14
The warehouse smelled of gunpowder and blood. The echoes of gunfire still rang in Selene's ears, but she forced herself to focus. Damian was bleeding out. Elliot was dead. And Stanton… Stanton was standing there like he'd already won.
Selene's hands trembled with rage, her gun still trained on him.
"Elliot was a fool," Stanton said, stepping over his body without a second glance. "Loyalty is a weakness when given to the wrong people."
Selene's teeth clenched. Elliot had betrayed them—but Stanton had turned him into that traitor.
Damian groaned, trying to push himself up. Blood soaked through his shirt.
Stanton sighed. "Look at you two. You actually thought you could take me down."
Selene's grip on her pistol tightened. "We still can."
Stanton chuckled. "No, you can't. I always have a plan, sweetheart."
Then—a sound.
A click.
Selene's blood ran cold. She knew that sound. A detonator.
Stanton smirked. "You didn't think I came unprepared, did you?"
Selene's eyes flicked around the warehouse, searching—and then she saw it.
Small black devices strapped to the steel beams above them. Explosives.
Stanton held up a small remote. His thumb hovered over the trigger.
"If I go down, I take you with me," he said, smiling.
Selene's mind raced. If he pressed that button, they were dead.
She glanced at Damian. His face was pale, but his eyes burned with understanding.
They had seconds to act.
The Gamble
Selene took a slow step forward, gun still raised.
"You won't do it," she said.
Stanton arched an eyebrow. "Won't I?"
"If you were willing to die, you would've done it already," she said. "You're just buying time."
Stanton chuckled. "You think you know me?"
Selene shrugged. "I know power-hungry cowards when I see them."
For the first time, his smile faltered.
Good.
Selene lunged.
Bang!
The gunshot rang out as she tackled Stanton, slamming his hand against the ground. The detonator skidded across the floor.
Damian moved. Despite his injury, he grabbed his gun and fired—hitting one of Stanton's men who had crept up behind Selene.
Selene wrestled with Stanton, her knee pressing against his chest as she grabbed for her gun.
But Stanton was stronger than he looked. He twisted, throwing her off him.
The detonator lay just a few feet away.
They both dove for it.
Selene reached first.
She kicked it across the floor.
Stanton's eyes widened as it slid toward Damian.
Damian, bleeding and barely upright, caught it—and crushed it under his boot.
Click.
Nothing happened.
The detonator was dead.
For the first time, fear flashed across Stanton's face.
Selene didn't hesitate. She grabbed her gun—
Bang!
The shot hit Stanton in the leg.
He crashed to the ground, cursing.
Selene stood over him, gun aimed at his head. "Checkmate."
The End of Stanton
Blood dripped from Stanton's lips as he laughed.
"Kill me, and you become me," he said, voice hoarse. "You'll be just another killer."
Selene didn't blink. "No. I'm just cleaning up the trash."
Stanton grinned, even as his face twisted in pain. "You think this is over? You think I'm the only monster in this city?"
Selene exhaled slowly. "No. But you're the one in my way."
And then—
She pulled the trigger.
Stanton's body slumped.
It was over.
Aftermath
Silence filled the warehouse.
Selene turned to Damian. He was leaning against a crate, blood dripping from his side.
"We need to get you out of here," she said.
Damian chuckled weakly. "No kidding."
Selene helped him up, throwing his arm over her shoulder. They had won. But she knew the war wasn't over.
Because Stanton was right.
There were more monsters out there.
And she was just getting started.