The air outside the warehouse grew tense, thick with the weight of impending violence. Zani’s forces had gathered, surrounding the building, each man and woman armed and prepared for whatever Ryuu’s gang had in store. The night was eerily quiet, a silence that pressed down on everything, broken only by the distant hum of the approaching helicopters carrying Xanthos.
And then, without warning, a deafening blast shattered the stillness.
A massive explosion ripped through the side of the warehouse, sending chunks of concrete and debris flying through the air. The shockwave roared through the night, shaking the ground beneath them and creating a cloud of dust that swallowed everything in its path. The blast was followed by the thunder of gunfire, as Zani’s men surged forward to storm the building.
But amidst the chaos, one figure moved faster than the rest. Xanthos, driven by a primal need to find Shoji, seemed to cut through the smoke and dust like a shadow. It was as if he’d teleported through the chaos, his movements almost too swift to follow. His mind was a blur of rage and desperation, his only thought being Shoji’s safety.
Inside the ruined basement, Ryuu was knocked off balance by the force of the explosion, stumbling backward. Before he could recover, the door to the room burst open, splintering off its hinges, and Xanthos appeared in the doorway like a force of nature. His eyes locked onto Shoji’s broken form lying on the cold floor, and something inside him snapped.
Xanthos crossed the room in a single breath, dropping to his knees beside Shoji and gathering him into his arms with a gentleness that belied the fury in his eyes. Shoji’s face was pale and streaked with tears, his body trembling with pain, but the moment he felt Xanthos’s touch, a shuddering breath of relief escaped him.
“X-Xanthos…” Shoji’s voice was barely a whisper, his lips quivering as he clung weakly to Xanthos’s shirt. “Y-You came…”
“I’m here, baby, I’m here,” Xanthos murmured, his voice raw with emotion. He cradled Shoji against his chest, one hand moving instinctively to Shoji’s bruised abdomen, trying to shield him from any further harm. The sight of the deep welts and bruises left by Ryuu’s bat sent a fresh wave of rage through him, but he forced it down, focusing on keeping Shoji safe.
Ryuu, regaining his balance, spat blood onto the floor and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, a twisted grin spreading across his face. “Look at you, Xanthos,” he sneered. “Always playing the hero. But let’s see how well you fight when you’ve got something to lose.”
Before Xanthos could respond, the room erupted into chaos. Ryuu’s men flooded in through the blown-out wall, brandishing guns and knives. Zani’s forces met them head-on, and the small room turned into a battlefield. Gunfire rang out in rapid bursts, bullets ricocheting off the concrete walls, and the air filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder.
Xanthos held Shoji close, shielding him with his own body as bullets whizzed past them. He tightened his grip on Shoji’s trembling form, his mind racing. He needed to get Shoji out of here, to safety—but the room was a storm of violence, and there was no clear path to escape.
Ryuu barked an order to his men, and they shifted their aim towards Xanthos and Shoji. Xanthos’s breath caught in his throat as he saw the guns turn in their direction. His own weapon was already drawn, but he knew he couldn’t shield Shoji from every bullet.
And then, as if sensing his desperation, Zani’s voice crackled over the earpiece. “Xanthos, I’ve got you covered. Get Shoji out of there!”
Xanthos glanced up just in time to see Zani’s men breaking through the defenses, laying down suppressive fire that forced Ryuu’s men to scatter. Taking the chance, Xanthos lifted Shoji into his arms, holding him tightly against his chest as he sprinted through the chaos, ducking behind fallen debris for cover.
