IN THE DARKNESS, suddenly an insurgent flash. In the silence, a dull, loud sound lapse. Suddenly, a new impertinent nuisance. And another. Until Martin opened his eyes.
His face felt wet and a weak beam of light was bothering his blurred vision. A drop hit his forehead. It was a crack in the roof of the shed, far away, dripping extremely cold water. Awakening from his sleep, Martin noticed the storm raging outside.
He sat down on the floor with some effort, he still felt nauseous and unbalanced, everything was spinning around him. He touched his belly and his hand came away bloody. He could smell the blood that was running from his wound, it wasn't good at all. He remembered the urgency he had been in before he fainted, he was in full flight! He didn't even bother to question Robert Payne's abandonment, he wouldn't have the strength to drag him around.
And this would only draw more attention...
Afraid of being found, Martin tried to get up as quickly as he could. Luckily, the loud sound of the rain drowned out the noises he made when he knocked an instrument off the bench he had leaned on to stand up. Curious, he walked to the door he had entered and looked at the exit of the alley. The group of uniformed men who had been chasing him were there, unconscious under the torrential waters. It was ironic to realize that he had been woken up by an annoying drip, while he saw them there, submerged in a descending stream of water, without waking up. Like someone who falls asleep watching television, but wakes up when it turns off. Even more ironic was that he had been saved by a drop of water, having the opportunity to wake up before his enemies.
With a sigh of relief, he headed back in the direction he had been heading, looking for a way out. He couldn't afford to stay there. He walked through the warehouse full of industrial machines and instruments until he reached a series of small rooms full of corridors and doors. Luckily, Robert Payne had left the ones he had passed open, making it easier to find his way out.
Shivering with cold, Martin feared what would happen outside, in the rain and coastal winds, but he had to move on, or he would be caught by the soldiers who woke from their sleep.
The path took him to the last door, which led to another alley, this one closer to the exit to the main street.
Finally ! — he exclaimed in his mind.
However, before he could get soaked in the rain, he heard footsteps very close by, someone was coming right there!
Desperately, he looked for his revolver, but couldn't find it, he had left it on the floor where he had fainted.
What to do?
There was nowhere to hide and the black silhouette appeared right in front of him!
— Oh! Shit! I almost shot you! — Benedetti exclaimed with the Colt pointing right at his chest.
Martin was startled, sighed in relief and replied:
—These alleys are dangerous, aren't they?
— We saw a helicopter come down here and you were taking a long time. Then we heard a loud sound that made us black out. When we woke up, we thought something had happened, so I decided to come here to look for you.
— Let's get out of here soon, — he replied, stroking his wounds. — I'll explain later.
The two took the escape route. Benedetti had his revolver in hand, alert for any individual who appeared. As they were already close, they quickly found Brad Clooney in the car ready to leave immediately.
— Come on! Get out! — Martin exclaimed as he got into the car.
"What's up, man?" Clooney asked.
—I'm still digesting it, my dear! I don't even know how to say it myself! — replied Martin.
— I found this boy in an alley, crying like a little girl! — Benedetti said mockingly. — By the way, where is the revolver I gave you?
— I left it back there... — Martin replied.
— Can't you keep any weapons? — Benedetti complained about the loss of his piece.
"I'm sorry I didn't come after you, man," Clooney said, accelerating as fast as he could. "I'm not the kind of guy who shoots or anything like that… I'm more of a guy who stays in the car, you know?
— No problem. — she replied, indifferent to what he had said. — We have to know what to do now, things are more complicated than we thought...