Chapter 8
Chunks of ancient brick and concrete exploded into white dust as the helicopter-mounted machine gun walked its fire across the rooftop. Elena grabbed Julian by the collar of his jacket, yanking him downward just as a burst of rounds chewed through the air where his head had been a fraction of a second earlier.
"Jump!" Elena yelled over the deafening roar of the twin turbine engines.
Julian looked across the gap between the textile factory roof and the adjacent residential apartment building. It was a terrifying six-foot span across a dark, five-story drop that ended in a tangle of rusted pipes and wet concrete below.
"I can't make that!" Julian screamed, his voice cracking with panic.
"You can't stay here either!" Elena retorted, pointing back toward the access hatch where the first Syndicate enforcers were already emerging onto the roof, their tactical axes gleaming under the harsh wash of the helicopter’s searchlight.
Without giving him another moment to hesitate, Elena grabbed Julian by both shoulders and propelled him forward. He let out a desperate, high-pitched shout as his legs flailed across the void, crashing hard onto the gravel rooftop of the adjacent building. He slid several feet before slamming into a raised skylight frame, groaning in pain.
Elena turned to face the advancing enforcers. Three men in dark tactical gear fanned out across the roof, their weapons raised, moving with the cold, unyielding synchronization of machines. The lead operative brought his rifle up, aiming directly at her chest.
Elena didn't wait for him to squeeze the trigger. She dropped into a low sweep, kicking a loose section of iron ductwork across the gravel. The heavy metal pipe slammed into the lead operative’s shins, sending him crashing sideways into his partner. Before the third enforcer could adjust his aim, Elena closed the distance in three explosive strides, delivering a brutal palm strike to his throat that dropped him instantly.
Turning on her heel, she sprinted toward the edge of the parapet, launched herself across the gaping alleyway with effortless, athletic grace, and landed in a controlled roll beside Julian on the opposite roof.
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Behind them, the helicopter banked hard, its rotor wash flattening the gravel as the pilot attempted to adjust for the narrow gap between the buildings. But the tight urban canyon restricted the aircraft’s maneuverability, forcing the pilot to pull up sharply to avoid clipping the brick cornices.
"Get up," Elena commanded, hauling Julian to his feet by his arm. "They're calling in reinforcements to cover the street level. We need to descend through this building before they lock down the stairwells."
