The cabin walls seemed to pulse with each gunshot, and every crack, every bullet lodged into the wood, brought us closer to the brink. Ava's small body trembled in my arms as I held her close, whispering words of comfort, hoping that somehow, they would keep her calm. William and Ethan fired back at Ferraro's men with unrelenting precision, each shot calculated, controlled. They moved like shadows in the dim light, determined and focused.
But Ferraro was relentless. He advanced through the chaos, his gaze locked on the cabin with a singular focus. The glint in his eyes was unnerving—a mixture of control and satisfaction, as if he had anticipated this confrontation, as if he knew that this was the moment he had been waiting for.
"Alice!" Ferraro's voice rang out, rising above the din of gunfire. "This doesn't have to end badly. Come out, and we can negotiate. You and Ava will be safe."
