BXBX NOVEL Chapter 92 - 92 The Predator Arrives
Chapter 92: The Predator Arrives
Dominic agreed. "There\'s a ridge about a mile west. We can see the whole area from there."
They pushed through the trees, the night air thick with tension. The forest had gone eerily quiet, save for the distant rumble of engines. Volkov was close. Too close.
As they climbed the ridge, Dominic\'s mind raced. Volkov was known for being untouchable, always operating from the shadows, using others to do his dirty work. But if he was coming in person, it meant one thing: this was personal. Volkov wanted to end it himself.
"I\'ve got Marcus and Laura on comms," Eleanor\'s voice crackled through their earpieces. "They\'re pulling back to the secondary location. But Volkov\'s not giving up. He\'s sending in his elite team."
Alyssa wiped the sweat from her brow, glancing at Dominic. "We need to stop Volkov before his reinforcements get here."
Dominic\'s jaw clenched. "This ends tonight."
Volkov\'s convoy slowed as it approached the clearing near the safehouse. He stepped out of the SUV, his sharp eyes scanning the tree line, as if he could feel Dominic and Alyssa\'s presence.
"Sir," one of his men reported, "we\'ve got them cornered. They can\'t have gone far."
Volkov gave a small nod, his hand resting on the pistol at his side. "Good. Prepare the final sweep. I want Dominic alive. Alyssa... not so much."
The mercenary gave a cold smile and saluted before barking orders into his radio.
Volkov walked a few steps away from the group, his eyes narrowing as he stared into the woods. The night air was thick, heavy with the scent of pine and earth, but something darker lingered. This was no longer a chase; it was a hunt.
And he was the predator.
At the top of the ridge, Dominic crouched low, peering down at the clearing where Volkov\'s convoy had stopped. He could see the mercenaries fanning out, combing the area with military precision.
"They\'re closing in," Alyssa whispered, gripping her weapon tightly.
Dominic raised his binoculars and focused on the figure standing apart from the rest. Volkov.
He felt a rush of anger course through him. Volkov had orchestrated everything. Graves\' murder, the betrayal, and now the final play for global power. But it wasn\'t just about the money or the control. Volkov had made this personal. He had destroyed lives and manipulated entire nations, all for his own twisted vision of the future.
"We\'re going to make our move," Dominic said, his voice low and steady. "But we can\'t just hit him from here. We need to draw him in."
Alyssa looked at him sharply. "You\'re going down there?"
Dominic nodded. "He won\'t stop until I\'m dead. He wants to finish this himself."
"And you\'re going to let him?" Alyssa\'s voice was tense, but Dominic could see the fear in her eyes.
He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I\'m going to end this. But I need you to cover me. When the time comes, we take him down together."
Alyssa hesitated, then nodded. "Just don\'t get yourself killed."
With that, Dominic slid down the ridge, moving silently toward the clearing. Alyssa stayed back, her sniper rifle trained on the group of mercenaries below.
As Dominic approached, Volkov\'s men were distracted, checking their equipment and reporting in on their radios. They hadn\'t yet realized how close he was.
Dominic crept forward, keeping low in the underbrush, until he was just a few meters away from the convoy. He could see Volkov now, standing near the SUVs, calm and composed as always.
Dominic\'s heart pounded. This was it.
Volkov turned his head slightly, his eyes flicking toward the woods. He didn\'t see Dominic, but he could sense something was off. He raised a hand, signaling his men to stop.
"Spread out," Volkov ordered, his voice like ice. "He\'s here."
The mercenaries moved swiftly, weapons drawn, as they fanned out through the trees.
Dominic knew it was now or never. He stepped out from the shadows, gun raised, and called out to Volkov.
"It\'s over, Volkov."
Volkov turned slowly, his eyes locking onto Dominic\'s. A slow smile spread across his face. "Dominic. I was wondering when you\'d show yourself."
Dominic kept his gun steady, but Volkov didn\'t flinch. Instead, he took a step forward, as if daring Dominic to shoot.
"You\'ve been a thorn in my side for far too long," Volkov said, his voice dripping with contempt. "But it\'s time for this game to end."
Dominic\'s finger hovered over the trigger. He could end it right here. One shot, and it would be over. But Volkov had always been a step ahead, always had a contingency plan. Killing him now might just trigger something worse.
"I don\'t think you understand, Volkov," Dominic said, his voice low. "You\'re not walking out of here."
Volkov\'s smile widened. "You think this is about survival? This is bigger than you, Dominic. Bigger than any of us. The world is changing, and you\'re too blind to see it."
Dominic clenched his jaw. "You don\'t get to decide the fate of the world."
Volkov\'s eyes gleamed with dark amusement. "But I already have."
Suddenly, the sound of gunfire erupted from the trees. Alyssa had opened fire, picking off Volkov\'s men one by one.
Volkov\'s smile vanished, replaced by cold fury. "You think you can stop this?"
Dominic took a step forward, his gun still trained on Volkov. "I already have."
In a flash, Volkov drew his weapon, but Dominic was faster. A single shot rang out, echoing through the clearing.
Volkov staggered, clutching his side, blood seeping through his fingers. His eyes blazed with hatred as he stumbled, but even now, he refused to fall.
"This... isn\'t... over," Volkov gasped, his voice barely a whisper.
Dominic stepped closer, his expression hard. "Yes, it is."
And with that, he pulled the trigger again.
Volkov fell to the ground, his lifeless body crumpling in the dirt.
The forest fell silent.
Alyssa emerged from the trees, her eyes wide as she looked at Volkov\'s body.
"It\'s over," Dominic said quietly, holstering his gun.
Alyssa nodded, her shoulders sagging with relief. "Finally."
As the rest of the team regrouped, the weight of everything they had been through hung in the air. The battle was won, but the scars of it would remain.
Dominic glanced down at Volkov\'s body one last time. The man who had caused so much chaos, so much destruction, was finally gone. But the world he had tried to control was still in turmoil.
"We\'ve still got work to do," Dominic said, looking at his team. "But we stopped him."
And for now, that was enough.