Page 66 of Caught in the Crossfire

The slight movement on the other side of the semi was my only warning before a gunshot whizzed right past my face and thunked into the metal cargo container behind me.

“Wynn!” Ciel shouted just as I dove to the side to avoid an onslaught of bullets. My ears echoed with thepop, pop, popfollowed by the dings of metal reflecting bullets.

“What the fuck is this!” Ryu said. “Returning fire!”

Ciel yanked me to my feet, and the two of us ducked behind more cover. Over by the waiting cars, the women started screaming.

“Get down!” Leona shouted at them. “Under the cars! Hide!”

Chaos broke out. A firefight between us, the Albanians, andthis unknown force. Ciel and I stood back to back as we aimed at the new intruders, picking off a few.

“Jesus fucking Christ. It’s Daniele,” Cas yelled. “Max’s men.”

Daniele was Max Volpe’s second-in-command. What the hell were they doing here?

I caught sight of a Vokshi man leaning over the railing of the ship, shouting something in Albanian. I followed his line of sight to see Orik Vokshi creeping behind a container only a few down the line from me and Ciel. He looked like he was trying to decide if he was going to bolt toward theIron Ghostor away from it while his men died around him one by one.

No. He would not escape.

I didn’t have an immediate shot at Orik Vokshi, but I had a clear shot at the man on the ship. I aimed my gun and fired, and the man tumbled off the railing and into the water below. When I looked back at Orik Vokshi, he was gone.

“Shit,” I hissed. “Vokshi is on the run.”

“Daniele, stop!” Cas called out.

Seconds later, the bullets ceased. I searched around for Orik Vokshi, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“What the fuck are you assholes doing here?” Daniele shouted back.

I darted around the containers and pallets in a frantic search.

“Wynn!” Ciel called as he tried to keep up behind me, but I didn’t respond.

“This is our mission,” Leona shouted from somewhere near the commuter cars and the victims. “Leave!”

“Put your weapon down immediately,” Obi said, voice dark.

“You’re outnumbered,” Daniele responded, taunting. “I have twenty men with me.”

“Is Max with you?” Cas called from somewhere by the gangplank.

“None of your business!” Daniele answered.

“So that’s a no,” Leona said. “Good. We can deal with you on our own!”

“The rest of the Albanians are dead,” Ryu said in our comms. “I just took out the last one.”

“Except for Orik Vokshi,” I returned. “I can’t find him. Does anyone see him?”

They ignored my question and argued with Daniele. It didn’t matter. Max’s men were only a distraction. We had to find Orik Vokshi before he disappeared.

Frantically, with Ciel hot on my heels trying to catch up, I ran through the rows of pallets. My stomach screamed in pain, but I couldn’t stop. We had to find him.

The arguing continued, but the sound of my heavy breaths and singular focus drowned it out.

The engine of a car turned over behind me, closer to the ship. My eyes went wide.No.

“The cars!” I shouted into the comms.