Chapter 11

"Stay down!" Luca's voice cut through the chaos as another hail of bullets shattered what remained of the cabin windows.

Sofia's heart pounded in her ears as she huddled behind the couch, her hands shaking as she gripped the gun Luca had given her. She'd never fired a weapon before, and the weight of it felt foreign and terrifying in her hands.

Luca moved with the fluid grace of a predator, his own gun an extension of his arm as he returned fire. The sharp crack of gunshots filled the air, punctuated by the splintering of wood and the tinkling of broken glass.

"We need to move," Luca growled, his eyes scanning the room for an escape route. "There's a trapdoor in the bedroom, leads to a tunnel. We can use it to get to the garage."

Sofia nodded, her throat too tight with fear to speak. As another volley of bullets rained down, Luca grabbed her hand, pulling her into a crouch.

"On my mark," he said, his voice low and intense. "We run. Don't stop, don't look back. Just follow me. Ready?"