For a second, everyone held their breath at the sound of the engine roaring. When something burst through the nearby house, everyone turned and saw a truck jumping out of the debris.
"Shoot them down!"
A round of gunfire echoed along the street, aimed directly at the truck charging straight toward them. The other mercenaries jumped out of the way, firing at it.
"Ugh—" one of the mercenaries grunted as he was shot in the shoulder.
Seeing this, another mercenary rushed over and dragged him by the back of his collar.
"We’re under attack!" he shouted, still firing at the truck as it crashed into another building across from where it had come from.
What they didn’t consider was that those firing at them were much closer than the truck they were wasting their bullets on. They only realized this too late, when the truck slammed into a sturdy pillar and barely broke through.
Its tires continued spinning, scraping violently against the asphalt as it failed to move forward. Smoke rose from the engine, forming a thick cloud around the vehicle.
The mercenaries stopped shooting, but they didn’t lower their weapons. They watched as the smoke thinned slightly, and one of them approached cautiously.
The mercenary narrowed his eyes as he checked the truck. He spotted someone slumped over the steering wheel. Stepping closer, he used the muzzle of his rifle to push the person aside, only to see blood covering a familiar face.
He was one of them.
The mercenary’s breath hitched as his heart pounded. He spun around and shouted, "It’s a trap!!"
But it was already too late.
The moment his voice echoed through the area, Florida’s team had taken up firing positions and opened fire from all sides.
"Ahh!!!"
Then, a scream rang out from beneath one of the trucks.
When the mercenaries turned, all they saw were people crawling out from under the vehicles in haste. Then, more from alleys and other houses and establishments.
"You—" The mercenaries shifted their rifles toward the dirty figures charging at them. But before they could fire, those with Lola took them down one by one.
With Florida, Ransom, and the Bellemonte men positioned above, and the residents of Gigante bravely emerging from hiding to fight, the mercenaries were overwhelmed. Attacked from both above and below, they were quickly cut down.
As the mercenaries struggled amid the chaos, Lola turned her attention to the man behind her.
"Hey," she said, snapping him out of his focus. "My husband once told me... he’s the only one allowed to cuff me."
The moment the words left her lips, she twisted her body and knocked the man off balance. Her hands were bound behind her back, but her legs were free. She kicked upward, wrapping her legs around his neck, and rolled with him across the ground like a crocodile’s death roll.
They slid beneath the truck, her legs tightening around his throat.
"You—" the mercenary grabbed at her leg, reaching for his weapon. He managed to fire, but missed as half of Lola’s body was already under the truck.
Grinding his teeth, he struggled to reposition his rifle. With his airway blocked, time was running out. Lola held her breath, tightening her legs with all her strength.
BANG!
The bullet struck the truck, the muzzle flash flaring dangerously close to her face. Lola jerked her head away, glaring at him.
"Why aren’t you passing out yet?" she snapped through clenched teeth. "Are you serious?!"
The mercenary’s face had turned red from lack of air. "I’m gonna kill you first... bitch."
BANG!
Two shots rang out, both missing her. Despite how close the muzzle was to her face, he failed to hit her. On the third attempt, he pulled the trigger abruptly, aiming straight at her.
But alas...
Clack—
Lola froze as her life flashed before her eyes. The trigger clicked uselessly instead of firing. When the sound registered, the corners of her mouth twitched.
"Heh," she let out a short, shaky chuckle. "Phew. That scared me a bit."
If the gun had been loaded, he would have blown her brains out. Somehow, luck—or something else—had kept her alive.
The mercenary tried pulling the trigger again. And again, but nothing.
"Fuck..." he breathed, letting the rifle drop. "You... lucky bitch."
Those were the last words he managed before his eyes rolled back and he passed out, barely clinging to consciousness for the past two minutes. To be sure, Lola squeezed his neck one last time before releasing him.
"Hah," she breathed, lying flat beneath the truck. "That was hella close."
Her expression soured as Atlas’s face flashed through her mind, followed by the thought of her children crying if she had died.
"I should be more careful," she muttered.
"Goddess—!"
A familiar voice reached her ears. Turning her head, she saw the boss crouched on the other side of the truck, peering underneath.
"Are you okay?!" he gasped. "You’re still alive?! The heck?!"
She frowned. "Just help me out of here," she grumbled, only to see hesitation flicker across his face.
"You do understand that whether or not you help me, I can get out," she added calmly. "The only difference is that if you help me, I won’t come after you."
"Fine, fine!" he shouted, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder. "I’m pulling you out!"
With that, he dragged her from beneath the truck to the safer side. Once she was clear, he quickly loosened her restraints. Lola sat up immediately.
"Situation?" she asked, gunfire and shouts echoing nearby.
"Uh—" As he tried to figure out where to begin, he saw her stand and peer over the truck. "Goddess, I think I know who the mole is!"
As the boss rambled beside her, Lola focused on the battlefield. Her brows knit together as she watched men and women from Gigante swarm the mercenaries. Not all of them were armed—some wielded pipes, broken brooms, even dustpans and old frying pans.
Those mercenaries who were armed were taken down by fighters positioned inside the buildings.
Now that she could fully see the situation, Lola realized one thing.
It was a one-sided fight.
"Five District," she whispered, and the boss stopped mid-ramble. The latter moved to her side, peeking over the truck beside her.
Emotion swelled in her chest as she watched people who had spent their lives bowing their heads and gritting their teeth finally fight back.
Five District... was now under their control.
"Wow," the boss blurted out. "We’re winning this war... really."