Page 73 of Monstrosity

Fuck. This was supposed to be easy, to come in the dark and take everything from them.

"Gorm, Bodul, with me!" I break cover, sprinting for the warehouse's side entrance.

We need to get inside, find the drugs and Bembe before this goes completely sideways.

The door explodes inward under my boot.

The interior is chaotic—men scrambling for positions, others running for exits.

I drop two before they can raise weapons, Gorm and Bodul flanking me.

"Clear right!"

"Clear left!"

"Moving!"

We push deeper, following the sound of panicked voices.

The drugs have to be here somewhere.

Then I see them—pallets wrapped in plastic, enough product to flood the entire Southeast.

And standing beside them, shouting orders, is Bembe fucking Reyes.

Our eyes meet across the warehouse.

It’s like time physically slows.

Hesmiles—actually smiles—and raises his weapon.

I'm already moving, diving behind a forklift as bullets spark off metal. "Bembe's here! Northwest corner!"

"On the way!"

But Bembe's not waiting.

He's running, two guards covering his retreat.

I pursue, not willing to let him escape.

Not after what he did to Dasha.

Tor's voice in my ear. "Rio, wait for backup!"

"No. He's running."

I burst through a door into the night air, catching sight of Bembe heading for a speedboat.

Oh, hell no.

The distance is too great for accuracy, but I fire anyway, trying to slow him down.

One guard stumbles, goes down.

The other returns fire, forcing me to cover.

When I look again, Bembe's almost at the boat.