Alyssa’s POV
The sound of the gunshot still rang in my ears, sharp and deafening. My hand trembled as I lowered the gun, smoke curling from the barrel. For a moment, everything felt still-too still. My breath came in short gasps as I tried to process what had just happened.
The metallic scent of blood hung heavy in the air.
My father staggered back, his eyes wide with shock. He clutched at the crimson stain blooming on his chest, his expression a mixture of disbelief and… something else. Betrayal? Maybe. I didn’t care anymore.
“You…” he rasped, his voice weak, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. “You… would choose him over your own flesh and blood?”
I tightened my grip on the gun, leveling my gaze at him. “You were never my family,” I said, my voice cold and steady despite the chaos in my chest. “You were just a monster who taught me how to survive monsters like you.”
He took another step back, his knees buckling. The thud of his body hitting the floor echoed through the room like the final nail in a coffin. For a second, I thought he might rise again-he always had a way of cheating death-but his eyes glazed over, staring blankly at the ceiling.
It was over.
Or so I thought.
“Ethan!” I turned sharply, my heart lurching as I saw him slumped against the wall, his face pale and slick with sweat. Blood oozed from a wound on his side, staining his shirt and pooling at his feet.
“I’m fine,” he muttered, though his voice was weak, barely a whisper. “Just… a scratch.”
I rushed to him, dropping the gun as I knelt by his side. “That’s not a scratch, Ethan,” I snapped, pressing my hands against the wound to stem the bleeding. “You’re losing too much blood.”
He managed a faint smirk, his hand brushing against mine. “You… shot him.”
I glanced back at my father’s lifeless body. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“You did what you had to,” Ethan said, his voice soft, his gaze fixed on me. “But… you need to go. Get out of here before-”
“Shut up,” I cut him off, my voice trembling. “I’m not leaving you.”
“You don’t understand,” he insisted, his hand gripping my wrist weakly. “This place… it’s rigged. He wasn’t going to let either of us leave alive.”
My stomach dropped. “What are you talking about?”
Before he could answer, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Heavy, deliberate. My blood ran cold.
The door burst open, and there he was.
Xavier.
His suit was torn, his face bruised and bloodied, but his eyes burned with an unholy fire. He held a gun in one hand and a knife in the other, his movements slow and purposeful, like a predator savoring its prey.
“You just can’t stay dead, can you?” I muttered, rising to my feet and positioning myself between him and Ethan.
Xavier’s lips twisted into a cruel smile. “And you just can’t seem to make good decisions, Alyssa. Killing your father? That’s bold, even for you.”
“He was going to kill us,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear clawing at my insides. “And I won’t let you finish the job.”
“Brave words,” Xavier said, stepping closer. “But you’re out of your depth, little girl. Your father may have been a tyrant, but he was a useful tyrant. You? You’re just a nuisance.”
“Then why are you here?” I shot back. “If I’m such a nuisance, why not walk away?”
“Because I don’t like loose ends,” he said simply, raising the gun. “And you, Alyssa, are the loosest end of them all.”
Time seemed to slow as he aimed the gun at me. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I glanced down at the gun I’d dropped earlier-it was just a few feet away, but reaching for it would mean exposing myself.
“I wouldn’t,” Xavier said, as if reading my mind. “One wrong move, and I put a bullet in his head.” He gestured toward Ethan with the knife, his smile widening. “And then I’ll take my time with you.”
“Why don’t you put the knife down and fight me like a man?” I said, stalling for time.
He laughed, a dark, humorless sound. “You’re funny, Alyssa. I’ll give you that. But no, I think I’ll stick to what I’m good at-eliminating problems.”
“Over my dead body,” I snarled.
“Exactly,” he said, pulling the trigger.
I dove to the side as the shot rang out, the bullet narrowly missing me. Grabbing the gun from the floor, I rolled onto my back and fired. The shot hit Xavier’s shoulder, and he staggered back, cursing loudly.
“You little-” he began, but I didn’t let him finish. I fired again, this time aiming for his leg. The bullet hit its mark, and he went down with a roar of pain.
Scrambling to my feet, I turned to Ethan. “We have to go. Now.”
He nodded weakly, his face pale. “Help me up.”
I slipped an arm around his waist, supporting his weight as we moved toward the door. Xavier’s groans echoed behind us, but I didn’t look back. I couldn’t afford to.
We made it to the hallway, the dim light casting long shadows on the walls. My heart raced as I tried to remember the layout of the building. My father had always been paranoid, and I had no doubt he’d set traps to ensure no one left without his permission.
“This way,” I said, guiding Ethan toward the back exit. But as we turned the corner, a deafening explosion shook the building, throwing us both to the ground.
Coughing, I pushed myself up, my ears ringing. The hallway was filled with smoke and debris, and I could barely see a few feet ahead. Ethan groaned beside me, and I reached for him, my fingers brushing against his.
“We’re not going to make it,” he said, his voice weak.
“Don’t say that,” I snapped, pulling him to his feet. “We’re getting out of here. Both of us.”
“You’re stubborn as hell,” he muttered, but there was a faint smile on his lips.
“Damn right I am,” I said, forcing a smile of my own.
We stumbled toward the exit, the sound of gunfire and shouts echoing behind us. My father’s men-or what was left of them-were fighting Xavier’s forces, creating a chaotic battleground.
As we reached the door, I turned to Ethan. “Stay close.”
“Like I have a choice,” he said, his smirk turning into a grimace as he clutched his side.
Pushing the door open, I stepped outside, the cool night air hitting my face like a slap. For a moment, I thought we were safe.
And then I heard the voice.
“Going somewhere?”
I froze, my blood turning to ice. Turning slowly, I saw Xavier leaning against the wall, bloodied but still standing. He held a gun in his hand, his eyes locked on me.
“You really thought you could get away from me?” he said, his voice low and dangerous.
Before I could respond, Xavier raised the gun, aiming it directly at Ethan. His finger tightened on the trigger, and my world seemed to collapse around me.