Chapter 7
1257 Words
The room was silent.
Elena stood just inside the metal door, her chest rising and falling as she struggled to catch her breath. The air inside the building smelled like rust and damp concrete. A single light bulb hung from the ceiling, flickering weakly as if it might burn out at any moment.
And standing a few feet away from her was the man who had shot Marcus.
Her heart pounded violently.
She would never forget his face.
Tall. Cold. Calm. Dangerous.
The kind of man who didn’t rush because he knew he was always in control.
He smiled slowly as he looked at her.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” he said.
Elena’s fingers tightened around the strap of the bag that held the flash drive Marcus had given her. Her mind screamed at her to run, but there was nowhere to go.
The door behind her was the only exit.
And he was standing directly between her and it.
“You were at the warehouse,” she said quietly.
The man tilted his head slightly, studying her.
“Were you expecting someone else?”
“You shot Marcus.”
The man’s smile widened slightly.
“Ah… so you saw that.”
Elena’s voice trembled with anger.
“Where is he?”
The man walked slowly across the room, his footsteps echoing in the empty space.
“You ask that like you actually think he’s still alive.”
Her heart tightened painfully.
“You killed him.”
“Maybe.”
The answer was so casual it made her feel sick.
He stopped walking and looked directly at her.
“You’re Elena Carter,” he said.
It wasn’t a question.
She didn’t answer.
“You’ve caused quite a bit of trouble tonight.”
“I didn’t do anything,” she said.
“Oh, you did,” he replied calmly.
“You took something that doesn’t belong to you.”
His eyes dropped briefly to the bag she was holding.
Then back to her face.
“That little drive Marcus gave you.”
Elena instinctively stepped backward.
“You’re not getting it.”
The man chuckled.
“That’s adorable.”
In a flash, he moved forward.
Elena barely had time to react before his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. His grip was painfully strong.
The phone slipped from her hand and fell to the floor with a sharp crack.
“Let go of me!” she shouted.
He didn’t even tighten his grip.
He didn’t need to.
“You really should have listened to Marcus,” he said.
Elena stopped struggling.
“What do you mean?”
“He knew exactly how dangerous this was,” the man said calmly.
Her eyes burned with anger.
“You killed him!”
The man looked amused.
“Not yet.”
Elena froze.
“What?”
The man leaned slightly closer to her.
“Marcus is still alive.”
Hope surged through her chest like a sudden burst of light.
“Where is he?!” she demanded.
The man released her wrist suddenly, pushing her backward.
She stumbled but managed to stay on her feet.
“He’s being… questioned,” the man said.
Elena felt her fists clench.
“If you hurt him”
“You’re in no position to threaten anyone,” the man interrupted coldly.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Elena looked down at the phone lying on the floor.
The screen was still lit.
The call hadn’t ended.
Daniel had heard everything.
She pointed at it slowly.
“You should be worried about him,” she said.
The man looked down.
He bent and picked up the phone.
“Hello?” he said.
There was a brief pause.
Then Daniel’s voice came through the speaker.
“I was wondering when you’d pick that up.”
The man’s expression changed slightly.
“Daniel.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
They knew each other.
“You’re getting sloppy,” Daniel said calmly.
The man laughed quietly.
“Or maybe I just like letting things play out.”
“Let her go.”
“And why would I do that?”
The room fell silent again.
Daniel’s next words were calm.
Cold.
“Because the building you’re standing in is about to explode.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
The man frowned slightly.
“You’re bluffing.”
“Am I?” Daniel asked.
The man glanced around the room.
“You wouldn’t risk killing her.”
“You’re right,” Daniel replied.
A pause.
“That’s why she has ten seconds to get out.”
The man grabbed Elena’s arm suddenly and shoved her toward the door.
“Run,” he said.
Elena didn’t hesitate.
She burst through the door and sprinted down the dark alley.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she ran.
Behind her—
BOOM.
The explosion ripped through the night.
The ground shook violently as the blast wave slammed into her back, throwing her forward onto the wet pavement.
Her ears rang painfully.
Debris crashed behind her as flames burst from the building.
She rolled onto her back, staring at the burning structure.
Smoke filled the sky.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket.
With shaking hands, she answered it.
“Daniel?!”
“I told you to run.”
“You blew up a building!” she shouted.
“Yes.”
“Why?!”
“Because they were about to kill you.”
Elena wiped rain and sweat from her face.
“Who are you really?”
There was a brief silence.
Then Daniel spoke quietly.
“I’m the man who trained Marcus.”
Her eyes widened.
“You mean”
“Yes,” Daniel said.
“I’m the reason he started investigating the network.”
Elena struggled to process everything.
“You could have told me that earlier.”
“I didn’t know if I could trust you.”
“And now you do?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“But there’s something else you need to know.”
Elena felt her stomach tighten.
“What?”
“The man you just escaped from.”
“Yes?”
Daniel’s voice became serious.
“He’s not just another hunter.”
“Then who is he?”
Daniel answered slowly.
“One of the leaders.”
Elena felt cold.
“But that’s not the worst part.”
“What could be worse than that?”
Daniel hesitated.
Then he said something that made Elena’s blood run cold.
“Elena…”
“He’s been watching you for years.”
Her heart stopped.
“What?”
“That man didn’t just find you tonight.”
Another pause.
“He’s been waiting for you.”
Elena looked at the burning building behind her.
Fear crawled up her spine.
“Why?”
Daniel’s answer came quietly.
“Because the network believes you’re the key to something much bigger.”
Her voice barely came out.
“What do you mean?”
Daniel exhaled slowly.
“I mean…”
“You were never supposed to find that drive.”
“Marcus gave it to you because he discovered something shocking.”
Elena’s chest tightened.
“What?”
Daniel’s voice turned grim.
“The files on that drive…”
“They’re not about the network.”
Elena felt dread settle in her stomach.
“Then what are they about?”
Daniel answered.
“They’re about you.”
Elena froze.
The rain continued to fall around her as the truth began to sink in.
Her entire life suddenly felt like a lie.
- Writer
