I n f i n i t u m

Chapter Thirty One

It took longer than expected for my body to heal from the stabbing, but in the time that it took to recover, we all devised a plan for the mission to take down Irene and Bay. Hyde and Wren agreed that if we went for the leaders first, then the gang would just crumple from within. There was no telling if the members would disperse or if they would retaliate by seeking vengeance and attacking Aegis, but Hyde reassured me that the Stronghold wouldn't be easy to take on for a gang of their number. Sure, the gang had firepower, but Aegis Stronghold was a military base. We had firepower on top of firepower, more men trained for war, and far more connections.

Once I felt good enough to run on my own without wincing, we moved in. I was surprised that the hotel hadn't been vacated at all. It was still bustling with activity, as if the two hostages that had managed to escape failed to inform the gang of what had transpired without their knowledge. Or perhaps they just didn't think that I was worth worrying over, I thought. Nonetheless, it would be a mistake on their part.

Wren had parted ways with Hyde and I to gain a higher vantage point from the outside, and from his position, he would provide cover for our escape. Infiltrating the hotel may be the hard part, as there was no way for us to get in without raising alarm. We had to perform stealth kills to get the job done.

Murder had become a norm in this day and age, and while I had trouble managing the aftermath of having to take a life, I knew that it was something I had to do. It was kill or be killed.

One Hyde and I got to the upper floors, our presence was finally taken into account and the people we came across were slightly more prepared. Still, we managed to clear each floor without too much trouble. I was running out of ammo and so was Hyde, soon, we'd have to rely solely on our own powers— and I wasn't exactly sure how long they would last us realistically. I was peeved that we hadn't run into Bay or Irene yet. The longer we stayed in their hideout, the greater the likelihood of our luck running out.

I turned the corner and dropped to the floor at the sound of a machine gun going off. Glass shattered from the windows and in my haste to getting a clear shot of the shooter, a stray bullet found its way to my hand. I screamed, instinctively dropping my rifle.

A hand grabbed the back of my collar and yanked me behind what looked to be a fountain. Hyde quickly patched me up, working quickly despite my cries of pain. I must've lost fingers— it hurt so bad!

I was grabbed by the chin, my field of view jerked up to meet Hyde's strong gaze, "Don't give up now. We're still inside."

"Easier said...than done," I wheezed right back.

The shooter was still rampaging in the near distance and I attempted to peek around the corner of the fountain we were hiding behind for cover. Two people were in the room with us: the shooter and another person who had just then sprinted into another room.

That was definitely Irene.

Seething, I threw my hand out and directed a strong current of electricity to strike the shooter in the chest, putting an end to him and the rain of bullets that were keeping us from advancing. I didn't wait for Hyde, I figured he would just follow after me, so I got up and rushed through the door that Irene had disappeared through.

The moment my eyes fixated on a large canopy bed, something crashed into me from the side, tackling me to the floor. Small hands wrapped around my neck, long nails biting into my skin, "You fucking prick!"

Gritting my teeth, I grounded the heels of my feet against the ground and worked to maneuver myself from underneath her, switching our positions completely. I not-too-gently forced her arms behind her back and pressed her face against the ground— and while she wasn't too happy about it, she eventually eased her bucking and submitted.