Well, that worked. Shota nodded at Snowy, having no complaints over the method used to free the man. The injuries made it much easier to handle him, and he wouldn't be running anywhere.

Unfortunately, the group had the forethought to plan for their victims escaping the trap.

Following the man's gaze when he made the signal, Shota instinctively ducked back into cover. He'd been a hero long enough to know a trap when he stumbled into it, and their escape had been going too smoothly. Barely avoiding the burst of gunfire, he hunched down inside the building they'd been held captive in, gritting his teeth at the sound of bullets spraying the wall. He set Lillie down carefully, well away from the door and inched closer to peer outside.

The bullets were coming from two directions, making it harder to take out the gunmen quickly. And without his capture weapon, he was at a disadvantage. He needed something so he wouldn't get shot the second he appeared outside.

Looking down at Snowy again, he asked, "Is there some way you can stop them from seeing me?" Else he'd need to retreat and find another option. Or their ringleader would escape.