These were trained killers. Men and women who had lived off fear for years. Yet at that moment, every one of them looked like prey standing before something they could not understand, much less fight.
Johnny's body had already dropped, but the shock on his face remained. His eyes were still slightly open, and even in death it was obvious he had not believed he could be killed so quickly.
One of the men nearest to the wall let his blade slip from his hand. The weapon hit the ground with a light clatter that sounded too loud in the hall.
Another woman stumbled back and raised both hands. "Wait," she said quickly, her breathing uneven. "We surrender."
That broke the rest.
More weapons dropped. Steel hit stone one after another while several of them stepped away from Gabriel and pressed themselves harder against the walls. Some lowered their heads. Others stared at him with pale faces and trembling mouths.
