AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And you should be honored to speakto someone with my aim!” Finn yelled.
With swift precision, he drew twoknives from his belt and flung them. One spiraled end over end, burying itselfdeep into Vilne's shoulder with a sickening thud. Vilne roared, pain andsurprise mingling in his cry, his hulking frame jerking with the impact.
"Amelia!" The name torefrom Finn's throat as Vilne, fueled by fury, brandished his knife at her.Adrenaline surged, narrowing Finn's world to the blade edging towards Amelia'spale neck.
Time slowed as Finn lunged forward,tackling the looming specter of death to the side. The knife missed its mark bymere inches, slicing through the air where Amelia's head had been secondsbefore. Finn's hand found the bonds that tethered her to the chair, the ropesbiting into her wrists. With deft movements forged in countless encounters withdeath's dance, he sliced through the restraints with his remaining knife,freeing her.
"Go," he urged, lockingeyes with Amelia, her own gaze alight with a fierce resolve.
"Not without you," shebreathed out, steel in her voice matching the determination in Finn's grip onhis remaining knife.
Vilne loomed as large as a stonegargoyle, pulling the knife from his shoulder. Finn put himself between Vilneand Amelia.
Max Vilne stood, blood oozing fromhis shoulder, grinning.
"Too late, Finn!" Vilne'svoice boomed, reverberating off the cracked walls. "The virus is alreadyin the system, and you will be the man who failed everyone!"
"Is it?" Finn countered,his tone laced with a dangerous calm as he glanced at the computer.
The screen was dark, the powerlight extinguished. A glint of metal protruded from its side—the second knifeembedded deep within its circuitry. Finn had aimed twice, and hit twice."You might want to get someone to look at that, fella. Seems broken tome."
“No!” Vilne shouted.
Amelia stepped beside him, her eyesscanning for any advantage. "Game over, Vilne."
"The only thing that’s over isyou!" Vilne's voice crescendoed into a scream, and he lunged, his largeknife cutting through the air with lethal intent.
Finn reacted instinctively,parrying the blade with his own. Metal clashed against metal, sparks fleetingin the dim light. Amelia moved with precision, aiming to flank their adversary.
Finn gave it his all. He swung, butVilne dodger, smashing his fist against Finn's side. Finn felt the breathescape from him. Vilne was relentless, catching a punch from Amelia and thenslapping her across the face with disdain in his eyes. Vilne surged forwardkicking at Finn's knee.
Pain winced up his body. Finn nowwas no longer on the attack, he had to defend, himself and the woman he loved..
"Upstairs!" Finn shoutedto Amelia, nodding toward the dilapidated metal stairs leading to the overheadgangway.
With a mutual understanding born ofcountless life-or-death moments, they broke away, sprinting up the creakingsteps. Finn could feel the rusted metal groan underfoot, threatening to giveway at any moment.
Vilne followed, his boots poundingon the stairs like the drumbeat of an ancient war. They reached the gangway,the gridded floor offering a treacherous path as they continued their deadlydance.
"Careful," Finn warnedAmelia, his gaze flicking between her and Vilne. "One wrong step..."
"I know," she repliedtersely, her focus never wavering from the threat before them.
The gangway swayed slightly, aprecarious arena for what could be the final confrontation. Finn could see thecrazed determination in Vilne's eyes, the gleam of a man who had nothing leftto lose.
"Come on then!" Finntaunted, baiting Vilne, hoping to exploit an opening. "Show us what you'vegot!"
And with a roar that seemed toshake the very foundations of the Crowmyre Factory, Vilne charged, his knifeheld high, ready to bring down destruction upon them both.
Finn dodged, and Amelia struck out,but so too did Vilne, kicking her in the side. She fell to the metal railing,slamming against its cold surface, her body careening into a rusted guardrailwith a sickening thud. "Amelia!" Finn cried out, but there was notime to aid her.
"Ugh!" she gasped, painetching her voice, pushing him away with a forceful gesture. Her eyes, usuallyso full of determination, now flickered with the harsh reality of her injury.
Finn turned back to Vilne. Thegiant of a man loomed closer, malice seeping from every pore. Finn could feelthe years weighing upon him like lead, his senses dulled, his reflexes afraction too slow. He had relied on wits and old-school cunning in all hiscases, but against Vilne's brute strength and unhinged speed, he felt adaunting disadvantage.
"Getting old, Finn?"Vilne mocked, his voice echoing through the abandoned factory. "Can'tquite keep up anymore?"
Finn dodged a swipe, the knife'sblade glinting perilously close. He parried with one of his own, the familiargrip reassuring against his palm. But Vilne was relentless. Another strike,faster than the last, sent Finn's knife clattering away across the griddedfloor.
