Blood for Power: The Mercenary's Return

As always, Marcus Carter's apartment was quiet. The City of Ashes outside his window was dark. A flickering streetlight made shadows that moved across the walls. He thought he had found peace here, or at least he tried to. He could hardly remember the violence that used to be a big part of his life as a mercenary. The years had been good to him, letting him get away from the chaos. But even peace couldn't last forever.

The loud ring of his phone broke the silence, cutting through the stillness like a knife. He grabbed it quickly, and his heart raced when he saw the name Jaxon Cole flash on the screen.

Marcus didn't think twice.

"Jaxon?" His voice was rough, but it stayed the same. As usual, his heart rate went up when Jaxon called. The man had been a brother in arms, but he disappeared, leaving Marcus alone in a sea of betrayal.

"You have to leave, Marcus." Jaxon's voice was low and urgent. "Here come the vultures again."

The words hit him hard, like a punch to the stomach. The Vultures are the gang that killed his team years ago. The same people who left him broken and looking for answers. The same group that had vanished, forcing him to start over. They were back again. And now they were coming for him.

"Jaxon, what the hell do you mean by 'back'?" I thought they were no longer there.

"They've been working without anyone knowing. But now I can see them. They're getting ready, Marcus. And they're coming for you.

The air in the apartment got thick with stress. Marcus ran his hand over his face. He wanted to tell Jaxon that he was done with everything, the bloodshed and the lies. But he had been lying to himself for years about that. He couldn't get away from this. Not anymore.

"I'm coming, Marcus." Jaxon's voice broke up again on the line. "Don't go outside." Don't move. "I'll, "

The phone stopped working.

Marcus stood still. He didn't need Jaxon to tell him what to do. He had been in enough wars to know how to get through this. His instincts kicked in, strong and unyielding. He took his gun from the back of the door and his coat from the back of the couch. He checked the chamber with cold precision. He knew what he was getting himself into. Stop thinking about it. The city was once again his battleground.

The unmistakable sound of glass breaking rang through the apartment before he could move again. The world seemed to stop for a second, but then there was a loud thud of boots on the floor, more than one pair.

He didn't have to think. His body moved faster than his mind could keep up with. A grenade hit the floor near the front door. Its fuse was already lit, so it was ready to turn the room into a hellhole.

As the explosion lit up the apartment like a flare, Marcus jumped across the room and dove for the kitchen counter. The loud noise reverberated in his ears as smoke and debris filled the air. He didn't think twice. He rolled to his feet and reached under the counter to get a long knife from the kitchen drawer.

Gunfire came through the door, and Marcus dove for cover. His heart raced, but his mind was clear. He looked around the corner just as the first masked gunman came into view, aiming his gun at the room. Marcus didn't waste any time. He charged at the gunman and tackled him to the ground, taking away his gun in one smooth motion.

"You think you can just come and kill me?" Marcus growled, and his voice was as cold as the night. He held the man's neck tighter, feeling his life leave him with each passing second. But the voice of reason, which was always there to keep him alive, told him, "There's no time for this."

The door crashed open again, and a second person came out. In the dim light, it was clear that this one was taller.

"Malik," Marcus said under his breath, and his body stiffened.

Malik Rivers. A former friend who is now an enemy. A friend who had become a ghost in Marcus's mind, only to come back as the one who was attacking him. He stood there with a rifle in his hands, aimed straight at Marcus, and a smirk on his lips.

Malik said, "I didn't think you'd be alive, Carter," his voice full of contempt. "But you were always hard to kill."

Marcus's thoughts were racing. He could hear footsteps and gunfire in the distance outside the apartment. Backup was on the way. Malik was the most important person. The rest would run away if he could just kill him. But the question that kept bothering him was simple: Why?

"Why, Malik?" Marcus's voice was steady, but his heart raced. "Why are you working with them?" With the Vultures?

Malik's eyes blinked, but the smirk stayed the same. "You should have stayed retired, Marcus." "Now it's too late."

Malik suddenly raised his rifle and pointed it right at Marcus's chest. It felt like time was going slower. Marcus's fingers brushed the knife, and his muscles tensed up, ready for the next move. But before he could do anything, a loud crack of a gunshot echoed through the room, making both men stop.

"Get down!"

A voice, Jaxon's voice, cut through the noise. A second gunman fell to the ground in a heap, with a bullet stuck in his head. Jaxon's shadow appeared in the doorway, and his gun was aimed right at Malik.

Malik paused, and his eyes narrowed. "Do you really think I'm going to let you leave here, Jaxon?"

Jaxon didn't say anything. He shot again, but this time he missed Malik by inches as he ducked behind the couch. The standoff got worse.

Marcus saw the opening in that split second. He lunged forward, which knocked Malik off balance and sent the rifle flying. They fell to the ground, fighting for control. But Malik was stronger and used his weight to keep Marcus down.

"Marcus, your team's death was no accident." Malik's words were cold, like a confession. "The Vultures want you to die. "Your next move could be your last."

Marcus's heart raced as he thought about what those words meant. He didn't realize how deep the betrayal was. The Vultures weren't just after him anymore; they were after everything he cared about.

As Marcus tries to get Malik off of him, there are a lot of sharp clicks coming from the hallway. More shooters? No, this time it's worse: a countdown alarm.

"Boom," Malik said with a sneer as he tightened his grip. "It's too late now."

The door to the apartment bursts open with a bang, sending pieces of wood flying all over the room. Marcus's heart rate goes up. He turns around and sees a shadow in the doorway that he knows. But before he can think about it, the lights flicker and go out, leaving him in the dark. A voice from the shadows says, "The game has just begun."