Mark peeped out of the cut entrance on the first floor at the mercenaries holding the Cave’s personnel hostage. The closest mercenaries were to the sides of the entrance. He slipped back in before they could catch him out of the corners of their eyes.
Holding the rifle to his chest, Mark steadied his nerves. He had to do this. Just like before. Only there were more mercenaries, armed with guns, welding torches, grenades, and an APC, Humvees, and a tank waiting in the background. But he had to stop Whyte.
Any time now. He tightened his grip, stepped out, and watched a body fall in front of him. The mercenaries whipped around, guns trained on the mess at their feet, and then on him. Crap.
Before his eyes, the hostages disappeared one by one. The remaining bewildered mercenaries watching them yelled out and killed a couple of the Cave’s personnel. Several mercenaries were knocked down, their weapons stolen from them, and shot dead. Lasers and ice balls flew out of the scramble. The mercenaries watching Mark recognized him and turned to the action. All of the hostages bolted for cars in the nearby parking lot and fired back at the mercenaries.
Mark took the opportunity, lining up his barrel with one mercenary’s head. He pulled the trigger, the gun kicked up, and a spray of bullets flew wildly in the air. He somehow caught the mercenary in the head. The second mercenary turned, and she and Mark fired on one another. She fell flat after seconds and he shook his shirt, scattering a few bullets hiding in the folds that left burn holes behind.
Ahead, the other mercenaries were too busy to notice the brief firefight behind them. The hostages were escaping one vehicle at a time, while the rest held Whyte’s people back. They would be fine. Mark considered running out and leaving with them. He could blaze through the middle, take out a couple mercenaries on the way, and leave.
Heather’s face popped into his mind. Not without her. As badly as he wanted to end his involvement in any of this, he steeled his resolve and turned from the entrance. The hostages had the situation under control. Heather needed his help.
Behind him, the entrance exploded in a shower of block and rubble. The opening caved in, crushing the bodies of his kills. Boulders too heavy to move swallowed up the light and cemented his decision. Sealed up in the building, he now had no option except to go forward.