Apocrypha ✔️

Chapter 44

"For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
Hebrews 10:14

BULLETS RAINED from both sides of the room. The soldier who had been stabbed was incapacitated while the other ones were firing gunshots.

The only weapon the group had was Gabriel's gun.

"Is he alive?" Cassio asked. Horatio's body had been dragged amidst the gunfire to behind the barrier. Kari tended to his wounds.

"He's breathing." She muttered. A quick glance at her hand brought more worry. "But he's lost too much blood. If we don't get him help, he'll die."

Cassio breathed raggedly, staring at the man he was meant to apologize to. He was close to muttering the very words that he had wanted to say since this damned trip began.

Was he too late? Would Horatio leave from this world believing that Cassio, the one man he used to trust, despised him for a mistake?

"Horatio," Cassio leaned down to his ear. "Stay with me. I promise that I have forgiven you of everything." He sobbed.

Timon glanced at the room. "I don't think we can make it to the exit. Not as long as they're there." He said.

Gabriel raised his gun and shot somewhere. "I don't know how many bullets I have left. If we're going to come up with something, it needs to be now!"

A smoke grenade was thrown. Alcibiades managed to grab it and throw it to the tunnel behind them. Gabriel then had an idea.

"The grenades!" He and Lysander shouted.

"What?" Ventidius replied, his face still covered. "How can we use them?"

While they argued, Virgilia found a metal panel that she figured was once used as a barrier.

"I found this!" She said. She and Aaron both dragged it over.

Ventidius looked at the panel. "I think we can get you guys across using this."

More bullets rang. There was a disgruntled shout from one of the soldiers. They were growing irate, and this culminated in more shots firing.

Gabriel saw the second soldier try to sneak while being distracted. He shouted for someone to get him. Lysander and Alcibiades jumped quickly.

They pinned the man down and knocked his weapon out of his hand.

"Do we kill him?" Lysander asked.

Alcibiades muttered something. He then remembered when these men wanted to attack Lucrece and Virgilia. He brought his hand behind the soldier's head, grabbing handfuls of his hair before slamming his face into the concrete.

"Trash like him doesn't deserve a peaceful death." He said.

"Alcibiades..." Timon muttered.

"Don't judge me! Do you know how much I've had to suffer while they run free? No longer!" He slammed the soldier's face again.

Gabriel grabbed the other gun and sighed when there were no bullets in it.

"Ventidius, start getting them moving! I'll create a diversion over here!" Gabriel shouted.

While Ventidius used the metal panel as a barrier, taking Lucrece, Mamillius, and Virgilia across, Gabriel managed to get the last soldier to the other side of the room.

"Go, now!" Ventidius shouted. "Run down that tunnel. Don't stop or even think about turning back!" He shouted.

"But, Alcibiades!" Lucrece said.