It made perfect sense: eliminating one of the most deadly marksmen on the planet would be his priority. She posed the greatest threat to the remnants of his his team, and if she were in his shoes, she’d make sure she was the first target too.
‘So it was all planned. He knew exactly how to box me in. Aubrey was bound to force me to act, so long as Noah kept pushing her. I should’ve seen it coming. It was all meant to force my hand.’
With a deep, resigned breath, she slammed the Jeep door shut, frustration simmering her cool exterior. ‘I’m bound to lose if I play this game.’ The realization settled in as she methodically disarmed herself. She couldn’t shake the sense of inevitability, even as she began disarming herself. First, she unlatched the rifle’s magazine, tossing it aside before ejecting the chambered round with smooth flick. The rifle followed, discarded onto the dirt. Her secondary weapons soon met the same fate.
Taking five deliberate steps away from the Jeep, she knelt down, hands behind her head. The cool knight air brushed against her face as she spoke. “I know your game too well, Captain. And I won’t be part of it.”
Her words of surrender were met with nothing but silence. She had expected something -- a signal, a word, anything to acknowledge her presence. She inhaled deeply, keeping her composure, then spoke again. “The longer you stay quiet, the more dangerous it gets for the ones you wish to save.” She paused, glancing around the desolate terrain. “Aubrey is leading her forces while we’re here playing cat and mouse. It’s only a matter of time before she gets to them, and by now, they’re likely tired, hungry, and running low on ammo.”
She bit her lip in thought before continuing. “But I have a proposal for you, something that could change all this. So, why don’t we talk.”
Another round of silence settled over the terrain, thick and suffocating. She sucked her teeth in irritation, her patience thinning as the quiet dragged on.
‘You don’t mean to negotiate, do you?’ The thought crossed her mind as she rose slowly to her feet, her hands still behind her head. ‘No sudden moves, Castillo.’ She reminded herself. ‘He’s probably watching with a gun trained on you. ‘ The reality of her precarious situation gnawed at her, but she remained composed.
It was maddening. Despite all her efforts to signal peace, he was still out there -- lurking, waiting, tracking her every move.
But then, she paused, forcing herself to think clearly. He wasn’t stupid. Of course, he wouldn’t just take her at her word, not after everything. Why would he? Trust wasn’t something you earned with gestures after betrayal. It wasn’t that easy.
All of a sudden, the command to not make any sudden moves echoed from behind as she complied obediently. As she stood tall, she felt a presence, and the stench of blood from behind.
“Got it.” She replied.
Suddenly, something yanked away the device she had strapped to her wrist. Ralph’s gun remained trained on her as he proceeded to search her. Time seemed to slow down, as she began to assess her options. Nothing about his presence or tone suggested he was here to make peace or to negotiate.
She opted to wait patiently, until he concluded his thorough search, not moving so much as a muscle. Unexpectedly, she heard a sound that caught her attention -- a sound she recognized all too well. It was the unmistakable rattle of handcuffs being drawn from his belt.
As if she was going to let that happen. She’s already made enough friendly gestures as is, but this, getting captured like that, and possibly being used in this twisted battle isn’t how she planned on going out.
When his hand shot toward hers, instinct kicked in before she could fully process it. She ducked, her body folding effortlessly as she dropped into a split, the motion quick and smooth enough to evade both his grasp and any potential strikes.
Before he could adjust, she shifted her weight, transitioning from the split into a backward roll, twisting her body mid-movement to create distance. Her legs whipped out in a sharp, fluid arc as she spun, aiming for his legs. The strike was calculated, intended to catch him off guard just long enough to gain the upper hand.
However, Ralph, ever the skilled combatant, evaded her leg sweep with a huge leap back. As her legs swept toward him, his response was just as quick as she was. With an almost effortless grace, he sprang backward, avoiding her strike by mere inches.
In a quick follow up move to gain the upper hand, she pulled the pin off a smoke grenade she swiped off him while executing her split earlier, then hurled it at him, the resulting smoke billowing out and obscuring his vision. Seizing the opportunity, she darted toward the Jeep, while sprinting, she scanned the surrounding for any sign of her discarded weapons. Unfortunately for her, they all seemed to be scattered a lot farther than she flung them, Ralph had taken them out of the equation for her, so getting to the Jeep was easier. She immediately reached for her sniper rifle in the trunk, then flipped a lever on it that transformed the precision instrument into a rapid-firing machine. The familiar feel of the weapon in her hands, and the subtle shift in weight as the internal components shifted seamlessly into automatic firing mode -- all these sensations were second nature to her.
Her keen eyes searched for any sign of movement amidst the choking clouds of smoke that surrounded them. Amidst the swirling smoke, Lucia’s keen eyes detected a faint rustling. Instinctively, she swung her gun towards the disturbance, her finger hovering over the trigger. Quickly she switched on the thermal imaging, hoping to penetrate the smoke barrier and reveal the hidden threat. But instead of the expected crimson silhouette, all she saw was a sea of indistinguishable gray blobs - an eerie void where nothing moved or lived.
As she scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of him, a sudden, powerful force slammed into her legs. It was as if someone had swung a sledgehammer with all their might, knocking her off her feet. Startled and unprepared, she stumbled backward, instinctively rolling to distribute her weight and avoid injury. Before she could even catch her breath, she sensed his predatory gaze on her, from beneath the Jeep. Her heart pounded furiously in her chest as adrenaline flooded her system.
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
With her senses honed to the danger lurking nearby, she sprang into action. A sharp movement, a silent kip up, just as the muffled pops of a silenced pistol echoed under the Jeep. Her body reacted faster than her thoughts, vaulting onto the hood in one fluid motion. She positioned herself advantageously above, muscles taut, her fingers steady on the trigger as her eyes searched for the next sign of danger. Each breath was measured, her mind racing but her body calm, and ready to counter.
Then came the sound.
A metallic clink reverberated from the left side of the vehicle. Instinct sharpened, and her grip tightened around the trigger, nearly squeezing it in reflex. Her eyes darted, scanning the area for the threat - then she saw it.
A grenade.
Pinned and concealed beneath a camo jacket. The cloth unraveled slowly, as if mocking the urgency of the situation. In one final roll, the grenade revealed itself fully, its dull metal casing scraping the ground with a sound that sent a jolt through her.
Her heart hammered in her chest, each beat a drum of panic that reverberated through her. Time seemed to distort, with every second stretching out into what felt like an eternity. She had come so close to disaster, teetering on the edge of her own undoing. The realization struck her hard, leaving her breathless as a wave of fear tightened her chest.
For a moment, it felt as if the world had stopped. But Lucia, ever resilient, forced herself to take control. She inhaled deeply, steadying her racing mind and willing her body to calm. It only took a few measured breaths to reclaim her composure. With clarity slowly returning, she began to process what had almost happened -- how close she had come to the brink.
In that fleeting moment of distraction, Ralph seized the opportunity, rolling swiftly from beneath the Jeep to the opposite side, his body low and controlled. The moment he cleared the space, his pistol was up, steady and aimed at her.
Lucia, sensing his movement and regaining her composure, didn’t hesitate. Her instincts kicked in, matching Ralph’s speed as she brought her rifle to bear, sighting him down its barrel from her elevated position atop the hood.
The air between them seemed to thicken, the tension palpable. They locked eyes, and their weapons pointed at each other, unwavering. The world around them fell into silence as time stretched, each waiting, calculating, anticipating the other’s next move. The quiet standoff crackled with the unspoken understanding that whoever hesitated would lose.
The tension between them thickened as the seconds dragged on. They stood locked in a silent standoff, guns raised, fingers hovering over triggers. Her cold gaze, bore into his, while his remained unreadable, a mask devoid of any visible emotion.
As she took in the man before her, a chill ran down her spine. She’d served alongside him for years, but never had she seen him look so…unemotional. His face had the dried specks of blood dotting it. His gloves and pants were streaked with it too, dark smears on the fabric, his boots were no better off.
His features were sharp, the small mole on his face catching the light just enough to be noticed, and his thick brows were flat and unmoving .There was something almost misleading about his appearance -- his light complexion standing in contrast to the intensity that radiated off him. His face, especially his eyes, told a different tale than the vibe she was getting from him. But none of them mattered now. All she could focus on was his eyes -- how they gave nothing away, no hint of fear, hesitation, or anything she could use.
Her grip on her weapon tightened, though entirely out of fear for herself. The dread gnawing at her gut was for Brian. Aubrey said he wasn’t with her, and that had already sparked her suspicion. But the blood on Ralph, his eerily calm demeanor, and the fact that Brian’s truck hadn’t been at the base all pointed to something far worse. The more she stared at him, the more certain she became that something had happened.
She swallowed hard, cold sweats trickling down her forehead. On his best day those stoic eyes, were usually filled with a warmth that could melt the coldest heart. There was just something off about him -- a darkness that she’d never seen before. And it scared her.
“Step aside, Castillo.” Ralph’s cold voice broke through. “I have no interest in killing you. But push me, and I won’t hesitate.”
As he demanded her compliance, she opened her mouth to deliver a scathing retort. “If..” But before she could utter another word, a sharp shattering sound echoed around them, accompanied by a sudden whistling noise slicing through the air mere inches from her ear. Her eyes widened in shock as her sniper rifles’ scope disintegrated into countless pieces, sending jagged shards cascading down like deadly raindrops. Lucia shook off the remnants of glass clinging to her attire as she shot a glare at Ralph. She was stunned momentarily but got her head back in the game almost as instantly as she lost it.
“You shouldn’t have done that, Ramsey.” She growled angrily as her finger tightened on the trigger.
Ralph’s movements were a blur of speed and precision as he evaded her barrage of shots with astonishing agility. He moved before she even squeezed the trigger, as if he knew it was coming. With each step, he closed the distance between them. As he sprinted towards the Jeep, her crosshairs tracked his every move. Yet, in the critical moment before take another shot, a sudden, searing pain tore through her arm, throwing off her aim and grip on her weapon.
The unexpected pain momentarily paralyzed her, and in that second of vulnerability, Ralph channeled his momentum into a powerful leap that propelled him onto the hood of the Jeep. He landed with a jarring thud, and his eyes locked onto hers again.
He faced her on the Jeep unarmed, having holstered his weapon before taking his leap. Through gritted teeth, she cast aside her rifle, knowing it would be of no use in such close quarters. She raised both arms in a defensive stance, the injured one trembling with pain. Despite the throbbing ache, she refused to let it deter her, channeling her focus into the incoming clash, she studied his movements closely, searching for any sign of weakness or opening that she could exploit.
Ralph instantly closed the tiny gap between them, with a heavy left hook, which she countered with a swift dodge, biting through the throbbing pain with each evasive maneuver.
Their fists collided in a fierce exchange of blows. She darted left and right, matching Ralph’s agility as they traded a relentless flurry of strikes. Blood dripped from her wounded arm, but she remained steadfast, her eyes locked on her opponent. The sound of flesh striking flesh echoed through the air and the Jeep rocked precariously beneath them.
Ralph moved like a predator, each of his strike calculated to exploit Lucia’s weakness. Their fiery exchange forced her to step back, inch by inch, until she stood precariously close to the edge of the hood.
The intensity of their clash reached its peak as Ralph’s forceful kick sent her tumbling off the precarious perch of the hood. She hit ground hard, her body jolting from the impact. He followed immediately, while she scrambled to her feet, with a grunt.
As the battle continued, a sense of unease crept into her mind. It felt as though Ralph was toying with her. His movement clearly showed restraint.
‘Is he holding back and really injured?’ she wondered. ‘Or is he simply toying with me?’
She summoned every ounce of her remaining strength, channeling it into a fierce lunge toward him, her fists aimed at his defenses. She feigned a punch with her uninjured arm, and kept her eyes trained on his reaction. He shifted his weight slightly, anticipating the attack from the right.
In a fluid motion, she reversed the direction of her attack, her trembling, bloodied right fist snapping out with blinding speed. Her aim was true, but Ralph’s reflexes were even faster. He ducked just in time, the blow grazing his shoulder.
Undeterred, she followed up with a devastating uppercut, her fist slamming into his ribs. The uppercut knocked out the breath out of him, and he stumbled backward. She pressed on, trying to go for some place lethal with a kick, when he spun around her and evaded it, leaving her momentarily exposed.
His hand was already on his holstered weapon as he spun around her kick, and by the time he was behind her, he was armed with it. Very briefly he looked down at her with a look of impatience.and before she could react, he struck her head with butt of the pistol, the impact dropping her to her knees.
Pain erupted through her skull, and darkness enveloped her as she crumpled to the ground. She held her own, but she knew she had been outmatched.
“You’re a nuisance.” He spoke with a chilling indifference, as if swatting away an annoying insect.