At this moment, Barton, who was lying on the ground, regained consciousness. He took a deep breath and got up from the ground, catching sight of Enzo’s figure. He took a few steps, picked up the gun on the ground, a sneer playing at the corners of his mouth.
“I’d like to see if your legs can move faster than my gun,” Barton said, slowly cocking the pistol.
A bullet “whooshed” out, hitting Enzo in the back.
Enzo winced, dropping to one knee on the ground. Beads of sweat quickly formed on his forehead, but his first instinct was to check if Sookie was hurt. When he saw Sookie lying safely in his arms, Enzo breathed a sigh of relief.
Blood had already stained much of his back. He adjusted Sookie’s position with his hands, ensuring her stability. Then, he struggled to stand using his back leg. Just as he took a few steps, he staggered and leaned against the living room door, his consciousness gradually blurring.
After spitting out a mouthful of blood, Enzo spoke in a cold voice, “Kill him.”
But his consciousness couldn’t hold on any longer. He slowly collapsed to the ground, unable to keep a firm grip on Sookie.
Both of them fell by the door, Enzo’s fading eyes gazing at Sookie’s closed ones, her bloodied face still delicate.
“I’m sorry,” he uttered with difficulty.
In his mind, Enzo recollected everything from the time they first met. He felt like he had brought this flower, thriving in a greenhouse, into a storm. If it weren’t for him, Sookie would still be a simple and obedient college student, comfortably working on her thesis in her dormitory.
Thinking of this, a smile touched his lips. He could vividly imagine how adorable she would look, troubled, just like when he teased her, her blushing cheeks so cute. He began to miss the energetic girl who matched wits with him.
Enzo began to regret involving Sookie in this danger. Perhaps their meeting was a mistake, as if unrelated parallel lines suddenly forcefully intersected one day, resulting in devastating consequences. He shouldn’t have brought Sookie back to his house and parted ways with her then.
He internally feared losing the girl in front of him and desperately wished she would open her eyes now.
“Sookie…” Enzo’s rough, blood-stained hand caressed her face, his gaze turning towards the distance, then slowly closing…
Tery saw Enzo collapse at the door, a flash of fury in his eyes. He turned to see Barton, who wore a smug expression, and anger ignited within him, making him seem like a powder keg ready to explode.
“You’re asking for it!” Tery cursed under his breath. He aimed his gun at the center of Barton’s forehead and fired three shots at his face.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“You… dare… to kill me…” Barton’s smile froze, and he strained to speak these words.
Then his eyes narrowed, a hole opening in the center of his forehead, followed by blood flowing from his eyes. His eyeballs fell out, and he collapsed, motionless, into a pool of blood.
Simultaneously, Landon and Tessa ran to Enzo’s side. Worry filled Landon’s eyes as he quickly supported Enzo’s arm on his shoulder, letting the barely conscious Enzo lean on him.
Tessa placed Sookie on the ground, resting her head on her own thigh. Tessa had studied medicine in England, and she carefully examined Sookie’s wound, realizing it was in a dangerous spot.
She desperately needed Tery’s help. They had to leave; Sookie’s wound needed urgent attention.
“Tery! Quickly, I need a first aid kit-”
“I’m here, coming right now.” Upon hearing Tessa’s voice, Tery’s bloodlust subsided. After confirming Barton’s death, he swiftly ran to the door and picked up Sookie.
The five of them quickly left the villa, filled with the smell of blood, and ran towards the helicopter landing spot.
A helicopter was parked behind the beach, and Tery’s men stationed there saw Tery and the others carrying the unconscious pair. They gestured for them to board, then retrieved a first aid kit after boarding.
Inside the helicopter, Tessa provided urgent care to Sookie and Enzo, removing the bullets and giving their wounds basic dressing.
“The priority now is to get them to Boston for treatment,” Landon said calmly, though a hint of nervousness flashed in his eyes. He and his brother Enzo had grown up together, inseparable, living in the midst of gunfire. He had never seen Enzo sustain such a severe injury before.
Tessa nodded. She understood her beloved’s feelings and was also afraid of losing anyone.
Despite spending a short time with Sookie, she found the girl very understanding, and during their conversations, she had already come to see Sookie as her own sister.
Recalling these days, Tessa was not unaware of her subordinates discussing Sookie, but Sookie chose to endure the gossip alone to avoid stirring up painful memories.
Just from this, Tessa held a newfound respect for the girl. Thinking about the possibility of their future being united, she felt secretly delighted. On one hand, she knew that Enzo had finally found someone he liked, someone he could let go of his guilt over his sister’s death for. On the other hand, she had found a sincere and kind friend for herself.
“Get well soon, my friend,” she whispered softly.
However, reality is often not so easily assuaged by prayers.
Now, both of them were in a state of unconsciousness, their lives in imminent danger.
“Take off, back to Boston,” Tery urged his men.
His men nodded, and the helicopter’s engines roared louder, soon lifting off and soaring into the sky…
— Boston Private Hospital —
“Doctor Abel, these two have been shot… they need immediate attention, please…” Tery and his group hurriedly carried Enzo and Sookie into the operating room.
Doctor Abel was the designated physician in Tery’s domain, highly skilled, especially in treating gunshot wounds. He had clandestinely served the Shadowy Saints, but he never expected that one day Enzo would be lying on his operating table. In his impression, this man was as tough as steel, never to be felled.
“I understand. I will do everything I can to save them,” he said with a reassuring firmness in his eyes.
Tessa and Landon, upon hearing the doctor’s assurance, loosened their tightly clasped hands just slightly, their hearts still filled with worry. Tery, comparatively, remained calmer. He nodded at the doctor, trusting in Abel’s medical skills. In previous battles, he had survived severe injuries solely due to Abel’s expertise.
The three of them watched as the operating room’s doors slowly closed. The bright red surgical lights instantly illuminated, as if heralding a life-or-death race.