Chapter 51 - 51 The Escape plan

Chapter 51: Chapter 51 The Escape plan The world around Dominic and his team was crumbling literally. The explosion had triggered a series of smaller blasts throughout the compound, as if Volkov had rigged the entire place as an insurance policy for his escape. Rubble and debris fell like rain as the building began to collapse in on itself.

"Move, move, move!" Dominic shouted as he led the way through the crumbling halls, keeping his head low. Alyssa was right behind him, with Marcus and Laura following close.

Another explosion rocked the foundation, knocking them all sideways. Alyssa caught herself just in time, gripping the edge of a fallen column for balance. Dominic grabbed her arm, helping her up as they sprinted forward.

"I'm not letting Volkov slip away again," Alyssa growled, wiping dirt from her face, her eyes burning with fury.

"He's not our priority right now," Dominic shot back. "We have to get out of here first. If we die, none of this matters!"

Through the smoke and chaos, Dominic could barely make out the compound's exit up ahead. But the way was blocked by more of Volkov's men, who had regrouped after the initial explosion. They were setting up a barricade, their rifles pointed directly at Dominic's team.

"Looks like they're not going to let us leave so easily," Marcus muttered, pulling up his rifle. Sёarch* The NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Hold them off!" Dominic yelled. "We need to clear the path!"

Gunfire erupted as Marcus and Laura provided covering fire, forcing Volkov's men to take cover behind the barricade. Alyssa ducked low, moving between fallen pillars, using the smoke and debris as cover to close the distance. With deadly precision, she took out two of Volkov's guards, her shots quick and lethal.

Dominic fired at the remaining guards, keeping them pinned down long enough for Marcus and Laura to flank them. In seconds, the path to the exit was clear.

"Go, go!" Dominic urged, pushing forward.

The team burst through the exit just as another blast ripped through the compound, sending a wave of heat and pressure behind them. They tumbled out into the open desert, hitting the ground hard as the remnants of the compound collapsed in a cloud of dust and smoke.

For a moment, there was only silence. The once-imposing fortress was now nothing more than a pile of rubble.

Dominic lay on his back, staring up at the night sky, breathing heavily. His body ached, and his mind was racing, but they had made it out. Barely.

Alyssa pushed herself up, coughing from the dust, her expression hard and determined. "Volkov... where is he?"

"He's gone," Dominic said, sitting up, scanning the wreckage. "He must have had a separate escape route planned."

Laura sat up, wincing from a cut on her forehead. "If Volkov survived that, he's going to ground again. We won't be able to track him easily."

Marcus wiped sweat and grime from his face. "He's like a damn ghost."

Dominic clenched his fists, the frustration building inside him. Once again, Volkov had slipped through their fingers. But this time, it wasn't just about catching him it was about stopping whatever catastrophic plan he had in motion. The deal might have been disrupted, but Volkov had made it clear that the world was already moving in his favor. His alliances, his power, his influence it was all still in play.

"This isn't over," Dominic said, his voice low and filled with resolve. "Volkov's still out there, and he's not done. We can't let him win."

Alyssa stood beside him, her eyes locked on the distant horizon. "Then we finish this. No more games. No more chasing shadows. We find him, and we end it."

Far from the wreckage, deep in the vast expanse of the desert, a lone helicopter flew low under the radar, carrying its passenger away from the chaos.

Volkov sat inside, his face calm, though his eyes burned with cold anger. His compound had been destroyed, and the deal had been interrupted, but it didn't matter. The wheels were still in motion, and his plans were too far along to be derailed by a single setback.

He looked out over the desert, a small smile curling his lips.

"Let them think they've won a battle," he murmured to himself. "The war is already mine."