The five remaining guards draw matte-black tactical batons and concealed firearms. They advance rapidly toward the corner booth. Their faces are twisted in rage.
Patrons in the bistro begin screaming. People dive under their tables, shattering expensive wine glasses in their panic.
The scarred man, still trapped by the knife wedged near his fingers, whimpers loudly. He struggles to pull his hand free without slicing his own flesh open on the serrated edge.
One of the guards lunges forward, his heavy hand grabbing Anissa's shoulder. She violently twists away, her hand instinctively slapping at his wrist to disarm him. As her fingers brush the cold metal of his drawn pistol, her thumb grazes a raised emblem on the grip. In the chaotic, flashing strobe of the kitchen door swinging open, she catches a clear glimpse of a silver crest etched into the dark metal.
She recognizes the intertwined 'S' and 'C'. It is the private insignia of the Sinclair family's elite Capitol Guard.
A cold, paralyzing wave of dread washes over Anissa's entire body. Her stomach drops. If she is caught fighting Julian's own private army, the political fallout will be catastrophic. Julian will destroy her tribe's funding.
Anissa grabs Ashanti's shoulder. She shouts a sharp, urgent command in Navajo to retreat immediately.
Ashanti instantly obeys. She kicks the heavy wooden dining table forward with massive force. The table slams directly into the knees of the advancing guards.
Two of the heavy-set guards stumble and fall backward. They curse loudly as they crash into a waiter's tray station, sending plates crashing to the floor.
Anissa vaults over the back of the leather booth with surprising agility, her sneakers hitting the floor hard.
Ashanti covers their retreat. She grabs a heavy ceramic pepper grinder from a nearby table. She hurls it at the head of a guard aiming his weapon. The ceramic strikes him squarely in the nose with a sickening crunch.
Blood spurts from the guard's nose. He drops his aim, clutching his face in agony.
Anissa and Ashanti sprint through the swinging double doors of the kitchen. They startle the terrified culinary staff.
A panicked chef drops a heavy iron pan of sizzling oil onto the burner. It creates a massive flare-up of thick, greasy smoke that briefly obscures the pursuing guards' vision.
Anissa navigates the slippery kitchen tiles. She pushes past stainless steel prep stations, heading straight for the red metal fire exit door at the back.
Ashanti slams the metal bar of the door open. They burst out into a damp, trash-filled alleyway behind the restaurant.
They sprint down the alley. The heavy thud of tactical boots echoes right behind them as the furious guards kick open the fire door.
One of the guards shouts into a shoulder-mounted radio. "Target heading south! Call all off-duty personnel in the vicinity! I want an immediate interception at the estate perimeter before they cross the gates!"
Anissa curses under her breath. Her lungs burn. She realizes they have just triggered a full-scale security response from her own husband's private army.
They emerge from the alley onto a quieter side street. Cold rain begins to fall, making the pavement slick and treacherous.
Anissa spots a narrow gap between two parked delivery trucks. She grabs Ashanti's arm and pulls her into the tight, dark space to hide.
Three guards run past their hiding spot. The beams of their flashlights cut through the heavy rain, completely missing the narrow gap.
Anissa holds her breath. Her chest heaves against the cold metal of the truck. She waits until the heavy footsteps fade down the block.
"We need to get back to the estate," Anissa whispers to Ashanti. "Before they report this incident to Julian."
They slip out from between the trucks. They move quickly and silently through the labyrinth of Georgetown's wealthy back alleys.
As they turn a blind corner near the edge of the Sinclair property line, Anissa collides hard with a solid wall of a chest.
She stumbles backward, nearly slipping on the wet pavement. A strong, gloved hand shoots out and catches her arm to steady her.
Anissa looks up. Her heart drops entirely into her stomach. She meets the cold, professional gaze of Erick Shelton.
Erick, the Sinclair Head of Security, stands tall in his dark trench coat. The rain beads off his shoulders. A clear earpiece glows faintly in his ear.
He looks down at Anissa's soaked hoodie. He glances at Ashanti's tense combat stance. His expression is completely unreadable.
"Good evening, Mrs. Sinclair," Erick says. His voice is smooth and devoid of mercy.
