LOVING HER TOO LATE

Untitled Episode

CHAPTER 018

Sienna's POV

Sienna was aware that she was stepping over a boundary that she could not undo.

The hacker hideout was cold and the air smelled of burnt wires and cheap instant coffee. It was the sort of place that people went into when they had nothing left to lose. She was empty. Nothing but a desire of justice.

Jax grumbled, not even looking up at his three screens, "You are late." His hands were flying over the keyboard as though he were playing a piano in hell.

And you are still rude, she retorted, drawing her hoodie closer to her. Her fingers were shaking, and it was not the cold.

Jax smirked. You really want to do this? When we get into his system, we can never get out."

Do it.

He did not require any further words. The room darkened as he entered the personal files of Ethan. The screen lit up with lines of code. Passwords were broken, firewalls were down. Each beep and buzz caused Sienna to tighten her chest.

The atmosphere was tense. She was breathing short. Her hands were wet with perspiration. She had not said to anyone where she was going to-night. Not Daniel. Not Savannah. No one. She dared not.

Jax squinted. This man is layered and layered. The person who arranged this must have known what they were doing. It is similar to cracking a steel vault with a toothpick."

Sienna did not flinch. Then break it.

Jax grumbled to himself and continued. The only thing that broke the silence was the clacking of his keyboard, which sounded like machine gun fire, for a time.

Then Jax stopped.

"Found something."

Sienna bent forward. Her heart was beating in her ears. Jax opened a folder marked Bloomfield Holdings.

Her stomach fell. It was one of Ethan shell companies- a front to something sinister.

Inside: scanned documents, payment receipts, flight logs, and names. Too many names. Others she knew. Others she did not.

Is this what I think it is? she asked.

Jax nodded. These are trafficking records. Women. Children. Purchased and transported."

Sienna felt like vomiting. Her knees nearly failed her.

Save it all, she whispered.

Jax grabbed the external hard drive and inserted it into the port.

We will copy it. Full backup. Then we will go public."

However, before he had completed, an alarm sounded.

The security trace was activated by someone! he shouted.

The screens became red. Ethan was fighting back. Jax attempted to turn it off, but the trace had already pinged their position.

We must go. Now.

He tore the drive out and thrust it into the hands of Sienna. They snatched their bags and ran.

It was colder outside at night. Darker. They fled down the alley, their hearts beating.

Then a car squealed into the street.

Gunshots.

Sienna ducked. Jax dragged her behind a dumpster.

It is he, she gasped. He sent them.

"No kidding!"

The bullets were like firecrackers against the brick wall.

Jax caught her by the arm. "We split. I will see you at the safe house!"

She did not wish to. They had no option. She ran in one direction; he in another.

The night became a blur. Sienna sprinted through alleys, leaped fences, hid behind trash cans, and held her breath whenever headlights came.

She almost sprained her ankle jumping over a broken fence. Somewhere near a dog was barking. Her lungs were on fire. Her hoodie was wet with sweat.

At last she came to a small building on the outskirts of town. She knocked on the back door.

Open the door!

The door was opened. Jax was standing there, bleeding at the shoulder.

"You're hurt!"

"I’ll live. Have you brought it?"

She waved the drive. All the files.

Jax smiled, with blood on his teeth. Then we got him.

Sienna fell to the ground. Her legs collapsed.

I cannot believe that he actually sent people after us.

"You should. Ethan is not only dirty, he is dangerous."

She mopped her brow. Her voice broke. He attempted to murder us. For files."

Jax said, "To secrets." The good people kill to keep down."

Sienna gazed at him. We are going to open this up. Everything. Everyone."

He nodded. But it will be worse before it is better."

She took her phone out of her pocket. The fall had broken the screen. She sent Savannah one word: Safe.

She held the drive tremblingly in her hands.

Dig, she whispered, at any price.

She gazed through the window. There were headlights sweeping the distant street. Was it still followed? Was this place safe at all?

And how much would Ethan go to cover the truth?

Would she live through it?