Chapter 3

It wasn't part of the plan for Ethan to be the highest, however, he desired to be noticed. Rachel slowly switches her gaze at him and gasped.

She wasn't expecting to see her ex-husband in such an occasion because he never merits the fame.

Rachel was unease, trembling where she sat as she turned her eyes towards Gary who was perturbed.

His concern were on his watch and the person he texted. His heart counted the time and the walking steps of Ethan.

She doubts if he knew who Ethan was. This woman was over with him but she just couldn't reason why he keeps stalking her.

She intended to have a word with Ethan when this agenda of the event was done with.

Ethan glanced at her, he could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes. 

The host welcomes him on stage to take his possession.

A sense of pride rush through him and just as he was about to mount the podium and approach the host, gunshots were heard.

It caused an uproar as the guests duck their heads in fear, some laid on the ground to avoid being shot.

While some ran towards the door to exist the building, sadly, they were locked up!

Ethan shudders as he knew who were behind it. The shooting continues as it drew closer.

Before he eyes, he saw bullets flying in the air and some guests falling to the ground lifelessly.

He divulge his attention to the host who held his arms in fear to take cover but a bullet hits him.

Ethan was glue to a spot as blood splatters on his face. Papers flew in the air and a rackus was caused.

Screeches of people calling out for help, frantically pacing to and fro, juddering pass him to find safety.

He was dumbstruck as the host fell tremendously to the floor.

This wasn't part of the plan, no harming of civilians. What must have possibly gone wrong?

He retch on the body of the dead host and fell limply in a sitting position. 

He crawled backward away, frantically gasping for air. His eyes witness corpse collapsing on each other.

He took a big breath to snap out of the tragedy and attempted to stand up. The first person that crosses his mind was her.

"Rachel?" He cried panting and trying to find her while taking shield from being hit.

Meanwhile, Gary was protecting Rachel, he covered in his arms as he thought of a way to get her out of the building.

"Oh my God, Gary, where's Alex!" She panics attempting to stand up from where she was laying.

"Shh, he's safe... let's get out of here first" he assured wiping the blood off her shirt. She felt nausea as the scent of blood hits her nose.

She was petrified for her son. Her body shook when someone close to her was hit by a bullet.

"Shit! Gary! What's happening?" Rachel cried shutting her eyes. 

Her body quivers as the roaring sounds from gun pitches high in her ears.

She wouldn't be herself if she doesn't see her son. 

Gary glances at his watch again and let out a weak sigh.

"Follow me, I've got a way to get us out of here" he whispered standing up while glancing at the balcony.

She shook her head still crotched on the ground and weeping silently.

Almost immediately, Rodger and his team began to race down stairs from the balcony.

An unknown group also appeared from the end of the hall and they began a gun fire.

"F*ck"he cussed as he pulls Rachel with him to leave the chaos. 

His eyes met with a young man who was leaning on one of the pillars close to the podium. It was his brother.

However, this brother of his vanishes a second after exchanging a daring glare at Gary.

Rachel was refuting his decision as they couldn't leave without saving others in the building.

It got him furious and unexpectedly he pulls out a gun from his coat and pointed it on her head.

"Stop making it harder for me!" He snarls as his breath poured on her face.

She flutters her eyes 

He hated it when his orders weren't followed. Gary wasn't one who cares for others.

"You will do as I say!" He barked as she widens her eyes at him. She was hypersensitive and feeble at his threat.

Rachel knew he wouldn't hesitate to harm her. She had gone through a lot in his hands.

Her lips were mute and she let him take control. She couldn't trust him when he said Alex was safe.

It was unbelievable that he had a gun with him in that place. He avoided being shot.

"Everyone stay down!" A voice yelled and Ethan couldn't identify who it was. He doubts if that person was a part of his team.

He could see Gary taking Rachel towards a corner of the building.

It breaks his heart that he wasn't the one protecting her.

He was hiding beneath a table close to the door, puzzled and trying to connect with his team.

His hands tried to bring out the tiny device stucked in his ear lobe but couldn't.

The place was becoming foggy due to the dust arising from broken walls which bullet ram on.

No one was listening to these rivals as they fought for a way out of this building.

"Help!" A woman shouted and she was shot immediately. The rest guest got alarmed and fell on their face.

More adrenaline pumps in their body as they wish to survive this bloody phase.

While in his confused state, a red point sight suddenly lingers around his forehead.

Quickly, he rolled to the other side of the table to avoid being shot by a blaser. The worst of it all was no one was responding to him.

It was as though they had disconnected him. Mike had gathered the artifacts on the podium intending to exit with them.

He looked for Tyler but couldn't find him except Rodger who was accidentally hit by the opposite gang.

"Damn it!" He cusses encouraging himself to stay brave as he tried not to be noticed.

"Can you hear me? Ethan?" Someone responded, it was Paul. It gave the devastated man a ray of hope.

At last, he wasn't abandoned. He got to inquire about the rest of the team and they had managed to sneak out of the building.

The call got deferred but he had some information that he needed.

He and Rodger were the only one left. Rodger was a one man army, taking down his rival and communicating to the rest of his team.

He got to Ethan and pulled him from his hiding to tread after him. Watching the scary cat made him grumble.

"Listen to me carefully if you want to get out of there alive" he gestured and Ethan swallows hard.

"Who are the rivals?" Ethan squeeze out creeping behind Rodger. Out of the blue, bruce and spencer appeared to back Rodger up.

He nodded at them and they gave him a mockery smile. They were certain to take off from where he stopped.

Rodger drags Ethan along with him to exit the building through a secret passage way.

Meanwhile, the security agents had been contacted and they were sorting a way to break through the door and get hostages out.

***

AT THE SECRET PASSAGE

Ethan pulls out of Rodger's hold when he saw that they were on the safer side. It was a dark passage and Rodger threw a torchlight at Ethan to lead the way with it.

He was instructing him on where to move through.

"What's happening? I am a part of this team and I need an explanation" Ethan began as their shoes clomps hard.

"You wanna know the truth? Scary cat?" He mocks as his eyes evaluates the different door ahead of them.

Ethan adjusted his tie and sighs deeply. He watch as Rodger broke a door with his right arm.

Rodger glares at him and he became jumpy.

"Unfortunately, we are under someone who wants to murder someone and pin the blame on someone!" Rodger snaps while pushing Ethan harshly inside the door he got opened.

Accidentally, he brush his knee on the wall and his pant around that area shrews.

He winced in pain but Rodger backs at him to move which he did. 

Ethan wasn't chanced to cry out his pains as he could do that once they escape this building.

Rodger was keeping watch if perhaps, the rivalry gangs were tailing on them.

"Who is he?" He questioned leaping yet maintaining a speed. Ethan could tell that this man might kill him if he doesn't move fast.

"Me" a voice mutters from behind Rodger.

Quickly, his hand sway the torch ray on this intruder's face and found Gary grinning at him.