As the afternoon sun bathed the city in warm light, the event finally came to a close.
Adam noted the departure of some attendees, their faces marked by doubt and unease. He felt a pang of annoyance at the Inquisitor's interference.
They had lost some potential recruits due to the confrontation, but Adam considered it their loss.
Despite the challenges, he found himself feeling a sense of pride watching Stella throughout the event.
She had fully embraced her role as Vice Archon, answering questions with a calm certainty, and genuinely engaging with potential recruits.
A quick count revealed they had managed to secure the loyalty of at least 86 people. ‘Not too bad. I thought more would be lost to the words of that zealot,’ Adam thought.
"Time to go," Annabelle said, beckoning him and Stella towards the exit. Their security detail followed closely behind them, eyes scanning the surroundings for any potential threats.
They walked towards the black SUV that awaited them. The security guard opened the door for them, his alert eyes never leaving his surroundings. As Adam climbed into the vehicle.
"I told you The Children of the End would be a problem." Adam said, sinking into the plush leather seat. The door closed, muffled sounds from outside suddenly reduced to a soft hum.
"You did. That Inquisitor was certainly unexpected," Annabelle admitted, a worried frown etching itself on her face. "I'm surprised they found out about the event."
As they entered the SUV, the world outside dulled to a muffled hum.
The SUV began to glide smoothly along the streets of London, weaving its way through the city's bustling afternoon traffic.
Adam, settled comfortably in the backseat, turned his attention towards Annabelle. "I think we should—" he began, but was interrupted as the SUV abruptly shuddered.
The sudden jerk threw Adam against his seatbelt, cutting off his words, "What the—"
Adam's sentence was left hanging. His heartbeat thundered in his ears as he took in the sudden chaos.
A quick look at Stella and Annabelle told him they were equally startled, their eyes wide with surprise.
Stella gripped the armrest, her knuckles white as she gasped. "What happened?"
The sound of glass sliding caught their attention. The window separating them from the driver and the security guard in the passenger seat rolled down.
The security guard glanced back at them, his face serious.
"Keep your heads down and hold on!" he ordered. His voice was calm, but the tension in his features betrayed the gravity of the situation.
Adam obeyed immediately, hunching down in his seat. Beside him, he could see Annabelle and Stella following suit.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the security guard reaching for something under his seat. His movements were swift and precise as he pulled out a semi-automatic pistol.
Adam's blood ran cold. Whatever had hit their car wasn't just a simple accident.
They were under attack.
"Drive! Get us out of here!" The guard shouted, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. The driver didn't need to be told twice.
The SUV lurched forward, engine roaring as they picked up speed.
However, another force hit them from the side, causing the vehicle to skid on the asphalt. The tires squealed in protest, a symphony of chaos against the otherwise peaceful afternoon.
His heightened senses and agility, together with his enhanced strength, all came into play as he focused on maintaining his balance in the wildly careening SUV.
The vehicle narrowly avoided a collision with a lamppost.
A surge of anger flowed through him, clenching his fist so tightly around the armrest that the material gave way under his strength, leaving a distinct handprint embedded in the leather. His muscles strained, but he didn't notice, his mind already moving on to the next thing.
"Who is attacking us?" Stella's voice was tight with fear. Despite the peril they were in, she kept her composure, her eyes darting between Adam and Annabelle.
Adam's mind raced, a gnawing feeling of recognition in his gut. He couldn't believe it, yet the evidence was compelling. Was this the work of the Children of the End? But why here, in the middle of London? It was a bold move, even for them.
Abruptly, a series of loud bangs echoed around them. Gunshots.
Adam's heart clenched, his attention drawn to the security guard who was now returning fire.
"We're under fire," The guard shouted, firing off a few more rounds. "Stay down!"
He reached out, grabbing hold of Stella's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"It's going to be alright," he said, his voice firm despite the chaos around them.
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With their lives hanging in the balance, Adam knew they needed to act fast. Adam took off his seatbelt.
Annabelle said, "Adam don't—"
Adam said, "I need to check."
He turned in his seat and stole a glance through the rear window, catching sight of a dark sedan speeding after them.
The malicious intent was clear as the sedan accelerated, closing the gap rapidly.
"Hold tight!" He called out to Stella and Annabelle, just as he hunched down and prepared for the inevitable impact.
But despite his warning, they were not all equally prepared. The force of the collision was immediate and immense. Adam, using his dexterity and strength, managed to maintain his balance, staying in his seat.
But Stella wasn't as fortunate.
With a harsh smack, she collided with the car's interior and was immediately knocked unconscious.
"Stella!" Adam and Annabelle called, their voices drowned by the loud chatter of gunfire.
Ignoring the rapid pounding of his heart, Adam carefully unbuckled Stella's seatbelt. He grimaced at the sight of the fresh bruise on her forehead. With one hand, he gently brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face and checked her pulse.
It was steady.
He exhaled deeply, relief flooding him as he felt the reassuring throb of life beneath his fingertips. Stella was unconscious but alive.
He turned towards Annabelle, her eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears.
"She's only unconscious," he assured her, his voice barely audible above the sound of the SUV's engine and the relentless gunfire.
"Thank god." The relief in Annabelle's voice was palpable.
Using his dexterity and strength, Adam carefully moved Stella, cradling her against his chest to protect her from the chaos around them.
He could feel the SUV swerving and skidding, but he held on, his arms a secure shelter. His gaze flickered to the pistol in the hands of the security guard.
'If only I could use it,' he thought. With his heightened dexterity, he would have been deadly accurate, potentially ending this chase sooner.
But his talent's weakness removed that possibility. The pain would be unbearable, potentially knocking him out, leaving them all vulnerable.
Adam clenched his jaw, frustration burning in his chest.
He felt useless, his skills inaccessible, his hands tied. He yearned for the cold weight of his Immortal Dream Blade in his hand.
The weapon would be useless in the confines of the SUV but at least it would give him some reassurance.
But here he was, caged in a moving vehicle, his power contained, and his family at risk.
"Damn it!" He muttered under his breath, glancing at the security guard who was still returning fire.
They were in the heart of London, and the Children of the End had no regard for collateral damage.
The sounds of the SUV's roaring engine mixed with the relentless barrage of gunfire.
He glanced down at Stella, her face pale and unconscious against his chest.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to her, his words lost amidst the noise. He wished there was more he could do, more he could offer.
But for now, he could only hold her close and hope the chase would end soon, and not in a catastrophic crash.
His gaze hardened as he glanced out of the window, watching as their pursuers continued to bear down on them.
With each passing moment, Adam felt his anger grow, an ember within him igniting.
He would see this through. He would ensure they all survived. Even if he couldn't use a pistol, he was not without his defenses.
The SUV was suddenly pelted with a hailstorm of bullets.
The sound was deafening—the high-pitched whine of bullets striking the metal exterior, the low thud as they impacted the armored glass.
To the untrained ear, it was an orchestra of terror. To Adam, it was a symphony of resilience.
Despite the ballistic onslaught, the armored windows held strong.
Their surfaces were marred by dozens of tiny impact craters, the bulletproof glass spider-webbed with cracks but not shattering.
Yet, Adam knew that their protection had its limits.
A dark shape materialized alongside the SUV. The sedan, pulling dangerously close.
Adam's pulse quickened as a robed figure leaned out from the passenger side of the sedan, automatic rifle poised.
The windows were rated for small arms fire and shotgun pellets. Not an automatic rifle.
"Get down!" The security guard's shout was barely audible over the roar of the engines and gunfire.
The driver attempted to jerk the wheel, aiming to ram into the sedan, but it was too late.
The clipped rhythm of the automatic rifle filled the air.
The bulletproof window, already strained under the weight of the assault, could not hold against the concentrated fire.
With a sound like thunder, the glass shattered inward, shards flying in all directions.
Adam shielded Stella's unconscious body with his own. The guard let out a strangled cry, his body jerking as he was hit.
Blood, bright and startling, sprayed from the driver, staining the shattered remnants of the window.
A guttural groan escaped him as his body slumped over the steering wheel.
There was a sudden, chilling silence as time seemed to stand still.
Then, with a force that took Adam's breath away, their SUV collided with the sedan.
The shock reverberated through the vehicle, a jarring, brutal shake that threatened to send them careening off the road.
The sedan, too, was reeling from the collision. It skidded, tires screeching against the asphalt, before retreating hastily.
For a moment, the only sound that filled the SUV was their harsh, ragged breaths. Then, the low hum of the SUV's engine as it struggled to keep moving.
Stella lay limp in Adam's arms, blissfully unaware of the carnage around them. And Annabelle, her face was pale, her wide eyes reflecting the horror of the situation.
Adam tightened his grip on Stella, his eyes locked on the bloody scene unfolding before him. He had to do something—fast.
Their lives were hanging in the balance, teetering on the edge of a knife.
"Hold her," Adam commanded, shifting the unconscious Stella gently into Annabelle’s arms. Without a word, she took Stella, her hands trembling slightly but her grip firm.
Adam then moved forward, his gaze settling on the injured security guard. The guard was hunched over, his face pale and twisted in pain, but there was a grim determination in his eyes.
He was doing his best to retain control, not allowing his injuries to hinder him.
He couldn’t fire back at their pursuers, Adam could no longer rely on him like the driver.
He would take matters into his own hands.
Seeing that there was no room to maneuver, Adam made a swift, ruthless decision. He opened the car door and, with a kick, ejected the lifeless driver's body.
His enhanced strength sent the corpse sailing through the air, much farther than he'd anticipated, into a crowd of onlookers.
He noticed that some people were using their phones to record the car chase. Adam wished that none of the cameras captured what he did. He knew there would be hell to pay if they did.
Their horrified screams became distant echoes as he swiftly slid into the driver's seat, his hand closing around the steering wheel.