Roy...I had to get to Roy.

The click from my SR pierced my ears, as I dropped the magazine, grabbed a loaded mag that I placed on top of the passenger side tire, and aimed. There were three cars, blacked-out Mercedes Maybach S-Class, racing towards us. From the gunfire, each carried three to four members of the Manor Gang inside. That clue sprang in my mind after Kai's words, but it was only after the explosions that I realized we drove straight into a trap.  Yet, it didn't make sense. Why would Darian ask Kai to bring me here just to take out my surveillance team in such an extravagant manner? Didn't Darian just want me?

My breathing stilled, remembering Kai's words. Kai said Darian wanted us to come alone. Did that mean that I...was I the one who put Roy in danger?!

Kai pounding on the door knocked me to my trance, as I ducked from another ray of bullets. 3...2...1, empty. From the bullet casings and the size of the mags, the Manors were using .177 caliber Umarex MP40's. They held up to 52 rounds, and the click the weapons made when they went dry was unmistakable. It was that clear metallic clang that gave me enough time, in between the wasted shots, to gather myself back on top of the hood of the Bentley, place the driver of the second Mercedes in my sights, and squeeze the trigger. I didn't wait for the driver's head to smash into the steering wheel or swerve into the Mercedes to its right. Instead, I aimed at the vehicle on its left, allowing the disarray of the scene to place the driver's left cheek directly in my sights. It took half a second for his car to swerve into the fire hydrant directly across from us, but that didn't stop the rapid fire from pelting the limo.

I had injured and killed enough Manors in the first two vehicles, to only have to deal with seven of the 12 men. Thankfully, I had more than enough rounds to silence them all. As the thugs limped from their cars, I aimed, not even taking a second to breathe, as one after the other was brought to the ground. One lone ranger took out his pistol, lackadaisically aiming at me: resulting in his shots landing everywhere but on their intended target. I sighed, irritated, taking out my Sig P229 and aimed at his forehead. In one shot his body crashed into the cement beneath his feet.

I quickly holstered my weapon, retaking the SR in a ready position. I glanced at the tires of the Bentley and my agitation built when I heard the air escaping: the rear tires were completely flat. There was no other option than to make our way back to 5th and 6th on foot.

I unlocked the Bentley and opened the door, grabbing Kai forcefully out of the vehicle. He was shaken and I couldn't comprehend the words he muttered. My mind was on a loop and my guilt began to overtake my decisiveness. We had no backup and were sitting ducks on the street. No one was around, another indicator I missed as we drove down Constitution. These were rooky mistakes...ones that I had never made in my career.

How...did it come to this?

"Max...you...you're..." Kai shouted.

It was then that I saw the fear in Kai's eyes and the blood painting his hands. My mind ran into overdrive as I watched him eye me in shock. He's injured?! How...my mind blacked as I felt my legs begin to sway.

 No...dumbass, you're the one who took the hit. Remember?!

"MAX!"

Kai's voice once again woke me from my trance, as I felt his arms around me: helping me upright. I breathed heavily, suddenly realizing the state I was in. The FAT kit was in the vehicle, but it was too risky to go back and grab it. We were still in a hot zone, and we needed to get somewhere safe.

Just a little longer.

"You're injured! Here— " Kai began to take off his tie.

"No," I pushed him off of me, regaining what strength I had left.

My adrenaline wore off and I suddenly felt the protruding pain that shot from my side to upper chest...and even my legs. Yet, I had endured enough trauma from my previous life that this injury wasn't going to stop me from doing my job. I needed to help Roy...I needed to see if he was alright. I absolutely needed to call HQ and inform them of the situation, but first and foremost, I had to get Kai to safety.

"But— " Kai started.

I re-adjusted the SR on my shoulder and stared down my ex, enough for him to know he better take no for an answer. Our time was dwindling, especially from the rolling motors and yells that began to sound off in the distance.

"Come on." I said, urging him to follow me as I looked over our surroundings.

The voices and road rage were coming from our right, so I shoved Kai into an abandoned building to the left. I opened the doors, motioning to Kai to stay on my heel as I quickly moved down the hallway: rounding each corner and aiming the muzzle of the gun at potential hiding spots. We did run into a few employees, who huddled, shaking, in a corner before we reached the exit. Their fear and startled gasps were enough for me to take to the advantage.

I pulled out my badge, showing it to a middle-aged cowering man. "Police, do you have a car?"

"Ya...yes." The man squeaked.

"Hand me the keys."

"Bu...but." The man protested.

"Look, we don't have a lot of time! Call the Secret Service HQ in DC, tell them about the incident, and they will repay you for the asset."

The man continued to hesitate, but eventually coughed over his keys.

"Where is it parked?"

"Outback...it's a white Acura TSX."

Without a word, I left. I heard Kai exchanging pleasantries, which wasn't needed. The man would get what he was owed. Hell, if we made it out of here alive, I would personally deliver it to him.

Pushing open the door to the back lot, I quickly scanned the row of cars.

"Over there!" Kai shouted, pointing to the Acura to the right of us.

"Right, let's go."