As Alessandro and Clara burst out the back door of the cottage, they were met with a hail of gunfire. Salvatore's men had surrounded the building, cutting off their escape.
Alessandro pushed Clara behind him, shielding her with his body, and returned fire, his Beretta spitting lead. He took down two more men, but he knew they were outnumbered. They couldn't stay here.
"We have to get to the woods," he shouted to Clara, his voice barely audible above the gunfire. "Can you run?"
Clara nodded, her face pale but determined. "I can try," she said.
Alessandro grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the trees, dodging bullets as they ran. They made it to the edge of the woods, but not without taking fire. Alessandro felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, but he ignored it, focusing solely on getting Clara to safety.
They plunged into the trees, using the dense foliage as cover. Alessandro knew they couldn't outrun Salvatore's men. They were trained killers, relentless and ruthless. They had to find a way to fight back.
He pulled Clara behind a large oak tree, catching his breath. "Isabella should be in position," he said, his voice strained. "We need to signal her."
He pulled out a small flare gun from his pocket and fired it into the air. The flare soared above the trees, leaving a trail of smoke in its wake. It was a risky move, revealing their location, but it was their only hope.
Within moments, they heard the crack of Isabella's sniper rifle. One of Salvatore's men screamed and fell to the ground, a bullet through his head. Isabella had found her mark.
The gunfire intensified as Salvatore's men focused their attention on Isabella's position. Alessandro used the distraction to move Clara deeper into the woods, away from the cottage.
They stumbled through the undergrowth, their clothes torn, their bodies scratched and bruised. Alessandro knew they couldn't keep running forever. They needed to find a defensible position, a place where they could make a stand.
He spotted a small clearing on top of a rocky hill. It was a natural fortress, offering a clear view of the surrounding area. "We'll make our stand there," he said to Clara, pointing towards the hill. "Can you make it?"
Clara nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "I can make it," she said.
They started towards the hill, moving as quickly as they could, but they were soon intercepted by two more of Salvatore's men. Alessandro pushed Clara behind him and engaged the men in hand-to-hand combat.
He was a skilled fighter, but his injured shoulder hampered his movements. He managed to disarm one of the men, but the other one landed a blow to his head, sending him reeling.
He staggered back, his vision blurring, but he refused to fall. He couldn't let Clara down. He had to protect her, no matter the cost.
He lunged at the man who had struck him, tackling him to the ground. They wrestled in the dirt, each trying to gain the upper hand. Alessandro managed to get on top of the man and rained down blows on his face, knocking him unconscious.
He turned to face the other man, who was now armed with Alessandro's Beretta. The man raised the gun, aiming it at Alessandro's head.
"It's over, Alessandro," the man said, his voice cold. "Salvatore wants Clara, and he always gets what he wants."
But even as the man spoke, Alessandro saw a flicker of movement in the trees behind him. Isabella had moved into position.
The crack of Isabella's sniper rifle echoed through the woods, and the man with the gun crumpled to the ground, a bullet through his heart.
Alessandro took a deep breath, his body aching, his mind exhausted. But he knew he couldn't rest. He had to get Clara to safety.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the hill, their eyes fixed on the clearing at the top. They were almost there.