Chapter 286

Ethan Caldwell's off-road vehicle came to a halt outside the skeletal remains of an abandoned construction site.

The moment he shifted into park, Vanessa Hart's fingers dug into his forearm like talons.

"Is Evelyn really here? It's...it's too dark. I can't see anything." Her whisper carried an edge of hysteria.

The night swallowed everything in inky blackness, the wind screaming through the steel beams like a wounded animal.

Vanessa trembled violently, pressing herself against Ethan's side as if he were a human shield against the darkness.

"Why...where are the police? Shouldn't they be right behind us?" Her voice cracked.

To maintain operational secrecy, only two undercover officers had been deployed in Ethan's vehicle instead of a full tactical team.

Ethan had no patience for Vanessa's theatrics.

Every fiber of his being was laser-focused on finding Evelyn. He wrenched his arm free with a sharp movement. "Stay. Put. Don't make a sound."

Just as he reached for the door handle, twin headlights materialized beside them like ghostly eyes in the night.

The new arrival's engine cut with an ominous finality.

Ethan's hand hovered over his concealed weapon.

The car door creaked open.

A silhouette emerged from the darkness.

Vanessa gasped.

The figure stepped into the dim glow of their headlights—

It was Alexander Whitmore.

His expression was carved from granite, eyes burning with lethal intensity. "Let's move. We're running out of time."

Ethan gave a curt nod.

Somewhere in the decaying structure, Evelyn was waiting.

And the clock was ticking.

Ethan Caldwell froze at the sight of the black SUV. "Alexander?"

Alexander Whitmore barely spared Ethan a glance before focusing on the plainclothes officers in Ethan's car. His voice was clipped. "There might be explosives planted here."

The officers paled instantly. One immediately reached for his radio. "We need EOD here now!"

Alexander didn’t wait for their response. "No time. Find Evelyn first. Split up." With that, he vanished into the shadows, leaving no room for argument.

The officers exchanged grim looks. One stayed to call for backup while the other two sprinted toward the derelict building.

Ethan moved to follow, but Vanessa Hart grabbed his arm, her fingers trembling. "Ethan, don’t! What if it’s rigged to blow? If it detonates—"

The industrial zone was a maze of half-constructed buildings, each a potential death trap.

"Then stay here," Ethan snapped, shaking her off. "I didn’t ask you to tag along."

Vanessa’s breath hitched. "You’ll get yourself killed!"

Ethan didn’t look back. "Better than doing nothing."

The wind howled through the skeletal structures, carrying the scent of rust and damp concrete. Somewhere in the darkness, time was running out.

Ethan didn't wait for a reply.

He turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving Vanessa standing there, her frustration boiling over.

Her hands clenched at her sides.

She knew her concern had irritated him, but all she wanted was to keep him from danger.

Why can't he understand how much I care?

The abandoned structures around her stood like skeletal remains, their crumbling facades amplifying the eerie silence.

A dark thought slithered into Vanessa's mind.

If only the explosives detonated right now.

Then Evelyn would be gone, and my place would finally be secure.

The team had scattered, each member disappearing into different directions.

Left alone in the car, Vanessa tapped her fingers restlessly against the steering wheel.

The waiting was unbearable.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Somewhere in the darkness, Evelyn stirred.

Her head pounded as if split open.

A faint, rhythmic sound reached her ears—an alarm? A phone?

She forced her eyes open, but the world remained pitch black.

No light.

No escape.

Just suffocating darkness.

Her mind reeled. What just happened?

Gunfire cracked through the abandoned warehouse—two sharp, precise shots. The men guarding Evelyn and Vanessa crumpled to the ground without a sound.

This was Evelyn’s first time witnessing death up close. The sheer fragility of life struck her like a physical blow.

Then, through her dazed shock, a figure vaulted through the broken window.

He landed effortlessly on the sill, one knee bent, his grip steady on the gun now trained at her and Vanessa. His voice was calm but edged with urgency.

"Which one of you is Evelyn Carter?"