SOMEBODY

CHAPTER-3 E. Cross

28 December 2000,

At 1 o'clock in the dead of night, when most of New York City lay asleep and the majority of areas had fallen silent, a black 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge tore through the empty roads at top speed, chasing down five motorbike riders who relentlessly fired shots at the car. As the car pursued them, all five bikers suddenly veered into a small alley, too narrow for the car to enter. However, the car swiftly navigated through another connecting alley wide enough for its passage. By the time the first biker emerged from the alley, the car was already there. The bike crashed into the car from the side, hurling the rider fifteen meters away.

A man stepped out of the 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge, dressed in a black suit and white shirt, wielding a suppressed FNX-45. The other bikers hesitated upon seeing him, backing up their bikes slowly, signaling that they didn't want to provoke the man. Ignoring them, the man in the suit approached the injured biker who was struggling to stand. With a swift kick to the biker's head, the helmet flew off, revealing the terrified face beneath.

"Where is Vladimir Ivanov?" the man demanded.

"I don't know," the biker replied, his voice trembling. In response, the man fired a shot into the biker's leg, eliciting a scream of agony.

"Tell me where Vladimir Ivanov is," the man insisted.

"He's in his safe house on East Town Road," the biker confessed.

Leaving the wounded biker behind, the man returned to his 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge and drove away into the night.

The 4 bikers who escaped from the man called their boss, Vladimir Ivanov, a local drug lord without any mafia family who also follows the Syndicate Directorate but stole 1 ton of cocaine shipment from the Tomino Family. Due to this, the Tomino Family sent their assassin to kill Vladimir Ivanov and get back all the stolen cocaine worth 48 million USD.

"Hello boss, Ethan Cross is hunting for you. We can't stop him. He crashed his car into Albert's bike and got all the information about your location from him," said the biker.

"Let that motherfucker come here. I will fucking kill him," replied Vladimir.

"Yeah, we don't know shit. We ain't coming there 'cause we ain't want no mess with him," said the biker.

"You motherfuckin' cowards!" As Vladimir said this, the biker cut the call.

Vladimir ordered his men to get ready to welcome the man, the most dangerous man this city knows, Ethan Cross.

Ethan Cross hurtled his car at 110 km/h through the narrow streets, heading straight for Vladimir's hideout. As he neared East Town Road, a large truck suddenly emerged from a side alley, filled with armed men. Ethan slammed on the brakes, but it was too late for the car to stop in time. Without hesitation, Ethan grabbed his shotgun and leaped out of the car just before it collided with the truck. Unbeknownst to Vladimir's men, Ethan had rigged his car with a remote bomb. His plan was to detonate it upon reaching Vladimir's hideout, either to breach the gate or the wall. However, the unexpected arrival of the truck foiled his original plan. With no time to waste, Ethan swiftly pressed the button on his remote, triggering the explosion. The blast not only destroyed his car but also engulfed the entire truck, leaving Vladimir's men with no chance to retaliate.

After neutralizing Vladimir's men in the truck, Ethan navigated through a narrow alleyway towards Vladimir's hideout. His shotgun and pistol were both suppressed, ready for stealthy combat. Ethan checked his shotgun, ensuring it was loaded, before advancing cautiously, his senses on high alert. Suddenly, he spotted three men armed with pistols and torches emerging from another alleyway ahead. Reacting swiftly, Ethan concealed himself behind a nearby garbage bin, poised for action. As the men approached, one of them moved closer to peek behind the bin. Seizing the moment, Ethan shoved the garbage bin toward them and unleashed three rapid shots from his shotgun. The shots were muffled, thanks to the suppressor attached to Ethan's weapon, but their impact was devastating. Each shot found its mark with deadly precision, striking the heads, elbows, and abdomens of Vladimir's men, one after the other, in silence.

As Ethan cautiously approached the connecting alley where the men had emerged moments ago, he caught sight of Vladimir's hideout's main gate. Gripping his shotgun in his left hand and his pistol in his right, Ethan moved forward with determination. In the darkness of the alley, four men armed with SMGs stood on the balcony, unaware of Ethan's presence. Seizing the element of surprise, Ethan took aim with his suppressed pistol and fired, dropping one of the men silently. The others remained oblivious, their attention diverted elsewhere. With swift movements, Ethan dashed towards the main gate, exposing himself to their view. In response, the remaining men opened fire with their SMGs, their bullets tearing through the air. Ethan leaped behind the cover of a nearby car, his agility and precision unmatched. In a split-second decision, he fired his pistol mid-air, taking out another assailant with pinpoint accuracy. However, the relentless assault continued, with the two remaining men raining bullets upon him. Suddenly, a grenade soared through the air, hurtling towards Ethan's position. Reacting instinctively, Ethan grabbed the grenade and hurled it back towards his attackers. In a deafening explosion, the grenade detonated, sending shrapnel flying in all directions. Ethan emerged unscathed, protected by the sturdy cover of the car. Amidst the chaos, one of Vladimir's men lay lifeless, while another writhed in agony, wounded by the deadly debris.

Ethan burst out of cover and sprinted towards the gate, his heart pounding in his chest as he beheld the twenty men pouring out from the base's corridor. They had spotted him and were charging forward, pistols blazing in the dim light. With bullets whizzing past him, Ethan made a split-second decision and veered away from the gate, his eyes scanning for a means of escape.