Detective Ryan's head snapped around as the sharp crack of a gunshot echoed through the building. It was followed by a blood-curdling scream from the lower floor. The sound was distant but unmistakable. Without wasting a second, Ryan turned to the officers with him. "You four, hold this position. The rest of you, come with me!" he ordered with a clenched jaw, voice low but urgent. He descended the stairs two steps at a time, flanked by three armed men, boots pounding hard against the worn concrete.
---
On the ground floor, chaos had already begun to take root. Two police officers, stationed by the exit, stood paralyzed, weapons drawn and eyes darting in every direction. Panic painted their faces with sweat and confusion.
"He just—he just took them!" one of the officers stammered. "Three of them. Gone. Just like that."
