CHAPTER 14-BROKEN TRUST
1639 Words
The warehouse fell into an eerie silence.
Only the sound of rain striking the rusted roof remained.
Aimaara stood motionless, her eyes fixed on the old photograph projected across the wall.
A younger Emmeer stood beside Hakim.
Smiling.
Like father and son.
Her breathing became shallow.
“You knew him…”
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“You knew my father all this time.”
Emmeer didn't answer.
Not because he wanted to lie.
But because the truth had never been his to tell.
The distorted voice echoed through the speakers.
“She deserves the truth, Emmeer.”
“Or are you still hiding behind a dead man's promise?”
Aimaara slowly turned toward him.
“Answer me.”
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
“When did you meet my father?”
Silence.
“I asked you a question.”
Emmeer finally spoke.
“…Fifteen years ago.”
Her heart sank.
“So everything since Libreria Aurora…”
She swallowed hard.
“…you already knew.”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me?”
“I couldn't.”
Tears welled in her eyes.
“You couldn't…”
“…or you wouldn't?”
Rayyan stepped forward.
“Aimaara, let him explain.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“I trusted him.”
“I followed him.”
“I believed every word he said.”
Her eyes met Emmeer's.
“But you were keeping the biggest secret of all.”
Emmeer clenched his fists.
“I never lied to you.”
“You hid the truth.”
His expression tightened.
“There's a difference.”
Aimaara laughed bitterly.
“To the person being deceived…”
“…it feels exactly the same.”
Those words struck Emmeer harder than any bullet.
Suddenly, the projector changed.
A grainy video began to play.
The date on the screen read fifteen years ago.
Hakim was running through the same warehouse, carrying something wrapped in black cloth. Several armed men chased him.
Then—
The footage paused.
A tall figure stepped into frame.
Dressed in black.
His face hidden.
Only one thing was visible.
A silver eagle pin.
Aimaara slowly looked at Emmeer.
The same eagle pin was attached to the inside of his coat.
Her lips trembled.
“No…”
The mysterious voice laughed.
“Do you understand now?”
“He was there.”
“On the night your father disappeared.”
Aimaara stepped backwards.
“Tell me he's lying.”
Emmeer remained silent.
“Tell me!”
His jaw tightened.
“…I was there.”
The words echoed through the warehouse.
Aimaara stared at him.
“You…”
Her voice broke.
“…you were there?”
Emmeer closed his eyes briefly.
“…Yes.”
“But I wasn't the one who killed him.”
Before she could respond—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shook the warehouse.
The floor trembled violently. Concrete cracked and dust rained from the ceiling.
Rayyan looked up.
“They planted explosives!”
Another explosion erupted closer.
BOOM!
Metal containers toppled over.
One crashed directly toward Aimaara.
“LOOK OUT!”
Emmeer sprinted toward her without hesitation.
He grabbed her and pulled her away just as the container slammed into the floor.
The impact threw them sideways.
Emmeer twisted his body, taking most of the impact himself.
A painful groan escaped his lips.
“Emmeer!”
He forced himself to look at her.
“Are you hurt?”
Tears filled her eyes.
“I'm fine.”
She stared at the blood seeping through his shirt.
“You're bleeding.”
“It's nothing.”
“You always say that.”
Before he could answer, another blast shook the building.
BOOM!
Aimaara instinctively covered her head.
When she looked up, Emmeer was still shielding her from the falling debris.
“Why…”
Her voice trembled.
“Why would you still protect me after everything?”
Emmeer looked into her eyes.
“Because…”
He paused.
“…I promised your father.”
The answer only left more questions behind.
Rayyan suddenly ran toward them.
“Boss!”
“The entire warehouse is rigged!”
Another explosion echoed from the far side.
“Less than three minutes before this place collapses.”
Emmeer nodded.
“Find another exit.”
Rayyan disappeared into the smoke.
Aimaara helped Emmeer to his feet, placing his arm over her shoulders.
“You don't have to do this.”
“I do.”
“I'm slowing you down.”
“No.”
“I'm the reason you're hurt.”
Emmeer looked at her.
His expression softened.
“No.”
“I was hurt because I chose to protect you.”
He paused.
“And I'd make the same choice again.”
Aimaara stared at him.
“Why?”
For a moment, Emmeer didn't answer.
Then he spoke quietly.
“I've been protecting you because of a promise…”
“…made fifteen years ago.”
Before she could ask anything else, Rayyan's voice echoed through the smoke.
“Boss!”
“I found something!”
They followed his voice behind several shipping containers.
A hidden chamber stood behind them.
Small.
Old.
Almost forgotten.
In the centre was a wooden desk covered in dust.
On top lay a worn leather journal.
Aimaara immediately recognised the symbol carved into its cover.
The Covenant.
She slowly reached for it.
Her fingers trembled as she opened the first page.
Her heart stopped.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
“My father's…”
Every page contained notes, maps, names and strange symbols.
Then she saw a sentence circled in red ink.
If Aimaara ever finds this journal… it means I have failed.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
She turned the page.
Another message waited for her.
Trust Emmeer.
Even when the whole world tells you not to.
Aimaara froze.
Slowly, she looked at Emmeer.
He hadn't moved.
“Did you know?”
He shook his head.
“No.”
“I never found it.”
Before she could ask anything else—
CLICK.
A gun clicked behind them.
All three turned.
A tall man stepped from the smoke.
He was dressed entirely in black.
A silver mask concealed his face.
A black cane rested in one hand.
He smiled beneath the mask.
“So…”
“You finally found Hakim's journal.”
His gaze shifted toward Aimaara.
“Unfortunately…”
“It belongs to me.”
Emmeer's expression hardened.
Rayyan quietly whispered,
“Boss…”
“I know who he is.”
The masked man chuckled.
“It's been a long time…”
“…Black Eagle.”
The words hung in the air.
Emmeer immediately stepped in front of Aimaara.
His injured shoulder protested, but he ignored it.
“What do you want?”
The masked man pointed toward the journal.
“That.”
Aimaara tightened her grip.
“It belonged to my father.”
“No.”
The masked man tilted his head.
“It belonged…”
“…to The Covenant.”
Aimaara frowned.
“My father wasn't one of you.”
The man's laughter echoed through the chamber.
“Oh…”
“If only you knew.”
Rayyan slowly shifted to the side.
The masked man's eyes followed him.
“I wouldn't do that.”
Rayyan froze.
Suddenly, red laser dots appeared across the room.
One.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
They covered Rayyan's chest.
Then Emmeer.
Then Aimaara.
Snipers.
“We're surrounded,” Rayyan whispered.
“I count twelve.”
Emmeer scanned the broken windows.
“Fourteen.”
The masked man smiled.
“Excellent.”
Another explosion shook the warehouse.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
“As you can see…”
“This building won't survive much longer.”
He extended his gloved hand.
“The journal.”
“No.”
Aimaara answered before Emmeer could.
The masked man looked at her with amusement.
“You have your father's stubbornness.”
“My father died protecting this.”
“I know.”
“And I'll protect it too.”
For the first time, something changed in the masked man's expression.
“Interesting.”
“Hakim raised a worthy daughter after all.”
He snapped his fingers.
A hidden steel door opened behind him.
Two guards stepped out.
They were dragging someone across the floor.
Aimaara's eyes widened.
“Nurin!”
Her best friend was bound, her wrists tied behind her back.
A bruise marked the side of her face.
“Aimaara…”
Her voice trembled.
“Don't…”
“Don't give him the journal.”
Aimaara took a step forward.
“You monster!”
Emmeer immediately caught her wrist.
“No.”
“They want you to lose control.”
“But she's hurt!”
“I know.”
His voice softened.
“That's exactly what they want.”
The masked man smiled.
“Very good, Black Eagle.”
“You still understand the game.”
He reached into his coat and pulled out a silver pocket watch.
Click.
It opened.
“I'll make this simple.”
“You have…”
He glanced at the watch.
“…sixty seconds.”
His eyes locked onto Emmeer.
“The journal…”
“…or the girl.”
The warehouse fell silent.
Even the rain outside seemed distant.
Aimaara looked at Emmeer.
Nurin looked at Emmeer.
Rayyan looked at Emmeer.
Every decision now rested on his shoulders.
The masked man began counting.
“Sixty…”
Emmeer remained still.
“Fifty-nine…”
His eyes shifted toward Nurin.
Then toward Aimaara.
“Fifty-eight…”
His expression remained calm.
But inside, his mind was racing.
For fifteen years, he had kept one promise.
Protect Aimaara.
But now—
Nurin's life was in his hands too.
And for the first time in fifteen years…
Emmeer Fahren faced a choice he had never been prepared to make.
Because this time…
he couldn't save everyone.
-TO BE CONTINUED-
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