Blood for Power: The Mercenary's Return

Chapter 7: The War Starts

The streets of the City of Ashes had never been so full of chaos. Marcus stood on the roof and looked down at the battlefield below. There was gunfire in the streets and explosions that he couldn't miss as rival groups fought for control. It was a war zone now. There was no going back for Marcus; this was the moment he had been waiting for.

Marcus looked at his team. His brothers and sisters in arms were his most trusted allies. They had done the first part of their plan perfectly, killing a number of Quincy’s lieutenants in a quick and brutal attack. But this was only the start. They had gotten the first hit, but Quincy wouldn't go down so easily.

"Are you ready?" Marcus asked, and his voice cut through the noise like a knife.

Malik Rivers, who used to be an enemy, is now a trusted member of Marcus's inner circle. He nodded, his eyes intent with determination. "We've got them on the ropes, Marcus." Now is our time.

But Marcus could see the doubt in his eyes and the fight that was still going on inside of him. Quincy's empire had ruined Malik's family, and he wanted revenge badly. Marcus was the best person to understand that. But now it was more than that. The goal of this war was no longer revenge. It was about staying alive, and staying alive cost money.

As Marcus got ready to give the order to move, Malik stepped forward and spoke in a low but angry voice. "Marcus, you're going too far. You're turning into what we've been fighting against. The way you've been taking them out... It's not the right way." You're losing yourself in the dark."

Marcus turned to look at him, and the tension between them was clear. "You think I don't know that? Do you think I want to be like Quincy? Malik, I'm doing what I have to do to win this war. And if that means getting my hands dirty, then so be it.

Malik's eyes hardened, and his anger grew. "Winning and turning into the monster you're fighting are two different things." I won't go with you, Marcus.

Marcus's chest got tighter, but he didn't give up. "Then you don't have to come with me." But don't get in my way.

There were many things they wanted to say to each other, but the moment passed. Marcus nodded at Malik, telling him to get in line. They didn't have an opportunity to fight because the war wasn't over yet.

Sierra Hayes, who was always a mystery, stepped up next to Marcus with an unreadable look on her face. She had helped him, but Marcus couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something important. He could always see that shadow in her eyes that made him nervous, even though he knew she was loyal.

"You have a plan, don't you?" Marcus asked in a low voice that only she could hear.

Sierra smiled tightly at him. "Always." But for now, we need to pay attention to Quincy. He is already getting ready to get back at them. I have the perfect chance for us to get rid of him.

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"

She leaned in closer and spoke in a whisper. "We go right for the heart. We take over Quincy and end everything in one fell swoop. But it's dangerous." We'll be exposed if we fail, and the whole city will turn against us."

Marcus felt the plan's pull, the urge to end it all with one quick blow. But Sierra's calmness made him uneasy. She was more involved in this war than she was letting on.

He didn't have an opportunity to look into it more. "We do it. But I need everyone to be ready. "Nobody can afford to make a mistake."

Once the plan was in place, Marcus and his team moved quickly, blending in with the city's chaos. Marcus knew there was no other way, even though it was a risky bet. To beat Quincy, he had to take over the underworld, which meant playing by Quincy’s rules.

As they got closer to the target, Marcus thought back to what he had talked about with his mother. The truth she told him about her role in Quincy’s empire shook him to his core. But now that the city was about to go to war, Marcus knew that things would never be the same. He was walking a thin line between right and wrong with every choice he made.

"Marcus," Jaxon's voice broke up on the comms. "We're moving." The men from Quincy are getting closer to where you are. "We don't have much time."

As Marcus looked at his team, his heart raced. They couldn't go back now that they were so close. He had to finish this.

"Stick to the plan," Marcus said, his voice steady even though his heart was racing. "We move quickly and hit hard."

They rushed into the compound with guns drawn, and the noise of their footsteps was drowned out by the chaos around them. Marcus's heart raced, yet he remained intensely focused. If they didn't take down Quincy, they wouldn't make it through the war.

A figure came into view as they broke into the building, Sierra. She was in the dark, and the dim light made her face stand out. She looked into Marcus's eyes, and for a second, he saw something move in them, a flash of doubt.

A loud bang came from behind them before Marcus could ask her anything. The explosion knocked him to the ground, and pain shot through his side. He got up quickly, his head spinning.

"Sierra!" Marcus yelled, his voice hoarse as he looked around the room for her.

But she had left.

Malik, who had been nearby, was already walking toward him and helping him up. "Marcus, she's gone." We have to go.

There was a lot of noise in the room. As the Vultures' troops got closer, the air was filled with gunfire, shouts, and explosions. Marcus's mind was racing. Sierra had just vanished, and he didn't know who he could trust anymore.

The door to the compound slammed open just as Marcus was about to make his move. Someone with the same emblem as Quincy and his men came out of the smoke and shadows. But this time, the face was familiar.

It was someone Marcus thought he had left behind. Marcus never imagined he would see this person again.