CHAPTER 7: FIREFIGHT IN THE ALLEY

With the walls rising on either side like prison bars, the alley was oppressively small. As Mateo's men surrounded them, guns aimed and eyes shining with ill intent, Sienna felt her heart thumping in her chest. The air was so tense it could be cut with a knife.

Mateo smirked smugly as he moved forward, his pistol still holstered. "Enzo, I told you. You would eventually slip up.”

Enzo did not react. While his other hand hovered close to his revolver, he continued to hold Sienna's hand securely. “Mateo, you are making a mistake. This will not go as you anticipate.”

Mateo laughed and relaxed against the automobile. "Oh? How is that? You are surrounded, outnumbered, and outgunned. As far as I’m concerned, this is over.”

Sienna's breathing quickened as she turned to face Enzo. His face was blank and serene, but she could feel the stiffness in his hands. Then she said, barely audible. "What do we do?"

With his eyes fixed on Mateo, Enzo mumbled back. “Stay close. Don't move until I tell you."

Mateo let out a loud sigh. "Enzo, let's not drag this out. You can walk away now if you hand the girl over. No need for unnecessary violence.”

A chilly smile curved Enzo's lips. I'm sick of people assuming they can tell me what to do, you know. You want her? Come get her.”

Mateo's companions shuffled uneasily, looking at one another. Mateo's eyebrow went up. "Really? Are you planning to do this? Right here? In the center of the city?”

“Like I said,” Enzo’s hand slipped to his gun, “you’ve made a mistake.”

Before Mateo could respond, Enzo quickly drew his gun and fired. The bullet sped through the air and struck the closest thug in the shoulder, sending him tumbling to the ground.

Mateo's cool exterior crumbled. "Shoot!" he yelled to his soldiers, who opened fire.

Before Sienna could even respond, Enzo pushed her onto the ground and behind a pile of crates. "Stay down!" He yelled in a loud voice.

The sound of gunfire exploded all around her, bouncing off the brick walls as she knelt, her hands quivering. Despite the commotion, she maintained eye contact with Enzo, her heart hammering in her ears.

Enzo moved carefully, evading a dumpster, and fired with measured ease, and two more of Mateo’s men were down in a matter of seconds, screaming and grasping their wounded parts.

But Mateo was unmoved, and he regarded Enzo with narrowed eyes. "Enzo, you've always been proficient with a firearm. However, let's see how long you can continue.”

Mateo quickly drew his own firearm and opened fire on the crates Sienna was concealing herself behind. Shards of wood flew everywhere as the timber splintered.

With strained gasps of breath, Sienna flinched. "Enzo!"

"I see him!" Rolling out from behind the dumpster, Enzo fired another round in response to the shout. Mateo stumbled as the bullet grazed his leg. He ducked behind the car and swore. "You mean to go through with this?"

Enzo remained silent, concentrating solely on eliminating the other men. Their movement was restricted by the narrow alley, but Enzo's plan was obvious: eliminate each of them carefully and one at a time.

Watching him made Sienna's heart race. He was calculated, fearless, and incredibly quick. Even though she could see that the numbers didn't support him.

As Enzo fired again, Mateo's troops rallied and advanced, but his ammunition was running low. His weapon jammed, and she heard the click.

"Enzo, are you out of bullets?" Mateo said mockingly. "The game is over at this point."

Enzo glanced at the lifeless body of one of Mateo's goons.There was a revolver a few feet away. He leaped for it, rolling across the floor as he was sprayed by yet another series of bullets.

With a gasp, Sienna's hands automatically extended as though to avert the inevitable. "Enzo!"

Before the other man could even react, Enzo snatched up the revolver and fired in mid-roll. The lane was now strewn with corpses, and the air was heavy with the smell of gunpowder.

Mateo emerged from behind the car with his revolver leveled straight at Enzo's head, his patience obviously wearing thin. "Enough of your games, Enzo. I'll end this on my own.”

Enzo stood with his gun aimed at Mateo, but the two men were now engaged in a standoff in the open. There was a noticeable tension.

"Enzo, you're outnumbered." Mateo spoke in a low, menacing voice. "You’re not going to win this round. Maybe I'll let you live if you let the girl go.”

Enzo gripped the gun steadily as his jaw tightened. "I won't abandon her."

Sienna gasped for air. She wanted to scream and urge Enzo not to put his life in danger for her, but she was unable to speak.

Mateo cocked his head, seemingly taking Enzo's remarks into account. “As lovely as that sounds, I think you are bluffing.”

The sound of approaching footsteps reverberated down the lane before they could move. A fresh figure emerged at the end of the lane, and both men turned, their guns still aimed at each other.

Marco.

He scanned the site with icy eyes, taking in the weaponry, the bodies, and the blood-stained ground. With a tone full of irony, he remarked, "Looks like I missed the party."

Mateo squinted his eyes. "Ha! another one of your men? This keeps getting better.”

Unfazed by the circumstances, Marco walked forward with his weapon nonchalantly by his side. "You have a tendency to overstay your welcome, Mateo."

Mateo gripped his revolver tighter. "Marco, stay out of this. It doesn’t concern you.”

"Oh," responded Marco calmly, "I believe it does. You have been sticking your nose in inappropriate places."

Mateo scoffed. "What? Are you also going to kill me?”

Marco's eyes darted between Mateo and Enzo as he arched an eyebrow. "To put it simply, things will become much messier than they already are if you don't leave now."

Mateo paused, looking about at his other men, who were much less keen to fight on. He glanced back at Enzo, considering his options.

Mateo finally lowered his weapon and growled in frustration. "All right. Enzo, you got what you want. But it doesn't end here. Not by any means.”

He signaled his soldiers to retreat, and they did so slowly, pulling their injured along as they went down the alley.

As the sound of footsteps receded into the distance, Sienna released a trembling breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

Until he was certain they were gone, Enzo kept his eyes on the end of the alley while lowering his revolver. Then, with a stern gaze, he turned to Marco. "Why are you here?"

Marco holstered his weapon and grinned. “Apparently saving her ass.”

With her legs still trembling, Sienna gently stood up. Her voice was hardly above a whisper as she added, "I thought you didn't trust me."

Marco gave her a quick glance as his grin softened. "I haven't yet. However, you're still alive, so I suppose that's something.”

Enzo squinted his eyes. "Marco, this isn't a game. Mateo will not give up. We must find a place where they won’t follow us.”

Marco nodded, his face growing solemn. "I know of a location."

Sienna's thoughts were racing as they began to walk. There was still risk. It was just getting started.

A black automobile with tinted windows drove up next to them as they rounded a corner, and when the window rolled down, they saw a familiar face.

Sienna's blood ran cold. "Hello, Sienna." The speaker drawled, sending chills down her spine.

It was her dad.