Chapter 19
A thick, horrifyingly yellowish mist suddenly erupted with immense force from the wooden crates surrounding Julian and his men, caught instantly in the powerful downdraft of the massive industrial exhaust fans.
"Masks!" Julian screamed in sheer terror, his perpetually calm demeanor shattering completely into frantic, unadulterated panic as the dense chemical cloud billowed aggressively toward them.
The seasoned mercenaries desperately scrambled to pull heavy gas masks from their tactical rigs, completely dropping David to the floor in the utter confusion.
"Nathan, now!" Jocelyn roared at the top of her lungs.
The high steel catwalks instantly lit up with the staccato, rhythmic flashes of heavily suppressed gunfire. Nathan’s elite operators targeted the mercenaries’ hands and weapons, shooting with terrifying surgical precision. Two of Julian's armed men went down immediately, screaming in agonizing pain, dropping their essential masks.
Jocelyn fearlessly sprinted forward, diving directly into the supposedly toxic fog. She had proactively taken a potent chemical antidote Marcus synthesized hours ago, banking her entire life on this exact tactical play. She slid wildly across the damp concrete, grabbing David firmly by the collar of his ragged shirt.
"I’ve got you," she gasped heavily, aggressively hauling his weakened body to his feet.
"The gas!" David coughed violently, desperately covering his mouth and nose.
"It’s harmless!" Jocelyn loudly shouted back, frantically pulling him toward the open loading dock doors. "It’s literally just industrial coolant mixed with standard theatrical smoke! I completely bluffed them!"
Behind them, Julian Vance suddenly realized the brilliant deception. He furiously threw off his useless mask, drawing a heavy, large-caliber sidearm from his shoulder holster. He aimed squarely at Jocelyn’s retreating back.
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Before he could possibly pull the trigger, a precise three-round burst violently tore through his shoulder. Julian spun violently, dropping his gun, screaming as he collapsed onto the concrete.
Nathan confidently dropped from the lower catwalk, aiming at Julian's head. "Warehouse is fully secure, Madame Chair," he announced.
