CHAPTER 05
1070 Words
CHAPTER FIVE
The car screeched to a halt in an abandoned parking lot on the outskirts of the city. The distant hum of sirens and the faint buzz of streetlights were the only sounds breaking the silence.
Erydan stepped out of the car, clutching the metal case like his life depended on it. Noxana followed, her heart still racing from their narrow escape. She leaned against the car, her arms crossed, trying to steady her breath.
“Okay,” she said, her voice sharper than she intended. “You dragged me into this, nearly got us both killed, and now we’re sitting in the middle of nowhere. It’s time to open that damn case and show me what’s so important.”
Erydan hesitated, glancing around to ensure they were alone before setting the case on the car hood. He ran his fingers along the edge, pausing at a small fingerprint scanner.
“You sure about this?” he asked, his eyes meeting hers. “Once you see what’s inside, there’s no going back.”
“I already crossed that line the moment you showed up at the bar,” Noxana shot back. “Open it.”
Erydan sighed, pressing his thumb to the scanner. A soft *click* echoed as the lock disengaged, and he slowly lifted the lid.
Inside was a small, sleek hard drive no larger than a deck of cards. It was unassuming, but the weight of its significance hung heavy in the air. Alongside it were a handful of documents and photographs.
Noxana picked up one of the photos, her brows furrowing. It showed a group of people in suits, their faces partially shadowed. In the center was a woman with piercing eyes and a cold smile.
“Who’s this?” she asked.
“Seraphine,” Erydan said grimly. “One of The Dominion’s top operatives. She’s the one orchestrating their power plays in this region.”
“And the drive?”
“It’s their Achilles’ heel,” he said, his voice low. “Everything The Dominion has tried to bury is on here—corruption, human trafficking, illegal arms deals, assassinations. If this gets into the right hands, it could dismantle their entire network.”
Noxana’s stomach churned. “You’re telling me an organization like that let you walk away with this?”
“They didn’t *let* me,” Erydan replied. “I got lucky. But now that they know I’m alive, they’ll stop at nothing to get it back.”
She set the photo down, her mind racing. “What’s the plan? You can’t keep running forever.”
Erydan closed the case and looked at her with a mix of determination and weariness. “The plan is to find someone who can use this. Someone who has the power and resources to take The Dominion down.”
“Do you have someone in mind?”
He hesitated, then nodded. “There’s a contact I trust—a journalist named Rhys Carrick. He’s been chasing The Dominion for years. If anyone can make this public without getting killed, it’s him.”
“Where is he?”
“Downtown,” Erydan said. “But getting to him won’t be easy. The Dominion has eyes everywhere, and they know I’ll try to reach him.”
Noxana straightened, her resolve hardening. “Then we’ll make sure they don’t see us coming.”
---
They drove into the heart of the city as the sun began to rise, its golden rays reflecting off the towering skyscrapers. Erydan parked in a crowded public garage, hoping the anonymity of the location would buy them some time.
As they made their way through the bustling streets, Noxana couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. Every passerby, every car idling too long at a corner, set her nerves on edge.
“You’re quiet,” Erydan said, glancing at her.
“Just trying not to get us killed,” she muttered.
He smirked. “You’re doing great.”
“Don’t patronize me,” she snapped, though the corner of her mouth twitched in a reluctant smile.
---
They arrived at a small, run-down café nestled between two office buildings. Erydan scanned the room as they entered, his hand hovering near the gun hidden beneath his jacket.
A man in his late 30s sat in a corner booth, his disheveled hair and tired eyes giving him the appearance of someone who hadn’t slept in days. Rhys Carrick looked up as they approached, his brow furrowing in recognition.
“Erydan,” he said, his voice cautious. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
“Desperate times,” Erydan replied, sliding into the booth. Noxana followed, her eyes darting around the café.
Rhys’s gaze shifted to her. “Who’s this?”
“Noxana,” she said, extending her hand.
Rhys shook it, his grip firm but distracted. “If you’re here, it means things are worse than I thought.”
Erydan placed the case on the table. “I have what you’ve been looking for, Rhys. The Dominion’s secrets—all of them. But we need your help to get it out.”
Rhys stared at the case, his expression a mix of awe and trepidation. “Do you have any idea what this could do? The people it could expose?”
“Exactly,” Erydan said. “That’s why we need you.”
Rhys leaned back, rubbing his temples. “Getting this out will take time and resources. And if The Dominion gets wind of this…”
“They already know,” Noxana said quietly. “They’ve been chasing us since last night.”
Rhys swore under his breath. “Then we don’t have much time. I’ll make the arrangements, but you two need to lay low. If they find out I have this…”
“They won’t,” Erydan said firmly. “We’ll handle it.”
Rhys nodded, his jaw set. “You’d better. Because if this fails, we’re all as good as dead.”
---
As they left the café, Noxana turned to Erydan. “Do you trust him?”
“With my life,” he said.
She nodded, though unease gnawed at her. For the first time since this ordeal began, they had a glimmer of hope. But hope was fragile—and The Dominion was relentless.
They wouldn’t go down without a fight.
— END OF CHAPTER 5 —
- Writer
