Chapter 697 - Auction XVII

"Sh********t!" Ivan ground his teeth, his eyes glinting, not wasting even a millisecond, firing back despite falling. 

Ivan surely hit them on the head and heart for an instant kill. As soon as he saw the two men collapsing to the floor, Ivan's back hit the corpse near him. 

Yet, Ivan just gritted his teeth as he immediately rolled around and rushed to Zion who was lying on the floor. 

"Hey! Hey!" Ivan shouted in panic, shaking Zion. He then dragged Zion to sit up, his back on the wall. 

"I'm... fine." Zion panted for a breath, grinding his teeth at the stinging pain on his leg. "I had a bulletproof vest on, remember?"

Zion raised his undershirt. "But this hurts as hell."

Ivan heaved a sigh of relief. Right. Matthew had agreed to bring Zion here if only he wore a bulletproof vest.

But he was the only one who had it. Ivan didn't wear one not because he didn't want to. He just knew it would hinder his movements and might just burden him.

Same with Inigo and Angelo. But for Matthew… he didn't wear one just because he didn't want to. There was no point in recalling that now as they were already here.

"Ahh…" Zion hissed as he fished out a bandage from inside his pocket. Due to adrenaline rush, Zion wrapped it around his wound to stop it from bleeding.

"Damn it." Ivan cursed in annoyance. But well, he couldn't blame Zion as the man literally saved his life.

"Why would you do that, man? My sis will literally kill me." Ivan spat out in distress.

"Are you a little girl or what?" Zion spat back, casting Ivan a brief glance. "I saved you because if you get shot by it, our chance of going out here alive will get slimmer. Also, I have this bulletproof on."

Ivan was conflicted between thinking Zion was just brave and smart or just courageously dumb. Either way, Zion made sense.

"Also, you're welcome." Zion threw his sarcasm, making the latter chuckle.

"You're welcome in advance as well. You don't have to bow your head to the ground once I get you out of here alive." Ivan smirked and slightly shook his head. 

"Let me help you, bro. We'll go back to the upper deck. It's safer that way." Ivan grabbed Zion's wrist and guided it over his shoulder.

"How about the level below this? Shouldn't you clear the upper and middle part of the deck?" asked Zion as he turned his head to Ivan while the latter carried him up.

"I'll do that later. You should really listen to me now, man." Ivan didn't cast Zion a glance as he assisted him through the center plane of the stairs. "I appreciate your sacrifice, but we have more men who would need your help. So, you have to be in full health if you really want to help."

"I do want to help. But I want to see my sister in one piece." Zion argued, causing Ivan to stop. "What if she's in trouble? What if she got shot? She would need immediate medical attention!"

"Zion." Ivan turned to him, his eyes glinting with resolve. "Don't underestimate our sister."

Zion shut up immediately. He was aware that Zoey was capable; they told him that she was. However, Zion hasn't seen it himself. Not to mention, Zoey would always be his little sister.

Therefore, no matter what, Zion would always worry.

"She wouldn't be easy to take down. If she was, then, she would have been gone for a long time." Ivan affirmed. "So, listen to me this time. With your current state, you have to rest so if we need your help, you have enough energy."

Ivan's eyes never left Zion until the latter let out a sigh. He nodded in satisfaction when Zion yielded.

"Fine." Zion reluctantly agreed. "But promise me, the second you see my sister in pain, I don't care about how you'll do it. Fly if you can, just rush her to me so I can do everything I can."

"Deal." Ivan agreed.

With that being said, Ivan carefully assisted Zion back to the upper deck. Since they had claimed the upper deck, they only ran into a few of their men.

"Have you heard anything from Gel?" Zion asked on their way. 

Zion could still walk, albeit limping. But because of Ivan's help, he managed. His wound also stopped bleeding, but it had gone numb. 

The wound was neither fatal nor was it deadly. Zion knew that as he was a doctor himself. His only fear was infection. Good thing, he had brought a few small first aid kits which he had left in the upper deck.

"No. Ryan is still out of reach. Let's just hope they survived that damn Patrizio." Ivan ground his teeth as his worries just piled up. And yet, he had to keep his composure, else, he'll lose his life.

"I see. How about Matthew?" Zion nodded before throwing another question. He stared at Ivan's solemn side profile.

Ivan didn't have to say his answer. Zion already got it with just reading his expression. No word from Matthew as well.

Zion thought his earpiece was just not working. But it seemed, that wasn't the case. They've lost all contacts from each squad.

"Don't worry. They will be fine." After a while, Ivan spoke in all seriousness.

"Those words aren't for me, are they?" 

"They're for the both of us." Ivan didn't deny that he was also worried. "We just have to trust everyone right now and do our job. We stick to the plan. Clear the middle and upper deck, hold back the reinforcement of our enemies. Once Boss Matt and Sis arrive, we will retreat."

Zion nodded as that was the plan. Their only objective was to retrieve Zoey. Inigo would hold Nikolai back -- or that was what Inigo requested. Inigo requested that he'd be the person who would settle scores with Nikolai.

Alas… both men were unaware of what truly happened.

When Ivan and Zion finally reached the upper deck, both of them froze.

"Ah, sh*t…" Ivan cursed under his breath.

"Put all your guns down, traitor. You're surrounded. You need a hundred more years to outsmart the family who fed you." A man's voice reached him from his side, pressing his rifle on Ivan's temple. Same on Zion's side.

"You're so f*cking fas--" Before Ivan could finish his sentence, he lost consciousness at the sudden force on his nape.