turned to grab Linda’s wrist and shoved her behind the concrete landscape.
“Get down!”
Bullets went whizzing past me and immediately duck, barely dodging above my head. I turned my head around trying to find where the shots were coming from, but all I could see was dust and bits of concrete flying around where the bullets hit.
Damn it! I never shot a human before. I practiced on moving dummies, but never on something that breathes life.
“Where, going to die, la signorina.” Linda wept, her hands clamped on her ears, crying and shaking excessively.
“No, Linda. We are not. Trust me.” I tried to be brave. I don’t want her to lose hope just because she thought I couldn’t fight. I have my baby to protect, not just myself, and I will not leave her alone unguarded.
“Stay down, and try to calm yourself.” I vehemently said, slowly getting up from my hiding place, I discreetly looked around.
I spotted two of Ronan’s moving in our direction, and without waiting for them to see me, I pointed the gun, aiming for their heads. My arms were shaking, and my throat felt like a barbed wire coiling around my airways, but I tried to compose myself and curled my index into the trigger. I forced myself to inhale deeply, focusing my gaze on my target.
Just like I practiced.
I took the shot, my arms braced for the recoil, but I ignored the pain blasting on my shoulder and quickly shifted and shot the remaining guard. They didn’t expect me to be handling weapons, nor thought I knew how to use one, and I took their startled reaction to my advantage. Firing at them before they could recover.
My first bullet penetrated into the guard’s head, while the second one came passing through his throat. I watch their bodies as they fall through the ground, my eyes wide at the thought of them dead.
I killed a man.
Guilt gnawing at my chest, but the fear of getting myself killed and my baby overweight that feeling.
I turn my attention back to Linda and take her hands.
“We need to get moving.”