Shielding You ("The Shadows" Series: Book II)

4.

'Are we ready?' Angelo asks Matteo on the earpiece.

'Yup. You can enter on the count of three...3...2...1...GO!'

Angelo and Lorenzo entered through the door of the roof that they had already picked the lock of and started down the stairs stealthily, leaving behind two bodies with a hole in the centre of their forehead...who had seen them entering the vicinity.

Having the layout of the building memorized from the map, they knew they had to be alert for the oncoming group of guards on the fourth floor. They had to keep the count of casualties to the minimum.

'Four incoming. Standby.' Matteo ordered, making the two still midstep. After a few moments they heard static before Matteo's voice was heard.

'Change of shift. Move.'

Now they had to get to the first floor in exactly two minutes without being seen. They hid in the shadows and did their best to complete their ascend, but almost got caught on the second floor. Angleo looked at Lorenzo from the other side of the hallway where the two had been separated because of the guy who had emerged from the bathroom.

The first variable.

Angelo waited with bated breath as he saw Lorenzo making his way towards the guy from behind, and launched at him with his fist tightened.

Locking his neck, his other hand reached for the mouth simultaneously and pressed it shut. The guy started jerking in the grip, only for Lorenzo to tighten the hold and pushing himself onto the wall so that the man's hands couldn't grab him. Angelo kept an eye out when suddenly the sound of cracking replaced and ended the sound of muffled scuffling. Angelo's head whipped around to see the legs of the guy being dragged behind the curtains and Lorenzo stepping out a second later.

'Did he just-'

'He knew me.' Lorenzo's gruff voice answered Matteo and Angelo's exchange on the earpiece while walking ahead with nonchalance. Angelo reigned in his exasperation and did a double check on the body before following Lorenzo.

They reached the first floor and the change in shift was over. Now they had no choice but to get downstairs, face the guards and save their own hide. Matteo clicked a few buttons on his computer and checked back in.

Fortunately for them, the stairs were clear.

'You have five minutes. Go!' No more incentive was needed.

Lorenzo and Angelo reached as close to the door of the basement as possible from their hiding spots and exchanged glances. Nodding at each other, they started attacking the closer ones.

Angelo had chloroform but he too knew that it would take time for it to work on those bulky man.

The hard way it was.

Taking his gun out of his waistband, Angelo shot two in the head within seconds. The third got alerted by the jerking off the bodies and turned, only to get shot on the head from behind. The man went down while Lorenzo stood with his gun pointed in his direction. He had already shot three while Angelo had shot two, and the one who had turned to see the commotion facing Angelo had been shot by Lorenzo. His face had scratches from the scuffle on the fourth floor, but still he looked undeterred. They both checked the men before dragging and laying them in the blind spots before getting the keys out of the pockets of one of the men and heading for the main room in the basement.

'Three minutes.' Matteo said, making Angelo and Lorenzo aware of the passing time. After a few moments, they reached the room and unlocked it on the third try. As soon as the door opened, there was pin drop silence. Lorenzo nudged Angelo and instantly Angelo held up his flashlight.