Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 1981

"Brilliant!"

Winston turned to the researcher, a sudden movement as he drew a silenced pistol and fired directly into the man's heart, "This one's for the maid you screwed over!"

The sound was little more than a whisper as the suppressor did its job, and the tech went down without a sound, his heart blown open.

Winston holstered his weapon and calmly activated the incinerator system on the lab's control panel.

A holographic keyboard appeared, and Winston's fingers danced across it, entering the command sequence for destruction.

The system hummed to life, beginning its deadly work.

Just then, another researcher burst into the room, eyes widening at the sight of his fallen colleague. Panic-stricken, he bolted for the door.

Winston didn't chase him immediately, his expression unperturbed as he waited for the sequence to complete. Hitting the final confirmation button, he watched with satisfaction as the last of the virus samples were reduced to ash before turning to leave the lab.

Guards stormed in, guns drawn and aiming at Winston, but they hesitated, confused.

In that split-second of indecision, Winston sprang into action like a panther, snatching a gun from one guard and dispatching the other with a thunderous bang. He then seized the gun-wielding guard by the head and smashed it against the lab's glass door.

Blood sprayed like a burst water balloon, and within a matter of seconds, both guards lay motionless, their souls departed.

Meanwhile, the escaping tech emerged from another room, clutching a cooler. His face twisted in horror at the sight of Winston standing over two bodies. He turned and ran, cooler in tow.

Winston was on him in a flash, his foot connecting with the back of the researcher's head with brutal force. The researcher pitched forward, and the cooler slid across the floor.

The researcher looked up at the advancing figure, terror etched across his face, finally realizing why he had been spared earlier.

He had been allowed to live to lead Winston to the hidden virus samples.

Retreating, his face a mask of fear, he couldn't believe this was the same Winston.

Estelle adjusted her mask and swung open the window, casting a grappling hook upwards to catch the ledge above. With a graceful leap, she caught the rope and dangled mid-air.

From the dizzying height of the forty-eighth floor, the world below was a mere speckled canvas.

She steadied herself, swinging briefly before kicking off the wall and bounding up to the forty-ninth floor.

Even from outside the window, the roar of gunfire inside was deafening.

Estelle produced a sonic disk, sticking it to the glass, and swung back on the rope to build momentum before smashing through the now-shattered window with a powerful kick.

Rolling into the building, she retracted her rope and dashed toward the source of the gunfire.

She moved with lightning speed, scooping up a couple of discarded rifles and opening fire on the castle guards swarming Winston.