Patricians:

“Looks like our rides here. Guess daddy won’t be saving you today princess.” The assailant squeezed harder on Julia’s neck making her squirm in pain. Henry watched as the man tortured his daughter fuelling his anger. Aiming the pistol upwards the assailant fired a single shot. Explosive rounds hit the glass and detonated. Shards of glass rained down behind Julia. Dangling down from the aircraft a line lowered through the hole.
“Let my daughter go now, or I swear I will devout fortunes to your long painful death.” Henry hoped the threat would provoke compliance, but if not compliance than a moment of hesitation. Malicious laughter echoed through the promenade from the assailant. Henry knew everything he needed to from the unusual response. Both men were willing to die to complete their objective.
“Those who hunt monsters with self-righteous certainty often become that which they hunt.” The assailant taunted Henry with a malicious laugh.
“Team prepare to take a shot.” Henry felt time and hope slipping through his fingers watching the assailant step towards the rope. Desperation flared across the neural connection. Everyone could feel Henry’s desperation and fears. The soldiers worried the emotions compromised Henry’s ability to strategize. The neural connection fragmented into dissenting voices. Different voices raged in Henry’s mind.
“Sir it’s too dangerous. Your daughter is too close” a cadre of minds urged in unison. Splintered voices echoed a mix of loyalty, doubt, and anxiety. Many members of the team remained silent in the neural connection. resigned to their commanders’ fate. Not a single team member feared their own death, but every person feared for Julia’s safety.
“There is no choice! Just be prepared to take the shot when the opportunity presents itself.” Henry surged with motion breaking from cover without warning. Each stride powered by the grim determination of a father’s love for his child. Henry strode forward across the promenade towards his daughter. Hovering above the mall the gunship tracked motion locking in on the moving target. Twin cannon barrels spun whining louder picking up speed.
Thundering forth cannons blared to life pouring a stream of gunfire down on the target. Glass ceiling panels exploded into thousands of shards raining down razor sharp fragments. Bullets tore through cement and plants. Debris flew the air creating a maelstrom around the solemn man. Nothing could stop Henry from rescuing his daughter. Shards cut the skin. Echoes of glass tinkled hitting the tiled floor. Henry marched through the storm unfazed.
Bullets grazed past the man missing the target by a breath. Henry’s clenched his pistol using his cybernetic eyes to zoom in on the assailant. Giant tropical leaves prevented the gunship from getting clear visual of the man. Kendra had been using a wave generator to interfere with the optics preventing accurate lock. Henry waited for the moment the assailant moved to take the shot. Staying calm the father marched through chaos and destruction swirling around him. Julia watched the gun drift in front of her vision. Horror filled the woman’s mind watching the assailant take aim at her father.