CHAPTER 12- THE FIRST TRAP
1867 Words
The black SUV sliced through the rain-soaked streets of Kuala Lumpur.
Thunder rumbled overhead as Emmeer gripped the steering wheel, his storm-grey eyes fixed on the road ahead.
Behind them, three black SUVs pursued relentlessly.
“They’re still on us,” Rayyan muttered, checking the rear-view mirror.
“I know.”
Emmeer’s voice remained calm.
Too calm.
Another violent impact slammed into the rear of their vehicle.
BANG!
Aimaara gasped as the SUV lurched forward. Before she could hit the dashboard, Emmeer instinctively stretched out an arm, shielding her.
“Stay down.”
His voice was firm and protective.
One of the pursuing SUVs accelerated alongside them.
“They’re trying to trap us,” Rayyan warned.
“They won’t.”
Emmeer suddenly turned the steering wheel.
The SUV drifted sharply into a narrow service road beneath the elevated highway. The first pursuing vehicle reacted too late.
CRASH!
It slammed into a concrete divider before spinning into a streetlight.
“Two left,” Rayyan said.
“They’ll call for reinforcements.”
The chase continued.
Suddenly, gunfire echoed through the rain.
BANG!
The rear windshield exploded.
Aimaara ducked as glass scattered across the cabin. Another bullet struck the passenger-side door.
Without hesitation, Emmeer pulled her closer, shielding her with his body.
“Don’t look back.”
She could hear his heartbeat.
Steady.
Calm.
As though chaos like this was nothing new to him.
“They’re getting reckless,” Rayyan said, drawing his pistol.
“They’re running out of time.”
“They’re after something.”
“They are.”
Emmeer pressed harder on the accelerator.
“But they won’t get it.”
Moments later, he turned into an abandoned underground parking structure. The headlights switched off, and darkness swallowed the SUV.
“What are you doing?” Aimaara whispered.
“They think they know this place.”
Emmeer made three quick turns before steering through a hidden maintenance tunnel.
Seconds later, the SUV emerged on the opposite side of the building.
The pursuing vehicles continued searching inside the parking complex.
Rayyan exhaled.
“We lost them.”
“For now.”
Only then did Aimaara notice the blood soaking through Emmeer’s sleeve.
“You’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing.”
She grabbed his arm.
The moment her fingers touched the wound, he flinched.
“You’ve been shot.”
“A graze.”
“It’s still bleeding.”
Emmeer sighed.
He pulled the SUV beneath an abandoned overpass while rain continued pouring outside.
Without asking, Aimaara opened the emergency medical kit.
“You keep a first-aid kit?”
“I prepare for everything.”
She carefully cleaned the wound.
Her hands trembled.
Not because she was afraid.
Because she was worried.
Emmeer watched her silently.
No one had looked at him like that in years.
“Done.”
She secured the bandage.
“You need proper treatment.”
“I’ll survive.”
She looked directly into his eyes.
“You always say that.”
“Because it’s true.”
“No.”
Her voice softened.
“It’s because you’re used to suffering.”
For a moment, Emmeer couldn't answer.
Rayyan glanced at them through the rear-view mirror.
“I’ve never seen Boss let anyone treat his wounds.”
Aimaara blinked.
“Really?”
“If this were anyone else…”
Rayyan grinned.
“…they’d already be unconscious.”
A faint smile escaped Aimaara.
Even Emmeer’s lips curved slightly.
The moment lasted only seconds.
Rayyan’s smile disappeared.
“Boss.”
Headlights appeared through the rain.
“They found us again.”
Emmeer started the engine.
“They never stopped looking.”
His phone suddenly vibrated.
Unknown sender.
Only coordinates appeared on the screen.
Then one sentence:
COME ALONE IF YOU WANT NURIN ALIVE.
Emmeer’s expression hardened.
Without another word, he shifted into gear.
The black SUV disappeared into the storm.
---
Emmeer sped through the deserted industrial district.
Abandoned warehouses slowly emerged through the rain.
No one spoke.
Rayyan finally broke the silence.
“It’s a trap.”
“I know.”
“Then why are we going?”
Emmeer kept his eyes on the road.
“Because they know I’ll come.”
Aimaara turned toward him.
“What if she’s already…”
“No.”
His voice was calm but certain.
“They wouldn’t send the message if she were dead.”
“They need something.”
“And Nurin is their bait.”
Ten minutes later, the SUV stopped outside an abandoned warehouse.
Rust covered its walls, and most of the windows were shattered.
The place looked deserted.
Too deserted.
Emmeer switched off the engine.
“Stay alert.”
Rayyan checked his weapon.
“I count six possible sniper positions.”
“I count eight.”
Aimaara’s heartbeat quickened.
“You think they’re watching us?”
“They’ve been watching us since we entered this district.”
The warehouse doors stood half-open.
A cold wind drifted from inside, carrying the smell of rust, oil…
and blood.
Emmeer’s expression darkened.
“They were here recently.”
The three entered.
Rows of abandoned shipping containers created a maze of narrow pathways.
Every footstep echoed.
Emmeer slowly raised his hand.
“Stay behind me.”
Aimaara nodded.
Suddenly, she froze.
“Emmeer…”
She pointed toward the floor.
A mobile phone lay beneath one of the containers.
Its screen was cracked.
Aimaara recognised it immediately.
“Nurin…”
She rushed forward and picked it up.
The wallpaper showed a selfie of the two best friends smiling together.
Tears filled Aimaara’s eyes.
“She was here…”
Emmeer crouched beside her.
Fresh scrape marks covered the concrete floor, as though someone had been dragged away.
Then he noticed a small drop of blood.
Still wet.
“They moved her less than thirty minutes ago.”
Aimaara looked up hopefully.
“So we’re close?”
Emmeer slowly stood.
“No.”
“They want us to believe that.”
Without warning—
CLANG!
The heavy warehouse doors slammed shut behind them.
Rayyan spun around and rushed toward the exit.
Locked.
“It won’t open!”
He pulled the handle again.
Nothing.
“They’ve sealed us inside!”
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
Everything went dark.
Complete darkness.
Aimaara instinctively reached out.
Her trembling fingers found Emmeer’s hand.
He held it firmly.
“I’m here.”
His calm voice cut through the darkness.
For a moment, her fear eased.
Then an old speaker crackled to life.
KRRRRRT…
A deep male voice echoed throughout the warehouse.
“So…”
A pause.
“…the Black Eagle has finally arrived.”
Aimaara frowned.
Black Eagle?
She turned toward Emmeer.
Before she could ask, the lights exploded back to life.
Bright floodlights illuminated the warehouse.
Dozens of armed men stepped from behind the containers.
Every rifle was aimed directly at Emmeer.
No one fired.
Not yet.
Slow footsteps echoed from the steel walkway above.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Every armed man lowered his head respectfully.
A tall figure emerged from the shadows.
He was dressed entirely in black, with a silver mask concealing his face.
Only his piercing eyes were visible.
He stopped at the centre of the catwalk and looked directly at Emmeer.
“So…”
“…we finally meet again.”
Emmeer didn’t move.
“I was wondering how long you’d keep hiding behind that mask.”
The masked man chuckled.
“Hiding?”
“No.”
“I’ve been waiting.”
“For you.”
Aimaara looked between them.
“You know each other?”
Neither answered.
The silence itself was the answer.
The masked man rested both hands on the railing.
“You’ve changed, Emmeer.”
“But not enough.”
“You still protect people…”
“…instead of completing the mission.”
Rayyan narrowed his eyes.
“What mission?”
The masked man ignored him.
His gaze shifted toward Aimaara.
“So…”
“This is Hakim’s daughter.”
Aimaara instinctively stepped closer to Emmeer.
The masked man smiled beneath his silver mask.
“She looks just like her mother.”
Aimaara’s heart skipped.
“You knew my mother?”
“I knew…”
“…far more than you can imagine.”
Suddenly, another spotlight illuminated the far end of the warehouse.
Aimaara gasped.
“Nurin!”
Her best friend sat tied to a steel chair, her wrists bound behind her back.
A bruise marked the side of her face.
“Aimaara…”
Nurin’s voice trembled.
“Don’t come closer!”
“Nurin!”
Aimaara instinctively stepped forward.
Emmeer immediately caught her wrist.
“Wait.”
“It’s a trap.”
The masked man clapped slowly.
“Very good.”
“You’ve learned patience.”
“But let’s see…”
“…how patient you remain.”
He snapped his fingers.
One of his men stepped forward and raised a pistol toward Nurin.
Aimaara froze.
“No!”
“Please… don’t hurt her!”
The masked man remained calm.
“Then answer one question.”
His gaze settled on Emmeer.
“Where is Hakim’s journal?”
Silence filled the warehouse.
Emmeer didn’t blink.
“I don’t know.”
The masked man laughed.
“I expected a better lie.”
He slowly descended the staircase.
Each step echoed through the warehouse.
When he reached the floor, he stopped several metres away.
“So…”
“The legendary Black Eagle…”
“…still refuses to kneel.”
Aimaara frowned.
“Black Eagle…?”
She turned toward Emmeer.
“What does he mean?”
Rayyan lowered his gaze.
The warehouse became unbearably quiet.
Emmeer closed his eyes for a brief moment.
Then he opened them again.
Cold.
Determined.
“The truth…”
“…was always going to reach you.”
Before Aimaara could ask another question, the masked man laughed.
“You still haven’t told her?”
He looked directly at Aimaara.
“Then allow me.”
He spread his arms.
“The man standing beside you…”
“…isn’t just the CEO of Fahren Holdings.”
A long pause.
His smile widened beneath the silver mask.
“He is the leader of Black Eagle.”
Silence.
The words echoed through the warehouse.
Aimaara stared at Emmeer.
Her lips parted.
“No…”
Her voice barely escaped.
“Tell me…”
“…he’s lying.”
Emmeer didn’t answer.
His silence was louder than any confession.
Aimaara slowly stepped backwards.
Every memory flashed through her mind.
His fighting skills.
His calmness under gunfire.
The scars.
The secrets.
The lies.
Everything suddenly made sense.
“You knew…”
“…all this time.”
The masked man smiled.
“Finally…”
“The truth begins.”
He raised his hand.
Every armed man c****d their weapons simultaneously.
CLICK.
Emmeer instinctively moved in front of Aimaara.
“Close your eyes.”
“What…?”
“Trust me.”
The masked man lowered his hand.
“Kill them.”
Before the order could be carried out—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion ripped through the western wall.
Concrete shattered.
Smoke engulfed the warehouse.
Alarms blared.
Men shouted in panic.
Rayyan immediately grabbed Aimaara.
“Move!”
Emmeer drew his pistol.
His cold eyes locked onto the masked man.
For the first time…
the hunt had truly begun.
— TO BE CONTINUED —
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