BANG!
The gunshot silenced the entire venue.
For a brief moment, time itself seemed to stop as everyone stared at the massive LED screen behind Ashley, now cracked from the impact.
Ashley?
She was on the floor, one hand and one knee braced against the stage.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest as the ringing in her ears drowned out everything else.
A second later, screams erupted throughout the ballroom.
Panic spread like wildfire as the guests finally processed what had just happened.
Dominion moved immediately.
Khan and Red sprinted onto the stage.
Reaching Ashley, they quickly shielded her with their bodies, hands gripping her shoulders as they hurried her away.
"Madam, are you hurt?" Red asked, pulling her toward the nearest exit, his usually steady eyes noticeably shaken.
At the same time, Dominion's men closest to the shooter tackled him to the ground the instant the shot was fired.
Following protocol, they first disarmed him before pinning him down.
