Page 39 of The Player

He'd promised Hope he would come back to her, and he intended to keep that promise. But first, there was work to be done.

Seth circled around the perimeter of the field, moving with the practiced ease of a predator stalking its prey. He counted six men in total, all armed, all focused on securing the area. They were professionals, well-trained and disciplined, but they weren’t expecting him. They thought the helicopter had taken the threat away, leaving them free to carry out their orders without interference.

They were wrong.

Seth’s first target was a man standing near the rear of one of the SUVs, his back turned as he scanned the area with a watchful eye. Seth moved in quickly, his footsteps silent on the soft earth. In one fluid motion, he drew his knife and slashed the man’s throat, catching him before he could fall, lowering him gently to the ground. The man’s eyes were wide with shock, his hands clawing weakly at his neck as the life drained out of him.

One down.

Seth wiped the blade on the man’s jacket and moved on, his senses alert for any sign that the others had noticed. But the night was still; the only sounds were the distant chirping of crickets and the soft rustling of leaves. He was a ghost, invisible and deadly.

The next man was standing near the front of another SUV, his attention focused on a conversation happening a few yards away. Seth slipped up behind him, wrapping an arm around his throat and cutting off his air supply with a swift, practiced motion. The man struggled briefly, his body jerking in Seth’s grip, but he was no match for Seth’s strength. Within seconds, he went limp, and Seth lowered him to the ground with the same care he had shown the first.

Two down.

The other four men were clustered together, discussing something in low voices. Valente stood in the center, his dark eyes scanning the area with the wariness of a man who knew he was never truly safe. Seth had to be careful now. One wrong move and the element of surprise would be lost.

Seth crept closer, his mind working quickly as he assessed the situation. He couldn’t take them all out at once—not without risking detection. But if he could create a distraction, something to draw their attention away for just a moment…

His gaze landed on a stack of crates near one of the vehicles, and an idea began to form. Seth moved quickly, using the cover of darkness to his advantage. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device—a remote-controlled explosive, small but powerful enough to cause a significant distraction.

Seth placed the device behind the crates, positioning it carefully before retreating to a safe distance. He waited, his finger hovering over the trigger, his eyes locked on the group of men.

Then, with a soft click, he activated the device.

The explosion was small, more of a loud pop than a blast, but it was enough. The crates went flying, and the men jerked in surprise, their attention immediately shifting to the source of the noise. Valente barked orders, sending two of the men to investigate.

Seth moved in.

He took down the first man with a swift, precise strike to the throat, the knife slicing through flesh and muscle with ease. The man’s eyes widened in shock, but he didn’t have time to react before Seth was on him, driving the blade deep into his heart.

Three down.

The second man turned just in time to see Seth coming, his eyes widening in fear. He reached for his weapon, but Seth was faster. He tackled the man to the ground, pinning him with one hand while the other drove the knife into his chest. The man let out a strangled gasp, his body convulsing briefly before going still.

Four down.

Valente was shouting now, his voice rising in panic as he realized what was happening. The two remaining men turned, their weapons raised, but they were too late. Seth was already moving, a blur of motion as he closed the distance between them.

He threw a knife at the closest man, the blade embedding itself in his throat with a sickening thud. The man dropped his weapon, his hands clawing at the knife as he fell to his knees, blood pouring from the wound.

Five down.

The last man fired his weapon, the muzzle flash briefly illuminating the night. Seth dodged to the side, feeling the bullet whiz past his ear. He was on the man in an instant, driving his elbow into his face with bone-crushing force. The man staggered back, dazed, and Seth followed up with a quick, brutal strike to the head, knocking him out cold.

Six down.

Valente was alone now, his eyes wide with fear as he realized he was surrounded by the bodies of his men. He turned to run, but Seth was faster. He tackled Valente to the ground, pinning him with a knee to the chest. The cartel leader struggled, his hands flailing as he tried to fight back, but Seth had the advantage. He grabbed Valente’s arm, twisting it behind his back with enough force to make the man cry out in pain.

“Don’t move,” Seth growled, pressing the barrel of his gun to the back of Valente’s head. “You try anything, and I’ll put a bullet in your brain.”

Valente froze, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he realized he was at Seth’s mercy. Seth kept the gun trained on him as he reached into his pocket with his free hand, pulling out another of the syringes filled with a powerful tranquilizer. He jabbed the needle into Valente’s neck, injecting the drug with a swift, practiced motion.

Within seconds, Valente’s struggles weakened, his body going limp as the drug took effect. Seth waited until he was sure the cartel leader was unconscious before easing off, rolling Valente onto his back and checking his pulse. It was slow but steady—he would be out for hours.

Seth stood, surveying the carnage around him. The field was littered with bodies, the smell of blood and gunpowder heavy in the air. He knew he didn’t have much time before reinforcements arrived. He had to move quickly.

He grabbed Valente by the arms and dragged him to the nearest SUV, his muscles straining with the effort. The vehicle had miraculously escaped the carnage, and Seth thanked whatever luck had kept it intact. He opened the rear door and bundled Valente inside, arranging his unconscious body in the cargo area. He grabbed a few crates and blankets from the back, using them to cover Valente’s body, hiding any evidence that he was there.

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