While Chris and Edward were walking quickly through the side streets, Chris tried not to show his tension. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse in a car's side mirror—the man was walking behind them and had clearly spotted them. Immediately, Chris and Edward turned into one of the alleys, but the man pulled out a gun and fired at Edward.
With quick reflexes, Chris shoved Edward hard against the wall, shouting, "Watch out!" At that same moment, the bullets cut through the air. Chris grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it into the man's face—he wanted to capture him alive.
They didn't wait a second; Chris grabbed Edward's hand and they both ran at full speed, trying to escape as fast as possible. Chris spotted a nearby abandoned building, its door broken and windows dark, so they rushed inside and threw themselves behind the first wall near the entrance.
They sat on the ground, breathing heavily, the sound of their breaths the only thing echoing in the place. Edward turned to Chris and said in a low, broken voice, "They found us… this is more dangerous than I expected."
At that moment, they heard heavy footsteps entering from the building's entrance. The gunman had followed them into the abandoned building, his shadow and the outline of his gun stretching across the dusty floor.
Chris felt the weight of the gun at his waist—it was the only thing giving him some calm in that moment, knowing he could kill if necessary. As a detective, he had been through similar situations before, but having Edward trembling beside him made it harder.
Chris whispered in a commanding tone, "Stay where you are. Don't move, no matter what you hear."
Slowly, Chris pulled out his gun, careful not to make a sound, and began moving away from Edward in measured steps, using the shadows to draw the gunman away. Suddenly, Chris deliberately kicked an empty tin can lying on the ground.
The metallic sound echoed through the abandoned building.
The gunman stopped instantly and pointed his weapon toward the noise. At that exact moment, Chris stepped out from behind a concrete pillar and shouted in a strong, commanding voice, "Police! Drop your weapon and put your hands up!"
The gunman didn't hesitate—he fired. The bullet shattered the edge of the pillar Chris was hiding behind. Chris fired back twice to cover his movement as he rolled behind another piece of cover.
Panting, Chris shouted, trying to pressure him, "You're not getting out of here alive! Who sent you?"
The gunman didn't respond. Instead, he moved with precision, firing in controlled bursts to keep Chris pinned down. His clear goal was to reach Edward, who was hiding in the opposite corner. Chris understood the plan and decided to leave his cover, risking his life to cut him off.
The gunman answered with a barrage of bullets that forced Chris to dive behind a large concrete block. Chris realized talking wouldn't work—this wasn't an amateur criminal; he was a professional killer.
"Stay low!" Chris shouted firmly to Edward.
Chris began moving quickly between the pillars, using police tactics to flank him. The gunman fired accurately, bullets chipping away at the concrete above Chris's head. Chris seized the moment when the gunman had to reload and rushed toward him at lightning speed.
They collided in a violent physical struggle. The sniper tried to aim the gun at Chris's chest, but Chris knocked his hand aside and landed a powerful punch to his face, forcing him back.
The sniper reacted quickly, kicking Chris in the stomach and throwing him off balance, then pulling out a small knife hidden in his shoe. Despite the pain, Chris stood up and faced him, gripping his gun steadily, but he couldn't fire—the man was too close. It had become face-to-face combat.
"Who sent you?!" Chris shouted, grabbing the hand holding the knife with all his strength.
The gunman said nothing, pushing with all his weight to drive the knife into Chris's neck. Edward watched in horror, forced to decide—stay hidden or help the man risking his life for him.
Chris struggled with all his strength. The knife was only centimeters away from his throat. The sniper was physically stronger, and Chris was starting to lose ground.
In that moment, Edward made his decision.
He spotted a rusty iron rod lying among the debris. Without thinking, he crawled toward it, grabbed it with both hands, then rushed forward and struck the sniper's back with all his strength.
The gunman groaned in pain and lost his balance for a moment—that moment was all Chris needed. He shoved him away and kicked him hard in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground.
The sniper tried to reach his gun again, but Chris was faster. He pinned him down, locking his arms behind his back and restraining him, breathing heavily.
Chris looked at Edward, who was still holding the iron rod, his hands trembling, and said in a broken voice, "Good job, Edward… without you, this would've ended very badly."
But Edward didn't respond. He just stared at the sniper with fear-filled eyes, as if he had just realized that the war against them had truly begun.
After securing the sniper on the ground, Chris quickly searched him for any ID or documents. He shouted in his face, "Talk! Who sent you? Where did you get this weapon?"
The gunman showed no fear. Instead, a pale, terrifying smile appeared on his face. His eyes were empty.
Suddenly, he bit down on something inside his mouth.
Within seconds, his body convulsed violently, white foam forming at the corner of his lips. Chris tried to pry his mouth open, but it was too late. The man's body went limp, and the light faded from his eyes as he died in Chris's hands.
Chris stepped back in shock, staring at the body. He whispered in disbelief, "Cyanide… he killed himself."
Edward, still shaken, asked in a trembling voice, "Why would he do that?"
Chris wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked toward the back exit. "We're leaving. I'll take you somewhere safe… and you're going to tell me everything."
Edward hesitated, then said, "Fine… but promise me you'll help me, no matter what."
Chris looked at him and replied firmly, "I promise."
Chris grabbed Edward's arm, and they quickly moved toward the back exit, leaving behind a body—the only proof that they had just been moments away from death.