Unwanted Partners-part 2

The first soldier reached Kai within seconds.

He swung a combat knife straight toward Kai's chest.

Kai sidestepped effortlessly.

"Too slow."

The attacker stumbled forward.

Kai grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back, and sent him crashing into two other soldiers.

"Three for the price of one," Kai muttered.

Max had already hidden behind a stack of wooden crates.

"I'M PROVIDING MORAL SUPPORT!"

A bullet struck the crate inches from his head.

"I TAKE THAT BACK!"

Elena looked around frantically.

"There are too many!"

Kai ducked another punch before replying, "Then we'll have to leave before they can introduce themselves."

Another soldier aimed his rifle.

"Kai!"

"I see him."

Kai picked up an empty metal barrel and kicked it across the warehouse floor.

The barrel slammed into the soldier's legs.

He lost his balance and accidentally fired into the ceiling.

Dust and pieces of wood rained down.

Max peeked over the crate.

"I planned that."

Kai didn't even look at him.

"No, you didn't."

"...No, I didn't."

The mysterious man in the black suit watched the fight calmly.

He hadn't moved an inch.

Instead, he simply folded his hands behind his back.

"Interesting," he murmured.

"Kai Anderson is exactly as the reports described."

Kai pointed at him while dodging another attack.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but your friends have terrible manners."

The man ignored the joke.

"Bring me Elena Rossi."

"No."

"I wasn't asking."

Kai smiled.

"And I wasn't negotiating."

The stranger sighed.

"Very well."

He snapped his fingers.

Two heavily armored soldiers entered through the side entrance.

Unlike the others, they carried riot shields and electric batons.

Max's eyes widened.

"Oh... those guys look expensive."

Kai looked at them and nodded.

"They're professionals."

"You're smiling."

"I enjoy a challenge."

Elena stared at him in disbelief.

"You enjoy this?"

"I enjoy winning."

One of the armored soldiers charged.

Kai kicked the shield.

Nothing happened.

"Ouch."

The soldier swung his baton.

Kai barely avoided it.

The electric weapon struck a steel support beam, sending sparks flying.

"Okay," Kai admitted.

"That would've hurt."

Elena spotted a hanging cargo hook suspended from the warehouse ceiling.

An idea flashed through her mind.

"Kai!"

"What?"

"Keep them busy!"

"I'm already doing that!"

"No, I mean over here!"

Kai trusted her without asking questions.

He deliberately retreated toward the center of the warehouse.

The armored soldiers followed.

Elena sprinted to the old control panel attached to the wall.

She pressed several dusty switches.

Nothing happened.

"Come on..."

She hit the panel with her palm.

The old machinery groaned to life.

The overhead crane began moving.

Kai looked up.

"Oh..."

The giant cargo hook swung across the warehouse.

"What are you doing?"

"Trust me!"

"I usually do!"

The hook slammed into a towering stack of wooden crates.

CRASH!

Hundreds of boxes tumbled down like dominoes.

The soldiers scattered.

Some were buried beneath the collapsing crates.

Others dove out of the way.

A thick cloud of dust filled the warehouse.

Kai laughed.

"I like your style."

Elena smiled for the first time without realizing it.

"Let's go!"

Max emerged from hiding.

"Is it safe now?"

A crate landed beside him.

"...I'll take that as a no."

The three of them ran toward the back exit.

Behind them, the man in the black suit calmly brushed dust from his shoulder.

"They're escaping."

One of his soldiers looked nervous.

"Should we pursue them, sir?"

The man smiled faintly.

"Of course."

Outside, rain poured harder than ever.

Kai pushed open the emergency door.

Cold air rushed inside.

The narrow alley behind the warehouse was almost empty.

Almost.

Three black SUVs blocked the only exit.

Kai sighed.

"I really hate those."

Max looked around desperately.

"So... Plan B?"

Kai blinked.

"We had a Plan A?"

Before Max could answer, Elena pointed toward an old drainage tunnel hidden beneath a rusted metal grate.

"There!"

Kai ran over.

The grate wouldn't move.

Max joined him.

Together they pulled with all their strength.

It screeched open just as headlights illuminated the alley.

"They're here!" Max shouted.

Kai jumped into the tunnel first.

"Elena!"

She climbed down quickly.

Max followed immediately.

Kai slammed the heavy grate shut above them.

Moments later...

The SUVs skidded to a stop.

Soldiers poured into the alley.

One of them looked around.

"They vanished."

Back inside the tunnel, the three of them stood in ankle-deep water.

The air smelled damp and stale.

Max turned on a small flashlight.

"I officially hate tunnels."

Kai looked around.

"I've been in worse."

"I don't want to know."

"You really don't."

They continued walking through the darkness.

After several minutes, the tunnel widened into an old maintenance chamber.

Kai finally stopped.

"I think we've lost them."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Elena leaned against the wall, exhausted.

"This is insane."

Kai nodded.

"You're not wrong."

She looked directly at him.

"My life was normal yesterday."

"And today?"

"I'm hiding in a sewer with two strangers."

Max raised his hand.

"Friendly strangers."

She laughed softly despite herself.

Kai noticed.

"You're smiling again."

"I am not."

"You definitely are."

She shook her head.

"You never stop, do you?"

"No."

There was a brief silence.

Then Elena's expression became serious.

"Kai..."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Kai looked surprised.

"For what?"

"You've saved my life... more than once tonight."

He smiled gently.

"That's my job."

"No."

She met his eyes.

"I don't think it's just your job anymore."

Before Kai could answer, Mia's voice suddenly echoed through his earpiece.

"Kai."

His smile disappeared.

"What happened?"

"I've identified the man leading the attack."

"Who is he?"

There was a pause.

"His name is Adrian Cross."

Kai frowned.

"I've never heard of him."

"You wouldn't have."

"Why?"

"Because according to every intelligence database in the world..."

"...Adrian Cross died six years ago."

Silence filled the tunnel.

Kai slowly looked toward the darkness ahead.

Somehow...

Their enemies had become even more mysterious.

And far more dangerous than they had imagined.

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