Ste was leading the way with Julius and Allen and she was not sure why Owen tagged along. He is not a fighter, but he didn''t want to stay behind. Doesn''t he know that he can be a burden more than help? Ste went on so many missions without Owen. Why did he insist on joining this one? Is it because this is to rescue Sarah? Or because all her daughters are involved? Ste was not sure.


    Through their tunnel-journey, Ste was trying to persuade Owen to give up, but he was not willing to listen to reason.


    "I can use a gun, and if they shoot, use me as a shield.", Owen said before they exited the tunnel that leads to the main base of the Voronin family.


    Ste rolled her eyes. "You are too heavy to drag around as a shield."


    Owen ignored her sarcasticment. "Sarah is my niece. How can I sit behind and watch everyone risking their lives to get her out? Don''t tell me that you will miss me if I die."


    "You are a shitty shield, but a good assistant.", Ste said. "Don''t you dare die on me."


    Owen smiled. "I knew you would be missing me."


    "If you are not rted, I would think that you are flirting…", Zack grumbled behind Ste and Owen.


    "They are not rted.", JoAnna said for Ste, Owen, and Zack to hear. "And mom… dad can hear you as well."


    Ste snorted. "I was not flirting."


    "Focus on the mission, dear.", Edward''s stiff voiceced with warning sounded in Ste''s ear.


    Edward knows that Owen has a thing for Ste since… forever. But Ste never gave him any chance. Maybe for Ste, this is just a friendly chat to lift someone''s spirits, but Edward knows that Owen is taking advantage of the situation. Shameless.


    Back to the present…


    They moved swiftly and the invisible drones took out silently anyone who was on the street in the visible range.


    Due to the rush, the unconscious bodies were left lying on the street and it looked eerie like a gue just swept through.


    It was a matter of time before someone from within buildings noticed oddity on the street, but they could not do much about it other than move swiftly and hope to escape before reinforcements arrive.


    They reached the building where Sarah and Aiden are without a hitch, but this was the easy part. Their retreat will be more dangerous.


    It is easier to walk into a spider''s web than to get out of it.


    Five guardster, Ste knocked on the door that Aiden locked from the inside.


    Sarah opened the door and saw several familiar faces smiling her way.


    "No time for greetings. We need to get out quickly.", Ste reminded everyone.


    Sarah extended her arm toward Aiden, and she didn''t move until he ced his hand into hers because she feared that he will stay behind. Sarah was not afraid of whatever is waiting for them outside, as long as they are together.


    Aiden knew what is on her mind and he was thinking the same. No matter what, the worst oue for him is the possibility of losing Sarah.


    He smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Together."


    Sarah nodded and gripped his hand firmly. "Let''s go home."


    "Are these peopleing also?", Owen asked while looking at seven prisoners that were standing behind Sarah and Aiden. And his eyebrow raised suspiciously at the sight of Vanya whose leg is in a cast.


    Sarah confirmed. "They will join us to the exit, and once we are out, they are on their own. Don''t worry about them, they all agreed to fend for themselves. If they can''t keep up, that is their problem. We will not risk our people for them."


    Aiden was surprised that Sarah stopped her urge to adopt more humans. Must be due to the stress.


    "They areing, we need to rush!", Zack spoke with urgency. He sawrge groups of people approaching from both sides of the street.


    "Drones are almost out of ammunition. Make a run for it.", JoAnna''s voice rang in everyone''s ear stud.


    Julius and Allen dashed out of the building first, moving closely next to the wall and they were greeted by the gunshots from above. Luckily, the drones took out those shooters, but more wereing.


    Ade and Hande kneeled and started shooting, two steps away from Ron and Z.


    "Don''t linger! You are an easy target!", Owen warned the youngsters and that made them move.


    Vanya was happy to be out, but three stepster, a bullet got her shoulder and she cursed. A secondter, another bullet got her healthy leg.


    Vanya fell on the ground and a shadow came above her. It was a huge man with a gun, shooting above her, toward the third-floor window on the opposite side of the street.


    When he moved, Vanya recognized a familiar face.


    Igor was holding a pistol in each of his hands and taking down any enemy who was in the visible range.


    "Igor! Igor! Help me!", Vanya screamed, hoping to get his attention. Igor is a big guy, and he can carry her easily.


    Unfortunately for her, Igor didn''t spare her a nce. Sarah told them not to bother with anyone who is not from their team, and he will stick to that. And he didn''t like Vanya from the start. Shameless woman, always scheming. If she is not in a hopeless situation, she would never acknowledge his presence, yet now she is talking sweetly and asking him to save her. She got herself into this pickle, and now she needs to live (or die) with it.


    Vanya cried in frustration when she realized that no one would help her. She is still stuck in this base, but this time with two additional bullet wounds. If she had a gun, she would kill herself to avoid additional torture.


    …


    Maksim wasing down the street and he saw a row of people in ck uniforms dashing across the street into the warehouse.


    Sarah and Aiden were side-by-side with one hand waving for others to rush, and in the other they held a pistol each.


    Everyone was rushing, yet Sarah and Aiden moved slowly in a half-squat, observing the surroundings, taking down enemies, and making sure that their rescuers get out of there safely. That image alone told Maksim that Sarah and Aiden are the leaders of that group... good leaders, who take care of their soldiers, how people in movies do.


    Maksim saw that the man next to him extended his arm with a pistol while taking aim.


    "Stop!", Maksim shouted and pped the man''s hand down.


    "They are escaping! Are you letting them go?", one of the men hissed in frustration.


    "I am letting you live.", Maksim responded. "This is not so simple. Don''t you see all the bodies on the ground? There is something else going on."


    The men around Maksim panicked and looked nervously at all the bodies that were sprawled on the street.


    Sarah nced that way at the group of men and her eyes met with Maksim''s.


    Maksim smiled and tilted his head toward the right, silently telling her to move.


    She gave him a small nod and pushed Aiden toward the warehouse.


    It all happened in less than a second, but this time she was sure that Maksim let her go. She still didn''t know why he did that, but she had a feeling that Maksim will be punished for it.


    At the entrance of the warehouse, Sarah met Vasily''s smiling eyes giving her an approving look. She wondered if he saw her silent exchange with Maksim or not. If he did, Sarah was confident that Vasily will give her an earful for this when he gets a chance.


    Sarah and Aiden reached the trapdoor, and they were happy to see that everyone is getting through.


    There were sounds ofmotion and gunshots from the tunnel but much lesspared to the mayhem on the outside of the warehouse.


    "Go.", Aiden nudged Sarah.


    Sarah paused. "Not without you."


    "Don''t argue. I am right behind you. I will close the trapdoor."


    They knew that the door needs to be closed because if they leave it open, their pursuers wille after them immediately, and the closed-door will give them at least a short-lived head-start.


    Sarah pressed her lips into a line and her eyes moved toward the main door. Most of the kids were in the tunnel, but she saw Zack, Masika, Igor, Aaron, Vasily, Owen, and Ste at the door, shooting to prevent enemies from approaching the warehouse.


    "Come on!", Aiden reminded them. "Time to go!"


    Zack and Masika dashed in, followed by Igor and Aaron.


    "Go…", Aiden urged Sarah. "I will best because I am the fastest. You can''t run at full speed so I will catch up."


    Aiden gave Sarah a light kiss and Ste pulled Sarah with her into the tunnel.


    If they had time, Ste would scold them for being lovey-dovey and lingering at the entrance. Can''t they be aware that this is an emergency?


    Sarah''s and Aiden''s hands parted, and Sarah saw her wedding ring turn ck.


    "If you don''te, I will not forgive you!", Sarah shouted at Aiden and turned to rush down the tunnel with Ste by her side while suppressing the bad feeling that swelled inside her.


    ---


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