Mission: Undercover

Chapter 40

"Who are you?" Cole screamed frantically.

Vanessa ran to the door and peered down the hall. It looked like a bombing there. Good thing that business hours hadn't started yet, and there weren't many people in the building.

More screams were heard in the distance. Vanessa saw more than a dozen people running down the hall.

"Damn it!" she shouted. "They are a lot!"

She looked around—she had to figure out a way to get out of there quickly. Her thoughts raced.  She ran to the window and looked down. "Shit, that's at least forty meters."

Immediately after that, Vanessa pulled out a thick climbing rope with a trigger belt on one end and a hook on the other. She wrapped the rope around a column near the window, tied it in a fisherman's knot, then ran to Cole and put the belt on him.

He stood frozen, still in shock. "Are you kidding?"

"With my life, Cole," Vanessa replied curtly.

Every moment was precious. There was no time to explain—they only had a few seconds.

Vanessa returned to her backpack again, pulled out a grenade, and tossed her gun into Cole's hands.

At that moment, men began to burst into the office and shoot in all directions.

"Now!" Vanessa yelled at Cole, pulling on the grenade ring.

Cole shot at the window. Glass flew everywhere.

Vanessa tossed the grenade forward, pounced on Cole, dragging him with her, and they both flew down through the broken window.

Clouds of smoke after the powerful explosion started coming out above them.

Cole and Vanessa staggered due to the shaking of the column to which the rope was attached. But they were already only a few meters off the ground.

So much adrenaline.

Indescribable adrenaline.

A life and death situation.

In a few seconds, Cole's world went upside down.

When they stepped on the ground, he looked up, unable to believe they had jumped from there.

All around, the people who had witnessed the horror panicked; others who heard something was happening ran towards the building.

Cole unbuckled the belt to free himself from the rope, and he and Vanessa ran to the parking lot behind the building.

"I think nobody is after us. Do you have the car key?" Vanessa asked, panting.

Cole tugged on her arm. "We're not going anywhere until you explain what's going on!"

"It's not the time for us to stop, Cole! It's Robert. Unlock the damn car! They won't stop until they kill us."

"Who is Robert, Vanessa? And is Vanessa your name at all?"

"Not now, Cole! We need to go to a safer place. I'll explain everything to you. Please, let's get out of here!"

Cole unlocked the car, and they both jumped in. He drove fast without saying anything and stopped the car on the hill.

They got out of the vehicle, and Vanessa walked forward. "Why did we stop here, Cole?"

Behind her, there was the sound of a gun being loaded. "Because it's time for you to start talking!"

Cole had the gun pointed at her. Vanessa turned and walked towards him. She came so close that her forehead rested against the muzzle.

"Shoot, Cole. If you're going to do it, go ahead. Otherwise, just put the gun down. I'll tell you everything."