I crossed the space between us in seconds, my katana slicing clean through their heads before they had a chance to react.
Richard and Ryan went for the ones farther back, driving knives into the creatures' skulls.
Lee finished off one that was crawling on the floor.
Mark handled the last one with ease.
A few more bodies dropped along the way.
We were nearing the staircase to the third floor when suddenly, the door beside us burst open with a bang.
A Russian stormed out with a wild look in his eyes, gripping a knife tightly.
He charged at me without hesitation, aiming a straight thrust at my abdomen.
In a split-second reflex, I slid a step to the side, dodging the blade by mere inches.
As he lunged into the empty space where I had just been, I took the opportunity to grab his wrist with my right hand and yank him forward hard.
Using my left leg as a pivot, I rotated my body and placed my hip in front of his, locking in a Seoi Nage — a shoulder throw that launched him over me.
The impact was brutal.
His body slammed against the ground with a thud, the air escaping his lungs in a muffled grunt.
Not giving him a chance to recover, I quickly mounted him, pinning my left knee into his armpit to control the arm holding the knife.
Before he could even try to stab me, I gripped his wrist tightly, pulled his arm against my chest, and threw my right leg over his head, falling back as I extended his arm.
His elbow was trapped between my hips, his joint completely locked in a perfect armbar.
The Russian screamed in pain, thrashing around.
But before he could escape or break free, I abruptly let go of his arm and switched positions.
I slid my right leg around, hooked it around his neck, and crossed my ankles, adjusting my grip into a perfect triangle choke.
With his jugular pressed against my femur and the carotid artery crushed against his own shoulder, he started to suffocate.
He thrashed, desperately trying to pull my leg off his neck, but it was already too late.
His breathing grew erratic, his arms weakened, and within seconds, his body went limp.
I released the hold and stood up calmly.
Richard chuckled and shook his head. "Crazy son of a bitch Russian! Hiding behind the damn door… Bastard!"
Ryan muttered, adjusting his rifle. "Shit, another one of these clowns trying to be clever… I'm starting to like this damn country even less."
Joel, still limping, huffed impatiently. "Cut the chatter and move. I want out of this damn building before another lunatic shows up."
Lee and Mark followed silently, always alert to the surroundings.
I gave one last glance at the Russian's body and kept moving forward with the team.
I scanned the dark corners of the room for a few seconds.
No suspicious movement.
"Area secure," I muttered.
Joel sighed in relief. "If they're all like this, we're in for an easy ride."
Ryan scoffed. "Now you jinxed it."
Richard chuckled under his breath. "If something goes wrong, it's your fault."
I lowered my head, hiding a smile.
"Let's go. Next floor."
And we went down.