Chapter 17 - The Apex Predator.The first guard died without making a sound, Ethan’s blade severing his carotid artery in one fluid, merciless motion.
He lowered the body to the floor, grabbing the man's suppressed submachine gun.
The second guard turned the corner just as Ethan raised the weapon, taking two rounds directly to the center mass.
The third guard frantically reached for his radio to sound the alarm, but Ethan threw his knife, burying it to the hilt in the man's throat.
The server farm was silent once again, save for the hum of cooling fans and the dripping of blood onto the pristine white floor.
Ethan retrieved his knife, wiping the blade on the dead man's uniform.
He approached the biometric security door leading to the penthouse stairwell.
Before he could place a hacking device on the keypad, the heavy steel door hissed open on its own.
Marcus stood in the doorway, a sadistic grin stretching across his scarred face, holding a pair of serrated combat knives.
"I have to admit, Caldwell, I didn't think you would be stupid enough to walk into the lion's den," Marcus chuckled.
"I didn't come here to negotiate, Marcus," Ethan replied, dropping his empty gun and drawing his own blade.
Marcus lunged with terrifying speed, slashing in an X-pattern aimed directly at Ethan's wounded shoulder.
Ethan dodged backward, the razor-sharp edge of Marcus's knife slicing through the fabric of his tactical vest.
Pain flared through Ethan's chest as the stitches in his clavicle threatened to tear open.
Marcus pressed the advantage, kicking Ethan violently in the ribs and sending him crashing into a rack of servers.
Sparks showered down as the glass casing shattered, plunging that section of the room into darkness.
"You are slowing down, billionaire," Marcus taunted, stalking forward.
Ethan rolled to his feet, grabbing a heavy shard of broken glass from the floor.
As Marcus thrust his knife toward Ethan's stomach, Ethan parried the strike with his forearm, taking a deep gash to the bone.
Ignoring the blinding pain, Ethan drove the jagged shard of glass directly upward, under the edge of Marcus's tactical vest, and into his heart.
Marcus gasped, his eyes widening in absolute shock as the combat knives slipped from his hands.
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Ethan twisted the glass violently, ensuring the kill, before letting the assassin's lifeless body crumple to the floor.
Breathing heavily, bleeding from half a dozen wounds, Ethan stepped over the corpse and began the final climb to the penthouse.
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