Next to You, Then Gone

Chapter 7: The Safe House

Marcus drove fast but carefully through the quiet streets. Elara sat huddled in his jacket, still shivering despite the heater blasting warm air. Her wet clothes clung to her skin, and every small bump in the road sent pain through her exhausted body.

“You’re going to be okay,” Marcus said, glancing at her. “I have a safe house not far from here. No one knows about it. Not even Damien.”

Elara nodded weakly. “Thank you… I didn’t know who else to call.”

Marcus’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “You did the right thing. Damien would want you to come to me.”

The city lights blurred past her window. She kept checking the side mirror, half expecting to see Victor Kane’s men behind them. For now, the roads looked empty.

After twenty minutes, Marcus pulled into an underground parking garage beneath a quiet residential building on the outskirts of the city. They took a private elevator up to the fifth floor.

The apartment was simple but elegant — minimal furniture, dark colors, and heavy curtains covering every window. Marcus locked the door behind them with multiple bolts.

“Bathroom’s there. Take a hot shower and change. I’ll get you some dry clothes and make coffee.”

Elara wanted to refuse, but she was freezing. She stepped into the bathroom, peeled off her wet clothes, and stood under the hot water for a long time. The warmth brought some life back to her body, but her mind was still racing.

When she came out wearing one of Marcus’s oversized shirts and sweatpants, he had a hot cup of coffee and a sandwich waiting on the table.

“Eat first,” he said gently. “Then we talk.”

Elara sat down and took small bites, even though she had no appetite. Marcus watched her carefully.

“Tell me everything.”

She told him — the empty bed, the blood, the threatening messages, the warehouse meeting with Reyes, Victor Kane, and jumping into the river. She left out the part about the USB drive still hidden on her.

Marcus listened quietly, his face growing darker with every word.

“Victor Kane,” he muttered. “He’s one of the top enforcers for the Blackthorn Syndicate. Dangerous. Ruthless. If he’s personally involved, this is worse than I thought.”

Elara leaned forward. “Damien recorded a video. He said his real name isn’t Damien Cross. He said you know the truth. Please, Marcus… tell me what’s going on.”

Marcus sighed deeply and rubbed his face with both hands. He looked tired.

“Damien wasn’t always Damien. His real name is Alexander Draven. He was born into the Syndicate. His father was one of the founders. Alex — Damien — was being groomed to take over. But he wanted out. He faked his death five years ago, changed his identity, and built Cross Dynamics as a legitimate company. He wanted a normal life.”

Elara’s heart twisted. “He never told me any of this.”

“He was trying to protect you,” Marcus said softly. “I helped him disappear back then. I’ve been covering his tracks ever since. But the Syndicate never forgets. They found him.”

Tears welled up in Elara’s eyes again. “Is he still alive?”

“I believe so. They’ll want to make an example of him. Break him publicly before killing him.” Marcus reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “But we can still save him. It won’t be easy, but I have contacts. Old favors.”

Elara felt a small spark of hope. She pulled out the USB drive from where she had hidden it again and placed it on the table.

“He left this for me. There’s a folder with my name on it.”

Marcus’s eyes lit up. “This could be exactly what we need. Let me check it.”

He plugged it into his laptop. Elara watched his face closely as he scrolled through the files. His expression changed — surprise, then something she couldn’t quite read.

“There’s a lot here,” he said. “Accounts, names of Syndicate members, even evidence of crimes. This is gold, Elara.”

She nodded, but a strange feeling settled in her stomach. Something about how quickly Marcus accepted everything felt… off.

“Marcus,” she said slowly. “How long have you known about all this?”

“Since the beginning,” he replied without looking up from the screen. “Damien and I grew up together in that world.”

Elara’s phone — which Marcus had helped dry and restart — suddenly vibrated on the table. An unknown number.

She answered it on speaker.

A familiar distorted voice came through. It was the same man who had called her earlier.

“Elara, don’t trust Marcus. He’s not your friend. Get out of there now.”

The call ended.

Marcus looked up sharply. “Who was that?”

Elara stood up slowly, heart racing again. “No one.”

But the seed of doubt had grown into full suspicion. Marcus noticed the change in her expression. He stood too, blocking the path to the door.

“Elara… whatever that person said, it’s a lie. I’m trying to help you. Damien is like a brother to me.”

Elara backed away. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for anything she could use as a weapon.

Suddenly, the lights in the apartment went out.

Complete darkness.

A loud bang sounded from the front door, someone was trying to break in.

Marcus cursed in the dark. “They found us already.”

Elara’s blood ran cold.

In the pitch-black room, she heard Marcus moving toward her.

“Stay close to me,” he whispered.

But Elara wasn’t sure if she should.