Chapter 46: The Russian Mafia -1 (Edited!)

Under the cloak of darkness, the biting chill of the waterfront breeze sent shivers down my spine as Matt and I close in on the warehouse nestled at the edge of the pier.

Navigating with seemingly practiced ease, I ascend to the roof, casting a glance upward at the overcast night sky. The looming clouds hint at the possibility of rain, adding an ominous layer to the already tense atmosphere.

With careful synchrony, we descend through a skylight, our feet meeting the cold, unforgiving concrete of the warehouse floor. The darkness envelops us like a shroud, broken only by feeble beams of moonlight filtering through dusty windows.

Before us lay a scene of eerie stillness, punctuated only by the looming presence of countless packages, neatly stacked and awaiting transport. In the distance, obscured by shadows, stood several imposing containers, their contents hidden from view.

"We are not alone, I can... sense many more people in this warehouse" Matt says quietly, as he takes a vigilant pose. 

As I tighten my grip on the metal batons, a surge of determination courses through me. The time for action has arrived, and I was ready to confront whatever lay ahead.

"он здесь"

Suddenly, a harsh Russian voice shatters the quiet. I knew Russian and someone had just yelled "He is here", followed by the racking sounds of firearms being loaded.

Floodlights snaps on, blindingly bright after the dark. We are surrounded. Many men armed with guns, knives, and bats emerge like specters from the shadows, encircling me and Matt with menacing precision.

"Shit its a trap!" Matt murmurs, his senses already picking apart the setup.

At a single glance, I could discern the presence of nearly forty individuals within the warehouse. "Fuck," I curse under my breath, realising that the situation has escalated significantly.

Just as I curse, Matt grabs me and veers me to the side, narrowly evading a barrage of bullets that seem to graze my back. Quickly regaining my bearings, I follow Matt's lead, sprinting towards the right side of the group.

It dawns on me that we are surrounded from both the front and the back, leaving the sides as the only escape route. Matt, likely utilizing his superhuman senses, has deduced this instantly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Amidst the relentless gunfire from behind, we both dash as fast as our legs can carry us. The continuous barrage of bullets echo through the warehouse, driving home the urgency of our situation.

We rapidly approach the sides of the encirclement, Matt and I make a beeline for a sizable shipping container on the side, seeking refuge from the relentless gunfire.

Surprisingly, I realise that I hadn't been hit yet even once. Perhaps my forcefield bracelet had unknowingly shielded me or I was just that lucky, or maybe their aim was shit!

Just as we are about to reach the container, the same voice that had caught my attention before pierces through the cacophony of gunfire once again.

"умри, ублюдки!!"

I understand that he had just said, "Die, Motherfuckers!!".

"Dive!" Matt yells in panic. Reacting swiftly to Matt's urgent command, I dove forward, just as something clatters ominously behind us.

My instincts kick in, and without a moment's hesitation, I use my Power: Forcefield Creation. Creating a protective forcefield that encases both of us in it.

BOOM!

The explosion reverberates through the air, sending us both hurtling forward behind the safety of the container.

As we regain our footing, a grim realisation settles over me. Had it not been for my quick thinking and the shielding of my forcefield, both of us could have been seriously injured.

Despite the relentless onslaught of gunfire that continues to rain down upon us, I tighten my grip on my batons, exchanging a nod with Matt, silently affirming my readiness to fight back.

Bang! Bang!

"Now!" Matt shouts, seizing the moment as the final echo of gunfire fades, signalling a brief pause for reloading. I dash out from behind the container right behind Matt.

Capitalising on the temporary lull, we both sprint towards the nearest cluster of enemies to our left.

"отъебись!"

The man who shouted "Fuck off"—a middle-aged guy with a long scar tracing down his face—was positioned in the opposite crowd on the right. As we both emerge from behind the container, he hurls another grenade in our direction.

Reacting instinctively, I fling one of my batons at it with deadly precision. It strikes the grenade in mid-air, redirecting it back towards the scarred man and his comrades. They scatter, scrambling to escape the impending explosion.

Matt has already reached the group on the left. With a swift strike to the elbow, he disarms a gunman, then delivers a crushing knee to the man's face.

BOOM!

The grenade detonates amidst the opposing crowd, but there was no time to assess the damage. Joining Matt, I quickly neutralise a reloading gunman with a solid punch, knocking him unconscious. My baton arced through the air, connecting with another thug's head and sending him spiraling into unconsciousness.

From the corner of my eye, I count about ten people with guns in this cluster, four of whom Matt and I have already taken down.

As we engage the gunmen, the remaining gang members armed with knives and metal bats charge towards us. There were still roughly 16 adversaries left to confront in this hectic crowd.

I observe the thugs armed with metal bats and knives closing in, while three gunmen nearby have already reloaded and have aimed their weapons at me.

Reacting swiftly, I lower my baton momentarily and channel my power, Metal Constructs.

With a focused effort, I extend the length of my baton, increasing my reach.

Swoosh!

"Aagh"

The modified metal staff arcs through the air, striking the outstretched hands of all three gunmen just as they prepare to fire. With precise timing, I disarm all three assailants before they can pull the trigger. Their weapons clatter to the ground, neutralised.

"UGH!" A heavy blow strikes my back as someone wields a metal bat against me. Without hesitation, I respond with a powerful back kick, sending my assailant flying backwards and colliding with another thug brandishing a knife.

Meanwhile, I glance over to see Matt in a similar predicament, having disarmed the gunmen but now surrounded by adversaries.

Turning my attention back to my own foes, I find myself encircled by six assailants: three unarmed individuals eyeing their fallen firearms, two armed with metal bats, and one wielding a knife. Amidst the chaos, two assailants lie sprawled on the ground from the impact of my counterattack.

The two assailants wielding metal bats swing their weapons with menacing intent, while the knife-wielder thrusts his blade toward me. In response to the imminent threat, my heart races with adrenaline as I take a deep calming breath.

Then with lightning reflexes, I spring into action, channeling my heightened strength and agility. In a breathtaking display of prowess, I launch into a gravity-defying leap, soaring high above the heads of my adversaries. As I ascend, their blows miss their mark, mere wisps of air brushing past me.

Mid-leap, I activate my Power: Personal Anti-Force, momentarily halting my motion in mid-air. In this suspended moment, I unleash a whirlwind of strikes with my metal staff, spinning it with blinding speed toward the heads of all three thugs below.

The metal staff blurs with astonishing speed as it strikes against multiple adversaries in rapid succession. With a resounding crack, metal meets flesh, and the assailants are sent sprawling to the ground, incapacitated by the sheer force of the onslaught.

Before the last thug can fully collapse, I plant my feet into his face, using the momentum to propel myself toward another assailant who is reaching for his fallen gun. With amazing accuracy, I launch into a flying roundhouse spinning kick, my foot connecting with his chest with bone-crushing force.

The thug hurtles backward, his body becoming a projectile that crashes into two others, the impact sending all three sprawling to the ground in a tangled heap.

My feet touch the ground and I take a deep breath, assessing the situation around me. Despite incapacitating several adversaries, the fight is far from over. The two thugs, the one wielding the metal bat and the one with the knife, who were previously down are back on their feet, and they are closing in on me fearlessly.

More worrying is the crowd on the opposite side of the warehouse rushing toward us with anger etched on their faces. They even have their guns pointed at us, a stark reminder of the danger we are about to face. Despite being injured by the explosion, there are still almost 18 of them, a formidable force.

Turning my attention to Matt, I am stunned to see him taking punches to the face without attempting to dodge. Instead, he absorbs the blows, his expression stoic, before retaliating with even greater ferocity. It is as if the beating is awakening his inner beast. At least the good thing is that he has just two opponents left on his side.

The two thugs are upon me, but I evade the swing from one of the bat-wielding thugs with a graceful sidestep. And as the other knife-wielder thrusts forward, I swiftly dash forward, narrowly avoiding the blade.

In a split-second decision, I seize the opportunity, ducking down to grab the unconscious thug I had previously knocked out. Using him as a shield, I propel myself towards the oncoming big crowd with remarkable speed.

"дерьмо"

They curse as they realise they can't shoot without risking hitting their comrade. Quickly shifting their aim, they redirect their guns towards Matt, who remains locked in combat with his remaining opponents.

Bang! Bang!

Without a backward glance, I forge ahead, suppressing the instinct to check on Matt, hoping that he would be fine.

Bang!

As the sharp sting of the bullet grazing my leg from behind sends a jolt of pain through my body, I grit my teeth, realising that the assailants I had evaded moments ago have armed themselves with the discarded guns.

My own protective shield is right now kept at only lethal damage mode, to preserve it's charge and usage, so it won't activate for these minor injuries. 

I surge forward, closing the distance with the hostile crowd shooting at Matt. I then thrust the unconscious body I am carrying into the path of two oncoming thugs, causing them to stumble as they catch the unexpected obstacle.

Without missing a beat, I swiftly engage them, using my metal staff to disarm two other gunmen.

Swish!

I feel the danger and sidestep, but my side is still cut by a knife as a thug on the side swings his blade at me.

Looking around, I realise that I am surrounded once again. Three people have their guns pointed at me, while three more are focused on Matt. Additionally, four individuals, two armed with knives and two with bats, are rushing toward me, while another four are closing in on Matt.

I glance back and see Matt looking wounded, with the four guys who I had just left pointing their guns at him. Despite his injuries, he is evading their attacks and closing in on them.

The situation looks dire for both of us!