Echo’s expression was colder than ever, her sharp gaze unwavering. Using the dim light from the lamp Clement carried, she kept her gun trained perfectly on the man’s forehead, her arm steady and unflinching.
The man outside hesitated for a moment, sensing the deadly precision in Echo’s aim. Her finger rested on the trigger with chilling certainty, leaving no room for error. Meanwhile, his gun was only aimed at her shoulder.
In that split second, it was clear who had the upper hand.
“Miss Echo,” the man said, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. He quickly composed himself, lowering his weapon and stepping inside. Grabbing hold of Clement to help support him, he asked urgently, “Where’s the Boss?”
With the darkness outside and the weak lighting, Echo hadn’t recognized the man at first. But once her eyes adjusted and she realized he was one of the Dark family’s own, she lowered her gun, gave a quick nod, and handed Clement over to him.
Without missing a beat, she jumped out after him and said in a low, serious tone, “Boss is behind us. What’s the current status? Report.”
“Yes, Miss Echo.” The man hesitated for only a moment, then quickly replied, “The enemy’s firepower is overwhelming-mostly long-range artillery. We didn’t bring enough heavy weapons, so we’re taking heavy losses. Nearly half of our men are down, and the rest are all stationed here.”
Before he could finish, a shell exploded nearby, sending a cloud of sand into the air. Shrapnel from a destroyed jeep flew past them, landing close to Echo.
The deafening explosion tore through the night, lighting up the darkness with a brutal mix of fire and blood.
“Have you made contact with Tiger?” Echo asked, her brow furrowed in frustration.
“No, Miss Echo. Mr. Tiger is too far away to provide any support.”
Without wasting another word, Echo pulled out her comms device and switched to Tiger’s channel. Now that they were out of the pyramid, whatever interference they’d been dealing with was gone-this was her domain now.
“Tiger, listen up,” she barked into the comms. “We’re pinned down inside the Egyptian pyramid, under heavy fire from the Street family. I don’t care how you do it-jam their comms and carve me a path on the northwest side. You’ve got two minutes. If you are too late, you won’t even be able to find our bodies. Move!” She hung up before Tiger could even respond.
The night added to their difficulties, but it also created opportunities.
“Move every operational vehicle in this direction,” Echo ordered, listening to the roar of engines and the movement of jeeps, a diversion meant to confuse the enemy.
“Yes, Miss Echo.”
“Get everyone ready. Concentrate all firepower on the northeast corner. I want everything blasted toward that spot-nonstop for two minutes.”
“Yes, Miss Echo.”
Echo had never been in a battle like this, but tactics like drawing the enemy in or scattering their focus were second nature to her. These tricks had served her well throughout her career as a master thief, and she had never once failed. Tonight would be no different.
With Cobra, Hawk, and Ryan still inside, and Panther, Tiger, and Bill absent, Echo was the one in charge. Whether the Dark family men liked it or not, her word was now law. In the Dark family, rules were sacred, and no one dared disobey.
As Echo’s orders rolled out, the Dark family soldiers responded with precision.
In moments, the northeast corner was lit up with explosions, painting the night sky in a chaotic blaze of color. The bombardment was so intense that it could probably be heard miles away.
The Street family instantly noticed the shift in firepower. The sudden, relentless barrage from the Dark family made it clear-this was their final push. All attention shifted to the northeast corner, exactly as planned.
This was the kind of bold, unyielding move Ryan was known for-forceful, fearless, and determined.
Under the cover of the booming artillery, every operational vehicle gathered silently around Echo, creating a stark contrast with the chaos raging in the northeast corner.
Echo clenched her fists tightly-there was still no sign from behind her.
Two minutes. That was all they had.
Clement had said it would take just two minutes for the pyramid to collapse completely, and everything hinged on this desperate gamble.
The night was pitch-black, with not a single star in the sky, no light, no illumination. Everything unfolded in the darkness, except for the bursts of fire lighting up the night sky with a bloody hue, blossoming like deadly flowers in the shadows.
At the one-and-a-half-minute mark, Echo silently climbed into the front jeep. The drivers in the three other jeeps were already in position, waiting.
Thirty more seconds.
That half a minute would determine whether Ryan made it out alive-and whether Tiger’s plan had worked.
With only two minutes of artillery cover, everything boiled down to these final seconds, filled with tension and uncertainty.
No one spoke. No one argued. Everyone knew their role-whether to move, hide, or attack. The Dark family operated with precision beyond what Echo had expected.
Everything was running smoothly, every detail was already accounted for.
Now, all they could do was wait for the right moment to act.
“Miss Echo, we can’t hold them off much longer,” the lead soldier reported quietly through the comms.
Though he didn’t say it outright, Echo understood what was really being asked-Why are you out here, but Ryan isn’t?
“Boss is-”
“He’s not here, so my word is the command,” Echo cut him off coldly, her voice sharp and absolute, leaving no room for argument.
The soldier hesitated for a moment, then gave a quick nod and stepped back to relay her orders.
The combination of quicksand and explosives had taken its toll. The once-flawless structure of the pyramid was now on the brink of collapse. The internal mechanics holding it together had been destroyed, and when it gave way, the sinking force would be catastrophic.
No one knew just how vast the pyramid’s foundation was, but it was far more than the patch of ruins visible before them. Staying here would mean certain death.
“Ryan… What if he doesn’t make it?” Clement’s voice trembled with fear.
“He’ll make it. Hold on.” Echo’s response was swift and firm, cutting him off before he could give voice to his worst fears. Her tone carried unwavering trust and determination.
Clement’s hands were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. It was the only thing keeping him from losing consciousness-this pain that anchored him to reality.
He couldn’t pass out, not now. He had to see Ryan come out of that cursed place with his own eyes. He couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing his only nephew alive again.
There was something so resolute in Echo’s words that it brought a strange sense of calm to Clement’s heart. Even though he couldn’t see her clearly in the darkness, he could feel the aura of unshakable belief radiating from her.
For the first time, a faint warmth flickered across his grim expression, and his resolve solidified. He had to believe-just as she did-that Ryan would make it.
The gunfire grew more intense by the second.
The Street family fighters, seasoned veterans, were exhilarated. They knew this was their last stand, a desperate bid for victory. To corner the Dark family’s boss in this place-whether they lived or died today-would make them legends. And they fought with every ounce of strength, eager to etch their names into history.
“Ten seconds left,” Echo muttered to herself, glancing at the custom-made watch on her wrist.
She could feel the jeep shift slightly beneath her-it was the balance inside the pyramid giving way, everything heading toward collapse.
Ryan, your time’s almost up.