Page 94 of Betraying Family Vows

Nothing.

My fingers find the edge of the door, and I ease it open an inch at a time. The hinges creak softly.

I pause, listening. Still nothing.

Waving my men forward, I enter, them behind me.

My eyes adjust quickly to the dim light filtering through broken windows high on the walls. The interior smells like mildew and rust. Concrete floors stretch ahead of us. Pipes overhead look like they haven't been used in years and there's enough shadows around us to hide an army.

I have to be careful.

I take another step, my men following close behind.

The last man in shuts the door behind us and I look around.

Suddenly, voices echo deeper inside. Two men arguing in Greek. It's too far away to catch words, but they sound nervous.

My jaw tightens.

If they hurt her.

I signal to my team to move forward, keeping to the shadows along the wall. We pass through what must have once been a processing area, now stripped of anything valuable, leaving only broken machinery and stains of what looks like oil on the floor.

Voices grow louder as we advance and my grip tightens on my gun.

Two figures emerge from a side room about fifteen feet away, shotguns at the ready, arguing in hushed tones.

I don't hesitate.

I fire twice in rapid succession.

The first shot punches through the nearest man's neck, exiting his throat. Blood sprays as he reaches for what's left of his his windpipe.

The second shot catches the other in the chest, and he staggers backward, eyes wide with shock.

Both men crumple to the floor before they can yell, before they can radio for help, before they can even register that death has come for them.

Somewhere deeper in the building, a door slams, people scream, and more shots ring out. Must be Theo and Ares's team.

"Well, they for sure know we're here now," I say, looking at the men with me.

One of my men presses his finger to his earpiece, listening intently. His face is professionally blank as he relays the information to me.

"Okay. Loading dock clear. Advancing," he whispers and then looks at me.

"Ares cleared the front. No sign of her."

Another burst of gunfire, closer this time, followed by shouting.

My man touches his earpiece again. "Theo's team is in. Nothing yet."

I turn to look down the hallway. "Then we keep moving. She's here."

I can feel her in my bones, in my blood. She's close and she needs me.

We push deeper into the corridor, past the bodies cooling on the floor. My boots track blood across the concrete.

We pass more signs of recent occupation, cigarette butts and a chair where someone was clearly stationed to keep watch. The corridor turns, opening into what looks like it was once an administrative area.