HE SAID I WAS JUST A BET

Chapter 60: The Chase

The air outside was cold and sharp, biting at Maria’s skin as she burst through the exit door. Her heart pounded in sync with her footsteps, her eyes locked on the shadowy figure sprinting ahead. Daniel was right behind her, his breathing steady, controlled—like a predator closing in on prey.

“Stop!” Maria shouted, but the figure didn’t even glance back. They darted between parked cars, their movement fast and unpredictable.

Daniel’s hand brushed her arm. “Don’t lose sight of them!”

They turned into a narrow alley, the streetlights flickering weakly above. The sound of shoes slapping the wet pavement echoed like a warning. Maria’s lungs burned, but she refused to slow down. Every instinct told her that whoever this was held the answers she’d been searching for.

Suddenly, the figure skidded to a halt, cornered by a high chain-link fence. They turned, their hood slipping just enough for Maria to catch a glimpse of sharp eyes—eyes she recognized instantly.

“You…” The word fell from her lips before she could stop it.

The figure smirked, even as Daniel closed in. “You should have stayed out of this, Maria.”

Before they could grab him, he reached into his pocket and tossed something small and metallic to the ground. A deafening bang erupted, a cloud of smoke swallowing the alley. Maria coughed, blinking rapidly, trying to push through the haze. By the time the smoke cleared, the figure was gone—vanished as if he’d never been there.

Daniel cursed under his breath. “We had him.”

Maria’s hands trembled as she realized the truth—this wasn’t just a chase. It was a warning. And the real danger… had only just begun.