Page 63 of Scornful

"Weapons," Fenrir confirms, checking one crate. "Is it Russia or Ukraine?"

We move deeper, clearing each row one by one.

That's when we hear it—voices coming from the back office.

"...told you they'd come sniffing around," someone is saying. "Patriot wants the whole MC taken down."

"Not our problem," another voice responds. "We just move the product."

Fenrir signals us to hold position while he creeps closer.

I cover the left approach while Magnus takes the right.

For a moment, it feels like old times—like my personal life didn’t blow up three days ago.

The office door opens suddenly, light spilling out.

A man steps through, cigarette dangling from his lips.

He's got maybe two seconds to register our presence before Fenrir's on him, hand over his mouth, knife at his throat.

Fenrir hisses. "How many inside?"

The man's eyes go wide, but he holds up three fingers.

"Armed?"

A nod.

Fenrir looks at us, decision made. We go in hard and fast.

The door explodes inward under Magnus’ boot.

I'm the first one through, weapon up, catching the nearest target right in the chest.

He drops before he can draw.

Magnus takes the second, a clean headshot that paints the wall behind him.

The third man dives behind the desk, coming up with a shotgun.

I'm moving before I think, tackling Magnus sideways as buckshot tears through the air where his head was.

We hit the ground hard, scrambling for cover as the shooter pumps another round.

Fenrir flanks to our right, putting two in the guy's chest before he can fire again.

Silence falls, broken only by our harsh breathing.

"Clear," Tor's voice comes through the radio. "Back's secure."

"Office clear," Fenrir responds. "Three down."

Magnus stares at me, then laughs hard. "Thanks for not lettin’ the bastard shoot me!"

"Yeah, well, it was either save your ass or Rayna was gonna chop me up and put me in some stew." I extend my hand, hauling him to his feet.

Rati's voice crackles through the radio: "We got company! Multiple vehicles incoming, two minutes out!"

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