Echoes of the Past

Chapter Four

The handle rattled again, this time harder, shaking the cabin door on its rusted hinges. Scarlett’s pulse roared in her ears, the weight of Liam in her arms grounding her just enough to keep from crumbling under the suffocating fear. Daniel’s sharp and cold eyes flicked to hers for a brief moment before focusing back on the door. He held the g*n steady, the determination in his stance a promise: he wouldn’t let anything happen to them.

A voice called from outside, low and mocking. “We know you’re in there, Cross. No use hiding.”

Scarlett’s breath caught, and she felt Liam shiver in her arms. The cabin had been old and remote, but now it felt like a trap since the walls were too thin and did not provide much defense against the danger beyond the door. She looked to the rear of the room for a way out, but there was nowhere to go.

Daniel moved forward with purpose, like a predator about to attack. With a voice so low it was nearly drowned out by the thumping of her heart, he muttered, "Stay down."

Whoever was standing outside waited for an answer, and the silence lingered, oppressive and suffocating. Splinters of wood exploded into the room as the door suddenly and violently smashed open. Scarlett froze, shielding Liam instinctively. The footsteps that followed were slow, confident.

A man entered the cabin wearing a fitted suit that didn't belong in the dusty, old cabin. His graying hair was slicked back, and his eyes looked about the room with a nonchalant malice. He was tall. When he noticed Daniel, the rifle still leveled and unflinching, he grinned.

The man said, "Daniel," with a false sense of amusement in his voice. "We have been trying to find you."

Daniel remarked in a steely tone, "Step back, Warren." "You don't want this to turn out the way you anticipated."

Warren grinned, but his eyes remained closed. He looked at Scarlett, at the infant in her arms, at her rebellious glare. "Oh, so this explains Victor's intense interest. The small heir. I didn't believe you were capable, Cross.

The insinuation made Scarlett's blood run cold, but she made herself keep quiet and concentrate on Liam's regular, warm breaths. The youngster, who was too little to fully comprehend the danger, watched the discussion with wide, terrified eyes.

The tense silence was broken by Daniel's move forward. "Warren, this is your final warning. Get out of here, or you won't leave.

Tension seemed to pulse through the room, and the seconds appeared to drag on forever. Warren's eyes briefly glowed with uncertainty before a smirk swiftly took its place. “You're not going to shoot me. You're not—”

His words were sliced through like a sword by the gunshot c***k. Warren’s eyes widened in shock, his hand reaching up to the red bloom spreading across his chest. He staggered back, slumping against the broken door frame before crumpling to the ground. Silence fell again, heavy and absolute, broken only by Liam’s sudden, stifled gasp.

Scarlett's arms grew tighter around Liam as Daniel walked to the door and peered out into the shadowy forest. Her heart was racing. He turned back to her, the rifle still in his hand, his eyes veiled by something unreadable, and the stiffness in his posture relaxed a little.

His voice was gruff as he replied, "It's not safe here anymore." "We must leave. Right now.

Despite the chaos roiling inside her, Scarlett found her voice and nodded. "Where can we go that we won't be discovered by him?"

Daniel’s gaze softened for just a moment as he looked at her, then at Liam. “There’s a place. Trust me.”

It wasn’t an easy ask, not after everything, but there was no time for doubt. Scarlett set Liam down, keeping a firm hold on his hand. The boy looked up at her, eyes wide with questions she couldn’t answer, not now. She brushed her thumb over his cheek, trying to convey the reassurance her words couldn’t.

Daniel pulled a bag from under the table, its presence a reminder that he had prepared for this. He gave Scarlett a flashlight and gestured toward the back door, which led to the woods behind the cabin and was a small, almost imperceptible opening.

He whispered urgently, "Stay close, stay quiet."

Scarlett's thin sweater was pierced by the cold as they slid out into the darkness. As they ventured farther into the forest's depths, it towered over them, ancient and vigilant. The crunch of twigs beneath the feet served as a reminder that they weren't as invisible as they should have been, and every stride felt too loud.

Minutes turned to an hour as they pushed forward, the light from their flashlight casting eerie shadows on the trunks and undergrowth. Liam’s small hand gripped hers tightly, his silent obedience breaking her heart.

“Where are we going?” Scarlett finally asked, her voice trembling with exhaustion and fear.

"To an old safe house," Daniel said, stopping to hear if there were any noises coming from behind them. In the dim light, his profile was harsh and unreadable. "One Victor is unaware of."

Scarlett gulped, making herself believe him. There was nothing else to do.

All of them suddenly froze as they heard a distant rustle. Daniel's eyes scanned the darkness as he turned, his hand on his revolver. With her heart pounding in her ears, Scarlett held her breath. The sound of footsteps rushing through the undergrowth intensified the rustling.

“Run,” Daniel said, the single word breaking the spell of fear that held them. He grabbed Scarlett’s free hand, pulling her into a sprint. The forest blurred around them, branches clawing at their clothes and skin. Liam clung to her side, his small legs pumping as fast as they could.

A shout erupted behind them, cutting through the cold air, and Scarlett’s heart twisted in panic. They were close—too close. Daniel pulled them sharply to the left, ducking into a thicket that hid an old path, half-forgotten and overgrown.

The sound of their heavy breathing and the crunch of leaves beneath their feet drowned out the yells as they fled. At last, Daniel decelerated, guiding them to a hollow where an old cabin was situated, almost engulfed by the woods.

After pushing the door open and guiding them inside, he closed it behind them and secured it with a corrosion bolt. With her body trembling from the adrenaline, Scarlett fell against the wall and drew Liam into her lap.

Leaning against the door, Daniel looked around the room before focusing on her. His face was hidden and unreadable, but his voice was gentler than she had expected when he spoke.

He narrowed his eyes and listened to the silence outside before saying, "This isn't over." "Until they get him, they won't stop."

Scarlett met his gaze, the weight of his words pressing down like a storm ready to break.