Henry cast a determined glance, indicating his willingness to search for the missing individuals. However, Luca remained reluctant to assist. "No, I'm not doing it," Luca asserted.

"Why not?" Max asked.

"No offense, but our lives are way more important than those of strangers. We should focus on getting ourselves out of here and get Tom to take us back to NC."

“Luca. In case you’ve forgotten, there was someone very fucking important on that boat who (if we don’t find.) will get us in a lot of trouble."

Luca’s brain started to click, “Shit! I forgot she was on the yacht."

The person in question that Max was talking about was Mônica Monteiro, the wife of a very wealthy businessman who had recently become the target of a kidnapping attempt.

Max quickly pieced together what was going on: “This wasn’t a random attack. This was planned. Come on, we’ve got to find her."

The trio quickly ran up the stairs. Henry noticed the ferry terminal with bloodstains that could be seen on the window-framed doors.

The three ran to the building after Henry told Max and Luca. Getting inside the building, they dove for cover as pirates started firing at them. They waited until the pirates had to reload their guns before returning fire. Peeking their heads out, Max started to spray with his assault rifle while Henry and Luca used their pistols.

Once they were dead, the trio dashed over to the fallen pirates, their eyes scanning the lifeless bodies for any usable equipment. They quickly began rummaging through pockets and bags, determined to find whatever ammunition they could salvage. Luca, glancing at his handgun with dissatisfaction, decided it was time for an upgrade. He found a sturdy shotgun slung across one of the pirate's shoulders, and grinning with newfound confidence, he exchanged his handgun for the more powerful weapon.

With their pockets filled and weapons secured, the group hurried to the elevator, their footsteps echoing in the dimly lit corridor. As they reached the control panel, Luca pressed the button, and they watched impatiently as the elevator doors began to open with an agonizing slowness. The sound of gears and machinery filled the air, creating an uneasy tension.

Henry’s gaze shifted toward an unassuming door on the side that led to a narrow staircase spiraling upwards. “What if we take the stairs instead?” he suggested, his voice laced with urgency as he considered the potential benefits of avoiding the delay of the elevator.

Luca frowned, reluctant to leave the safety of the elevator, but then decided to swap weapons with Henry in a demonstration of trust. “If you want to take the stairs, then take this,” he said, handing over his shotgun to Henry in exchange for the powerful AR rifle. The weight of the weapon felt reassuring in his hands.

Before Henry could push the door open to the staircase, Max activated a holo link with Henry so they could keep informed about what was going on. Once the connection was established, Henry took a deep breath and sprinted up the stairs, hoping to gain the upper hand on whatever awaited them above.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Meanwhile, Luca and Max stepped into the elevator just as the doors slid shut, their hearts racing with anticipation. Luca pressed the button for the second floor, and as the elevator began its ascent, they exchanged tense glances, each silently bracing for the challenges that lay ahead. The metallic hum of the machinery was a stark reminder that time was of the essence.

Henry opened the door to the first floor and began blasting pirates away with his shotgun. Leaning against the wall, one pirate threw an incessant grenade at Henry’s feet. In an instinct, Henry picked up the grenade and threw it back.

As the grenade started to fly back, it exploded in midair, causing a wall of fire to split Henry from the pirates.

“Aw crap! Max?"

“What is it, Henry?"

“The first floor is on fire. They've got incendiary grenades; where are you two?"

“Luca’s just left to search the second floor; I’m currently waiting for the elevator to reach the third floor."

“Right, I’ll finish up here, then meet up with Luca."

The elevator reached the third floor, and Max had to keep his back to the elevator as pirates had been waiting for Max to arrive.

Max leaned his body to the left and opened fire on the pirates. He unloaded all of the bullets in the magazine before leaning back to reload the rifle, slotting in a new magazine. Max crouched down, leaned to the left, and opened fire again before having to get back in cover as his gun started to jam.

“Damn it! Not now, you piece of shitgun!” Max said to himself.

Max stood in the dimly lit elevator, the air thick with tension as he listened intently to the sound of approaching footsteps. The unmistakable clatter of boots echoed off the metallic walls, signaling that the pirates were getting closer. Heart racing and adrenaline pumping, he had no choice but to prepare himself for the looming confrontation as Henry and Luca were busy with their fights.

The pirate aimed the barrel inside the elevator, his finger twitching near the trigger. In a split-second decision, Max lunged forward, gripping the heavy barrel with both hands and thrusting it downward just as a deafening gunshot erupted, the bullet ricocheting harmlessly off the floor.

Seizing the moment of surprise, Max delivered a swift, powerful punch to the pirate's head, sending him staggering back. The pirate crashed into his comrades, causing them to lose their balance and momentarily create chaos in their ranks. With no time to waste, Max sprang into action, his instincts kicking in as he rushed into the fray.

Each movement was a dance of precision and power. As one pirate began to rise from the floor, Max anticipated their recovery and was ready; he unleashed a flurry of kicks, his feet connecting with rapid accuracy. The force of his strikes sent the pirate crashing back down, leaving him dazed and disoriented.

Without hesitation, Max turned to the next pirate who dared to stand, his relentless assault continuing with a swift combination of martial arts moves that he had learned from watching kung fu movies as a kid.

In the confined space of the elevator, Max’s resolve shone bright as he fought with a fierce determination, determined not to go down without a fight. With the pirates down and out, Max showed no mercy. He picked up a dropped and unclaimed assault rifle and taped all of the pirates on the floor, killing them.

Max continued his way through the third-floor shooting and any pirates that stood in his way. As he searched for where the missing people could be, he couldn’t find anything. The feeling that they had the wrong place began to creep into Max’s mind. He searched around again and noticed a door that led to the outside. He opened the door, and what he had seen would stick with him for the rest of his life.

“Jesus Christ!"

Outside were the dead bodies of the people who attended the yacht party. The once green floor was now covered in bloody footprints and pools. As Max moved closer to the bodies, he could see the many visible bullet holes in the victims.

Luca and Henry arrived; they shared the same reaction as Max.

“Fuck man. This is brutal. Things weren't supposed to go like this.” Luca said.

Max continued looking at the bodies and noticed one of the victims was Mônica. A sense of failure could be felt inside him as he looked to the ocean.