From Bullets To Billions Chapter 605: The Floodgates Open

Vivian remained motionless within the fortified security chamber, her gaze fixed intently upon the flickering surveillance monitors. Having observed Skull infiltrate the Fortis structure with unsettling ease, bypassing their most formidable defenses, she found herself paralyzed by a wave of tactical uncertainty.

She was intimately familiar with the Black Hand’s lethal reputation. It was common knowledge that his phantom-like proficiency would allow him to reach the building’s upper echelons, regardless of whichever guards foolishly attempted to impede his path.

Consequently, it seemed futile to dispatch waves of ordinary personnel to physically obstruct or delay him, as it would merely result in a senseless sacrifice of life.

The harrowing dilemma remained: if no decisive action were taken immediately, the assassin would eventually track her down or, even more disastrously, infiltrate the executive suite to eliminate Max.

Abruptly, amidst the peak of her anxiety, an encrypted communication signal pinged on the console. It was a direct call from Max.

On the other end, Max’s tone was remarkably composed. He briefed Vivian on the unfolding situation in the lower levels and proposed sending Aron alone to neutralize the masked intruder.

"Listen, Max! I know you place immense faith in your elite units, but you fail to grasp the nature of what is ascending those stairs right now. This individual is on a different level entirely compared to the others!" Vivian pleaded, her knuckles white as she gripped the console. "He might well be the most lethal asset their entire organization possesses in this conflict!"

"Is that so?" Max answered, his voice devoid of fear and radiating a chilling, absolute confidence. "Then I believe we have deployed the perfect counter. I suspect Aron stands as the most formidable threat on our side as well."

Max hesitated for a moment, the distant percussion of gunfire filtering through the audio.

"Cease your worrying and concentrate on the tactical requirements. Manage the board, Vivian, so we may conclude this engagement with minimal casualties."

The line cut to silence. Vivian’s hands trembled as she recalled the moment Skull had stared directly into the surveillance lens only moments prior.

A fleeting, cowardly impulse urged her to consider switching allegiances. Perhaps by announcing her cooperation via the public address system, she might secure mercy from Ramon and Darius when they inevitably breached the room.

However, the sheer weight of Max’s calm assurance acted as an anchor, pulling her back from the brink. It reinforced her commitment to the Bloodline. If they refused to yield, she would hold her ground as well.

She leaned toward the microphone and activated the main intercom.

"Captains, listen closely. Reduce your perimeter defense. Permit the enemy forces to swarm into the lobby," Vivian commanded, her voice steadying. "We are proceeding to the next phase of our tactical plan."

Below, the battle-worn Bloodline members suffering in the devastated courtyard experienced a wave of relief upon receiving these instructions.

They had been bearing the brunt of the onslaught, their bodies aching as they stood against the endless tide of Syndicate fighters flooding through the gates.

Now, they executed their orders with precision. Instead of maintaining a static, unbreakable line, they engaged in strategic retreats. By creating artificial gaps, they lured the enraged Black Hound and Gilt Rat factions into the Fortis reception area, where the interior defense force awaited them. Yet, the trap extended far beyond the lobby.

The tactical directive was clear: draw the enemy deeper into the building’s bowels.

Watching from safety, Darius smiled as the defensive wall appeared to crumble.

"It seems Skull has proven his worth," Darius remarked with a sneer. "Our men are finally breaching the lobby."

"Their defenses were always destined to fail," Ramon replied, adjusting his impeccably tailored coat. "However, if that assassin doesn't deliver the final blow soon, we shall deploy the heavies. I will not tolerate another corporate setback today. This Bloodline faction has enjoyed far too much luck."

The swarming mass of Gilt Rat and Black Hound combatants surged inward, blindly following the trajectory Skull had carved.

As the mob ascended the central staircase, they encountered furniture barricades blocking their progress. Driven by frustration, they splintered off into the various office levels.

It was within these confined workspaces that seasoned Bloodline squads lay in wait.

Combat erupted across every floor. As the enemy continued their relentless climb, they were funneled into separate wings, effectively turning the entire Fortis building into a crucible of close-quarters warfare.

To an untrained eye, inviting the enemy into their own headquarters appeared suicidal, but Vivian understood the necessity of these measures given the overwhelming numbers arrayed against them. The Gilt Rats and Black Hounds would not cease their advance until annihilated, so the Bloodline sought to eliminate them systematically within confined kill-zones. The moment to trigger the trap had arrived.

Vivian broadcasted a message to the elite combatants stationed on the upper levels.

"All positions are secured. Commence the purge. Show them no quarter!"

Across every floor, the jaws of the trap snapped shut.

Within the Media Room, Joe emerged from behind a barrier, unleashing a rapid, devastating series of boxing strikes that crumbled the faces of the nearest thugs. He moved with fluid precision, bobbing and weaving beneath wild attacks as he systematically dismantled the intruders.

'Keep the pace. Maintain the rhythm,' Joe thought to himself, his regeneration factor offsetting the fatigue as he neutralized another Black Hound operative.

In the Legal Department, a blur of motion vaulted across the mahogany desks. The man in the golden jacket propelled himself into the air, spinning with kinetic intensity to deliver twin kicks that incapacitated two Syndicate fighters simultaneously.

Inside a promotional Showcase Room, Na materialized from the shadows. Leveraging his immense, trans-human strength, he plucked a fully grown man from the ground and launched him like a projectile into the advancing ranks, shattering bone and resolve alike.

Finally, in the Games Room, Darno unleashed pure brutality. He seized a screaming Gilt Rat member and slammed him onto a ping-pong table. Following through with a crushing blow from his heavy arm, he shattered the table and effectively removed the combatant from the struggle.

The elite Rangers and the heavy-hitters had officially entered the fray.