Twisted Loyalties

Chapter 3: Into The Lion's Den

Mia had never been in such an expensive car all her life that she was scared to touch anything.

But there she was, sitting in the back of a sleek black limo, wondering if the seats were made of actual leather or some creature she’d never encountered.

She kept her hands in her lap, determined not to make her nervousness obvious, refusing to make eye contact with the man in a suit sitting across from her.

Tommy shifted nervously beside her, she couldn’t blame him. They were going to see Ethan Blackwood and, for all she knew, he might want them dead.

“What does he want?” Tommy said softly, looking at the man who hadn’t spoken since they left.

“Hopefully not our kidneys,” Mia replied, only half-serious. She didn’t have the time to think of anything smarter before the limo came to a stop in front of a towering building that screamed luxury. The Blackwood Industries logo shines brightly in the night.

One of the gym guys from earlier opened the door for them, and Mia stepped out onto the sidewalk, her stomach doing the flips. She felt out of place, but she wasn’t about to make it known.

The man in suit guided them through the building’s main entrance, past a lobby that looked as though it belonged in a palace, rather than an office.

The marble floors, the chandeliers, the high ceilings—it looked like the idea was to make people feel so little. Mia was having none of it.

They went up in an elevator so smooth she didn’t realize they were moving. The doors opened and they were received by a receptionist who looked like she could have been on a magazine cover. She smiled at them politely, before asking them to follow her.

“Mr. Blackwood is waiting for you,” she said, her voice as cold as the air conditioning blowing through the building.

Mia felt Tommy hold her hand, and she squeezed his hand reassuringly. Showtime.

They walked towards two huge doors, which automatically opened as they got closer. Mia’s jaw dropped at the sight in front of her.

Ethan Blackwood’s office wasn’t just an office. It was an entire empire. Floor-to-ceiling windows gave a breathtaking view of the city skyline, from the tables and chairs to the works of art. It was either designed to impress or intimidate or probably both.

Standing by the windows with his back to them, was the man of the moment.

“Mr. Blackwood,” the man in suit called out, his voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space.

“Mia and Tommy Anderson are here.”

Ethan spun around, his cold blue eyes meeting Mia’s. She felt like a specimen in the lab with the way he was staring at her, almost like he was seeing through her soul, or maybe he was.

“Ms. Anderson,” he called out, his voice smooth and in check, which was surprising considering his personality. “I appreciate your coming on such short notice.”

Mia didn’t like it at all, but couldn’t say it out loud. “You left us with no other options.”

Ethan’s lips quivered, almost forming a smile. “I guess I didn’t.”

He waved for them to sit, and Mia picked the most uncomfortable chair in case the others decide to swallow her up. Tommy stood next to her, he was too nervous to sit down.

Ethan moved behind his desk, picked up a sleek tablet and swiped through it like he was flipping through an old magazine. “You’ve been busy, Tommy,” he said without looking up.

Tommy’s face immediately turned pale. “I-I it wasn’t intentional.”

“You hacked into my system,” Ethan interrupted him, with a sharp tone. “And you did it without triggering a single alarm until you were in.”

Mia’s heart dropped to her chest. This was terrible. She tried to speak, but Ethan put up a hand so she stopped.

“I don't want to press charges,” he said, shifting his gaze to Mia. “As a matter of fact, I’m impressed, but you’ve also attracted the attention of some very dangerous people.”

Mia’s stomach rumbled. “By dangerous people, do you mean Viktor Romanov?”

Ethan’s face hardened as he heard Viktor’s name. “Yes, and if you’re not careful, he’s coming for you.”

Tommy’s face looked as if he’d seen a ghost, he looked at Mia for reassurance. “What are we going to do?”

Ethan set the tablet down on his desk, shifting his gaze between Mia and Tommy. “I’ll offer you protection,” he said in a calm tone. “But it comes at a cost.”

Mia narrowed her eyes at him. She knew there would always be a catch. “What do you want from us?”

Ethan folded his arms across his chest with an unreadable expression on his face. “I want every single information Tommy has collected against Blackwood Industries.”

Tommy went still beside Mia with wide eyes, “That’s... that’s everything I’ve been working on. Are you saying I have to give it all up?”

Ethan softened his gaze slightly, like he understood the gravity of what he had just asked. “Tommy, that information is very dangerous and if it falls into the wrong hands, it would cause a lot of trouble, not just for you, but for a lot of people. Viktor will not stop till he gets what he wants and if he gets his hands on this, he’ll use it to bring down my years of hard work.”

Mia felt a chill run down her spine. She always knew that Tommy’s hacking could get them into trouble someday, but she hadn’t realized just how far they had fallen into this dark world. “What will happen if we don’t give you the information?” she asked in a low voice.

Ethan’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, Mia saw a dangerous glint behind them. But then it went just as fast as it came, and was replaced by his usual calm. “If you reject this offer, you’ll be left to protect yourselves against Viktor and, trust me, you don’t stand a chance.”

Tommy’s hands shook slightly as he listened to Ethan’s words. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” he whispered, feeling a pang of guilt.

Mia grabbed Tommy’s hand and squeezed it lightly, her protective instinct kicking in. She couldn’t trust Ethan, but she knew they had no other options. Viktor was not someone they could face alone.

“What’s the plan?” Mia asked, breaking the silence.

Ethan shifted his gaze to meet hers and, for a second, she saw something that looked like regret, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. “I’ll use the information to stop Viktor before he makes his first move. We’ll disable the AI technology he’s after and make sure it never sees the light of day. However, I’ll need your cooperation to do that.”

Mia’s mind was in turmoil. Can she trust Ethan to keep to his word? Or was she jumping from the frying pan to the fire? Looking at Tommy, she realized she had no choice. They were in too deep and this was their only chance to get through this.

“Fine,” Mia said. “We’ll help you, but Tommy’s safety must be a priority at all times.”

Ethan nodded. “You’ll both be protected at all costs.”

Tommy turned to look at Mia, his face full of doubts “Mia, are you really cool with this?”

Despite not being certain of anything herself, Mia smiled at him, trying to comfort him. “We don’t have any other option, Tommy.”

Ethan stood up from where he was sitting behind his desk and walked toward the large windows that had a clear view of the city. “We will have to get to work right now and Tommy, you have to work with my team to collect all the data that we will need. We must not waste any time, Viktor will not wait long before he strikes again. ”

Mia could feel a ball of nerves forming in the pit of her stomach. This was happening so fast and there was no going back now. She only prayed they made the right decision.