silent Cinderella

the chase

Silent Cinderella

Chapter Five

The Chase

The screech of tires...

A deafening crash.

The instant the man shouted,

"Get down!"

he lunged toward Selene with all his strength.

They hit the pavement together.

A split second later...

The black sedan tore through the exact spot where Selene had been standing moments before. It slammed into a streetlight, sending shattered glass flying in every direction.

Screams erupted across the street.

Cars came to an abrupt stop.

Selene struggled to catch her breath.

A loud ringing filled her ears, and her heart pounded violently against her chest.

She slowly lifted her head.

"W-What's happening?"

The man grabbed her arm firmly.

"We don't have time."

"We have to leave. Now."

The driver's door of the wrecked sedan swung open.

Two men dressed entirely in black stepped out.

Their faces were expressionless.

But one detail caught Selene's attention.

A black tattoo marked the side of one man's neck.

The man holding the brown file instantly turned pale.

"They're here..." he whispered.

Without another word, he seized Selene's hand and started running.

Selene ran without understanding anything.

Behind them...

Fast, determined footsteps echoed through the street.

Ahead...

A crowded intersection packed with pedestrians.

She glanced over her shoulder.

The two men were chasing them.

One of them raised a communication device to his mouth.

"The target is moving east."

Selene came to a sudden stop.

"The target?"

The man looked directly into her eyes.

"You."

She froze.

"Me?"

"Selene..."

"Your life has been in danger for years."

On the other side of the city...

William was leaving the university in his sports car.

His phone rang.

Ethan.

"William, have you seen the local news?"

"No."

"There was an attempted hit-and-run near the bus stop outside campus."

William barely reacted.

Then Ethan added quickly,

"The students are saying the girl from that photograph..."

"She was there."

William slammed on the brakes.

"What did you say?"

"Selene."

He didn't hesitate for another second.

He made a sharp U-turn and accelerated at full speed.

The man led Selene into a narrow alley between two buildings.

Breathing heavily, he opened the brown file.

He removed an old photograph and handed it to her.

Selene stared at it.

It was a picture of her father.

But he wasn't alone.

Standing beside him was another man wearing an elegant black suit, smiling as he rested a hand on her father's shoulder.

Selene's eyes widened.

"Who is he?"

The man answered quietly,

"Richard Consels."

Her breath caught.

"William's father?"

He nodded.

"They were business partners."

He paused.

"And much more than that..."

"They were friends."

The ground seemed to disappear beneath Selene's feet.

Everything she believed about her father...

Was beginning to fall apart.

Suddenly...

A gunshot shattered the silence.

The bullet struck the brick wall only inches away from them.

Selene screamed.

The man shoved her behind a large metal dumpster.

"Stay here!"

He reached inside his jacket and drew a compact pistol.

Selene stared at him in disbelief.

"Y-You have a gun?"

A bitter smile crossed his face.

"I hoped I'd never have to use it again."

The two men slowly entered the alley.

One of them called out,

"Hand over the girl."

The man replied without hesitation,

"Never."

Weapons were raised.

The next few seconds would decide everything.

At that exact moment...

William's car screeched to a halt at the entrance of the street.

He jumped out.

The sound of gunfire echoed through the air.

He looked toward the alley.

Then he ran without thinking.

The first thing he saw...

Was Selene.

Curled up behind the dumpster, trembling with fear.

But neither of them noticed...

A mysterious sniper was lying on the rooftop of the building across the alley.

Through the rifle scope...

The crosshairs settled directly on Selene's head.

The sniper slowly tightened his finger around the trigger...

End of Chapter Five.