Angel

Chapter Four

As I stepped into the hallway upstairs, gunshots echoed. Two men in front of me crumpled into the floor, dead and lifeless. I crouched back and instantly fired three of them. The man was untrained. They didn't even have the time to dodge when my bullets buries in their heads. Dominic killed two of them.

"Take him," I commanded Leo, pointing to the sole survivor who had a face filled with fear and his gun in his hand lowering in surrender. Leo obeyed.

"Take him outside and wait for us."

He jolted and his mouth opened in protest but I quickly shut him down. "Do what I say." I said seriously. He bowed his head and I could feel him fighting each pore in his body to not fight, rebel against me. With a clench of the jaw, he led the enemy out not so gently.

A muffled sob sounded from one of the doors. I froze and turned around to stare at one of the crumbling wooden white-painted doors a few yards away from me.

"Did you hear that?" Dominic asked seriously beside me, his hands instantly pulling a gun and dagger from his waistband. I nodded, my brows furrowing.

"Cover me," I told him as I tightened my grip on the gun in my left hand and lifted it in front of me.

"Dad," Evander said. "I don't like this."

I held my palm up to signal them to be quiet as I curled my fingers around the doorknob. I let out a hiss under my breath and ripped away my hand. It burned. The metal knob was burning hot.

I scanned my hand to ensure it didn't take any serious degree of burn before looking down at the small space between the door and the floor. I noticed smoke was coming out.

"Fire," I murmured and heard sharp inhales of breaths from my two oldest sons. I knew it would spread soon since the house was already crumbling.

More muffled sobs and cries. It sounded like it came from a small child.

"There's a child in there," Dominic murmured as if I didn't know that.

Bloody hell.

Should I save it?

Or not?

Fuck it.

I lifted my left leg for a hard kick to the door and it went down. Black, dark smoke instantly hit my face and I lifted the hem of my shirt to prevent myself from inhaling the smoke. With an arm, I covered my face and turned away from the heat radiating from the room. The fire was already spread out in front of my eyes as soon I looked back. Through the roaring fire, I could see a shape of a man lying on the floor unconscious, right next to the burning table. I quickly deemed he must have started the fire in a suicide mission. Idiot.

There was no sight of a child, though.

"Hello?" I called out only to earn no reply.

"Kid, you in there?" Evander called out beside me. "You better come out soon because no one's coming in to save your ass. We're too precious."

Silence.

"You dead, kid?" Evander called out again.

I shared a look with my oldest son. He shook his head. The fire was getting too violent and I doubted somebody would get back out alive if they went in. It was too late.

"The kid's dead," Evander announced with a shrug, starting to turn away. "Poor soul."

"We should get going and find them before the fire spreads out," Dominic said solemnly. I nodded. I had my son and wife to think of.

"ANGEL! ANGEL!"

I snapped my head to the side and my heart stopped.

Even with the changes, I'd recognize my youngest son anywhere, anytime.