Twisted Enigma
Dante's pov
"Sir, sir? Are you receiving?" The urgent voice reverberated, a persistent attempt to pierce the haze clouding my thoughts. Wrestling with the disorientation, I strained to pry open my eyes, squinting against the assault of sensory confusion, honing in on the distant sounds clamoring for my acknowledgment.
"Yes, I hear you," I replied with measured composure, though the effort resonated in my strained words. A sharp pang throbbed through my head, harmonizing with the subtle ring echoing in my ears. Despite my resolve to maintain poise, my body betrayed me. The staccato beat of my heart resonated through my chest, signaling the imminent approach of peril. Cold beads of sweat traced down my spine as a surge of adrenaline heightened my senses in anticipation of an unidentified threat.
Unfamiliar surroundings enveloped me, and a palpable burning sensation lingered in the air, further confounding my senses. I grappled with limbs seemingly paralyzed by the chaos.
Struggling against the constraints, I sensed the heat of encroaching flames, yet my body resisted movement. Through blurred vision, I labored to interpret the pandemonium surrounding me. Minutes stretched into an eternity before realization dawned, and my eyes snapped open.
A fierce blaze roared near the entrance, and a surge of adrenaline-fueled determination propelled me upright. Urgency merged as I faced the advancing flames, resolute in my determination to evade their voracious grasp before they consumed all in their path.
A wave of palpable panic surged within me as the urgent voice echoed through my earpiece. "Hurry up! We're planting a bomb in the basement to obliterate everything of Enzo. Leon here. Carter and the others are arriving by helicopter. Do you copy?"
"I copy, Leon. Expedite your actions. The fire is spreading, and I can't locate any tools to free myself."
"Yes, monsieur, try to hang on for a while. Jacob and Eric are almost there. I'll let you know if any suspicious activities occur in the tower beside the fire."
"Enough of this, stop distracting him" Leo interjected, annoyance staining his voice. A momentary silence followed. "I apologize for this utterly incompetent companion; he doesn't grasp these essential details you should know," Leon continued.
In the chaos, engulfed by the encroaching flames and bound by restraints, impatience clawed at me. Waiting wasn't my forte. Yet, I clung to calmness, a familiar ally in dire situations, maintaining composure as flames danced hungrily around me, my legs tethered and hands tightly bound behind my back.
Surrounded by the crackling inferno, I recounted the relentless assault on the men who dared challenge me. I had spoken the truth — I had beaten them into submission. Now, bound to a chair, I found myself on the floor, a revelation that initially escaped my notice. Rising to a seated position, my mind raced, scanning the immediate surroundings for a solution.
Amidst, I observed a stroke of ironic incompetence in my captors. How foolish they were, underestimating my resourcefulness. A sharp object, a pen knife, gleamed tantalizingly on a table just beyond my immediate reach. How ineptly they had overlooked such a critical detail.
Determined not to yield to the absurdity of my predicament, I charted a path toward liberation. Maneuvering cautiously, I dropped to my knees, the intense heat from the flames urging me on. My eyes fixed, I reached for the pen knife beside the blinder using only my mouth, a calculated move born out of necessity.
With a deft toss, I propelled the pen knife within reach of my bound hands. The world blurred as adrenaline surged through me, my smart strategy unfolding amid chaos. Swiftly, I seized the tool and, with precision, cut through the binding ropes that restrained my hands.
A momentary reprieve, but the battle wasn't won. Now with my hands free, I navigated the final challenge — the rope ensnaring my legs. The blade sliced through the tether, and I rose, liberated and undeterred.
A testament to my refusal to be captive to circumstance, my intellect prevailed over inadequacy.
"Bring the helicopter near the window and throw a rope outside; I'll jump and grab onto it," I calmly instructed through the earpiece, my voice carrying the weight of urgency.
However, Lewis, always quick with his retorts, chimed in, "Oh, you are not. You're old and weigh more than a baby elephant."
Carter's audible sigh resonated through the earpiece. "I'll hold onto the rope, Fedorov, but you'll have to climb fast."
I brushed off the banter, my focus unwavering as I waited for their arrival. The encroaching fire, licking at the edges of the room, failed to stir panic within me. It was contained, confined to only half the room and not the side with the window, leaving me unbothered by its threat.
"At the count of 5, jump," Carter directed.
"1..." he began, and in sync, I launched myself out of the window, seizing the rope. The cold wind whipped against my face as I descended, adrenaline coursing through my veins. The flames cast eerie shadows on the building's facade, a stark contrast to the urgent escape unfolding.
"It would be great if you started following safety measures," Carter advised, his concern met with my steadfast silence. The climb was swift, muscles working in tandem as I ascended, I stole a glance downward to witness the building engulfed in flames, a harsh reminder of the peril left behind.
Reaching the end of the ascent, Carter extended a helping hand, but I chose to get up on my own. He shrugged, a silent acknowledgment of my resilience, as the helicopter whisked us away from the inferno. The cacophony of sirens and crackling flames faded into the distance, replaced by the rhythmic thump of the helicopter blades.
"Update me," I commanded, fixing my gaze on Eric, who, under my seasoned guidance, had become remarkably adept in technology despite this only being his fourth mission at the age of twenty.
Eric appeared calm and collected as he met my gaze. "The bomb has been planted and the perpetrators left a few minutes ago," he informed me, his words conveying the gravity of the situation. I nodded in solemn recognition, acknowledging the importance of the information, and folded my arms across my chest.
"Evacuated the people there who aren't involved in this?" I inquired, adopting a seated position to delve into the intricacies of the mission.
"Yes," Eric responded, his reply brimming with pertinent details. "The primary concern for our skilled emergency crew was to ensure the safety of the individuals inside the building. They executed their task with meticulous caution and precision, guaranteeing the safe evacuation of everyone not involved. Their work was a testament to their expertise, leaving no one in harm's way." As he spoke, I leaned forward, absorbing the significance of the situation with heightened focus.
"Additionally, we interrogated the individuals involved in our usual method," Eric continued, his measured delivery maintaining the weight of the conversation. "We extracted a substantial amount of valuable information." The room, charged with intensity, hung on his words.
"Alright, tell me. How is our team doing right now?" I inquired, my tone infused with a sense of urgency and concern.
"Yes, brother. One diamond is taken by Amara, and the other by—" Eric hesitated, sighing as he lowered his gaze to the laptop.
"Other by?" Lewis pressed, his stare fixed on Eric.
"Aiden," Eric revealed, and my blood surged with anger. I could feel the heat rising within me. Lewis's frustration echoed in the room as he spoke, "If I see his face this time, I'll make sure to end him." His words cut through the air, highlighting the visceral reaction Aiden's name elicited. Lewis, a trusted member of my team, held a deep concern for his sister, and the mention of Aiden clearly struck a nerve.
"Lewis, control your frustration," I advised, maintaining a composed demeanor. I reached for a bottle of water, taking a sip as I observed the tension in the room. Lewis, in response, closed his eyes, visibly exhausted and battling the frustration that threatened to consume him.
Eric, breaking the silence, cleared his throat and continued, "And our team—they are all alright. Few had minor injuries, but everyone received the medical attention they needed." His words provided a momentary reprieve amid the intense atmosphere.
I found myself already strategizing what to do if Aiden dared to come close. Lewis's sister, in stark contrast to him, stirred something unfamiliar in me. I had never experienced such sentiments toward a woman before, but there was an inexplicable draw to her. With her flushed cheeks and captivating smile, she was undeniably different from anyone I'd encountered.
On a fortuitous day, as I stepped out for a cigarette, fate intervened. The echo of a distressed yell reached my ears, prompting me to rush towards the source. There she was, caught in a perilous situation. Swiftly dealing with the assailants, I ensured that those men would never be seen on the face of this earth again.
Carrying her vulnerable form inside, I couldn't ignore the realization of the terror she must have endured. Oddly, my heart seemed to skip a beat in proximity to her, an occurrence that embarrassed my rational self—after all, I was thirty-two.
Yesterday, she had been utterly mesmerizing. I appreciated the way she spoke to me, even though my reserved nature often left me at a loss for words in response to her nervous chatter. I would simply listen, not because I was a particularly affectionate person, but because she intrigued me in a way that transcended my usual demeanor.
"And Enzo?" I asked roughly.
He slowly breathed, still looking down. "Our first mission was to halt Enzo. Sir, we must start searching for the diamonds in two days. We tried questioning him, but he took some pills and overdosed right in front of us. Some scientists are outlandish."
"What do you mean scientists? He was in the tech department," Carter asked, clearly baffled by Eric's response.
"Good in tech and doing experiments underground beneath the tower, which is now destroyed, so no worth crying over," Eric explained with a feigned laugh, dismissing the seriousness of the situation.
I closed my eyes momentarily, suppressing any antagonistic impulses that threatened to surface. The room seemed to shrink with my irritation, and I could feel my fists clenching involuntarily. Despite the urge to lash out, I maintained control over my aggression. Opting for composure, I took a series of deep breaths, a deliberate effort to quell the rising tension within me. My commitment to keeping a level head was resolute, and I intended to address Enzo's misconduct in a calculated and intellectual manner.
As I opened my eyes, my focus shifted to finding a solution that would allow us to navigate through the turmoil without incurring additional repercussions.
"Okay, now that we know who has the diamonds, I'll figure out the rest of the plan. Tomorrow, sharp at 8 a.m., be in the meeting room with everyone. Five minutes late, and get fired," I declared, a sense of tension lingering in the air as I took charge of the situation. Swiftly, I retrieved my phone, checking for any crucial documents that might have been sent.
"You're grumpy; that's why women don't stay with you," Carter remarked, a smirk playing on his lips as he casually pulled out a cigar.
"Don't care," I retorted, my tone carrying a mocking edge, and he diverted his gaze to the outside, unfazed by my response.
I examined my business phone, and a message notification from an unknown number caught my attention. The atmosphere in the room grew even more intense as I clicked on the message, anticipation building for the unknown information that awaited.
???: Leo, is this your number?
I sighed audibly, frustrated that Leo had handed out the business number to someone. How reckless could he be?
Athena: This is Athena. You left your wallet at my house. I thought you might need it since it has important stuff, so I decided to inform you.
My jaw clenched involuntarily as I read Athena's message. Why was I letting this bother me? Even if they were going out, it shouldn't concern me.
Me: This is the company's business number. I will inform him.
I quickly typed my response, intending to put an end to the personal matter, when Carter snatched the phone from my hand. The room's tension increased, and I couldn't help but wonder how Leo had managed to entangle us in such a situation.
"You looked mad, so I wanted to see what you were looking at. You like Lewis's sister?" Carter quipped, a teasing grin on his face. I nonchalantly took the phone, sliding it into my pocket. Lewis chimed in, "You are not her type, and even so-"
"I dare you to finish, Lewis," I interrupted, my glare fixed on him. He promptly surrendered, realizing the futility of pushing further.
Then the helicopter fell into silence as we navigated the tense atmosphere. The exhaustion was detectable until we finally reached our base station.
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