Chapter 13 - The Diversion
The explosive shockwave shattered the remaining windows of the old boathouse.
Agent Thorne stumbled forward, losing her elegant composure for a brief second.
The heavily armed men instinctively turned their rifles toward the roaring flames outside.
Julian opened his eyes and saw the black helicopter was engulfed in thick smoke.
Someone had fired a rocket directly at the aircraft from the opposite shore of the lake.
"Move, now!" Julian screamed, grabbing Sarah's hand and pulling her toward a trapdoor.
He knew the boathouse had a secret smuggling hatch leading directly into the water.
Eleanor grabbed her shotgun from the floor and fired a blast into the ceiling to create chaos.
The deafening noise caused the operatives to dive for cover behind the wooden crates.
Julian kicked the rusty latch, and the trapdoor swung open to reveal the dark, churning lake below.
"Jump!" he ordered, pushing Sarah and Elena into the icy water.
Eleanor was right behind them, showing incredible agility for a woman her age.
Julian dove in last, just as heavy gunfire began shredding the floorboards where they had stood.
The freezing water knocked the breath completely out of Julian's lungs.
He grabbed Elena and swam hard toward the thick reeds near the shoreline.
The darkness and the heavy rain provided the perfect cover for their desperate escape.
They surfaced quietly among the tall grass, shivering violently in the cold.
Julian watched the boathouse burn from afar, completely surrounded by angry mercenaries.
"Who blew up the helicopter?" Sarah whispered, her teeth chattering loudly.
Before Julian could answer, a strong hand reached out from the darkness and grabbed his shoulder.
May you like
"I did," a familiar, cynical voice said.
Julian turned around and found himself staring at the one person he never expected to see again.
