Hours later, the cars finally came to a stop near an unfinished building.
Elian's vehicles stopped farther behind the black Jeep, keeping enough distance so they wouldn't be noticed.
Inside the Jeep, Nicklaus looked around cautiously before stepping out.
He was wearing dark clothes with a cap pulled low over his head. Beside him, a woman stepped out wearing a long dress and a scarf that covered most of her face.
It was Cindy.
With the disguise, there was no way to immediately identify either of them.
Nicklaus glanced around.
The area was completely silent.
There wasn't a single person in sight.
"Come on," Nicklaus whispered.
Cindy nodded, and the two of them quickly walked toward the unfinished building.
They disappeared through the entrance.
Far behind them, Elian opened the door of his car.
His men immediately stepped out of their vehicles.
Elian's eyes remained fixed on the building.
"Surround the entire area," he ordered. "Nobody gets in or out without my permission."
"Yes, sir."
His men spread out immediately, taking positions around the building and along the surrounding area.
One of them approached Elian and handed him a gun.
Elian took it, keeping his eyes on the unfinished structure.
But the moment Cherry saw the weapon in his hand, her eyes widened.
She quickly opened the car door and stepped out.
"Cherry!" Nicholas called after her.
She didn't stop.
She walked straight toward Elian.
Elian turned at the sound of approaching footsteps.
His expression immediately changed when he saw her.
"Cherry?"
He looked at her in disbelief.
"What are you doing here?"
Cherry stopped in front of him, glancing briefly at the gun in his hand before looking back into his eyes.
"I came with them."
Elian frowned.
"You shouldn't be here."
"I know," Cherry replied softly. "But I couldn't stay behind when I knew you were coming here to find Anna."
Elian stared at her for a moment, clearly worried.
"This isn't safe."
"I don't care."
Before Elian could respond, Nicholas and Jennie approached them.
Nicholas looked at Elian, then at the armed men surrounding the area.
"What are you planning to do?"
Elian's expression hardened.
"I'm going inside."
Jennie looked toward the unfinished building, her face filled with worry.
"You think Anna is in there?"
"I don't think so."
Elian tightened his grip around the gun.
"I know."
Nicholas exchanged a concerned glance with Jennie.
"How?"
Elian looked at him.
"Because Nicklaus came here."
Nicholas's expression changed.
"What?"
"I followed him."
Elian pointed toward the building.
"He came here with someone. They're inside."
Jennie's heart began pounding.
"Then Anna could be in there."
Elian nodded.
"That is what I'm going to find out."
Cherry stepped closer to him.
"Then let's go."
Elian immediately shook his head.
"No. You stay here."
"I'm coming with you."
"Cherry—"
"I said I'm coming."
Elian stared at her, realizing she wasn't going to back down.
Nicholas stepped forward.
"Cherry, listen to him. This could be dangerous."
Cherry looked at Nicholas, then back at Elian.
"I just want Anna to come home."
Elian's expression softened for a moment.
He reached out and gently touched Cherry's cheek.
"I promise you, I'll bring her back."
Cherry swallowed and nodded.
Elian turned toward his men.
"Stay alert."
His men immediately raised their weapons and surrounded the building.
Elian looked toward the dark entrance.
Then, without another word, he started walking toward it.
Elian raised his gun as he approached the unfinished building.
He didn't bring anyone with him.
Behind him, his men remained positioned around the area, exactly as he had ordered. Every entrance and exit was being watched.
But Elian walked toward the building alone.
His eyes remained fixed on the dark entrance.
His grip tightened around the gun.
Every step brought him closer to the place where he believed his grandmother was being held.
Inside the building, Nicklaus stood in front of Mrs. Anna.
Anna was still restrained, exhausted but conscious.
Nicklaus held his gun firmly, pointing it at her.
"You've caused me enough trouble," he said coldly.
Anna stared at him without fear.
Nicklaus's finger moved toward the trigger.
"It's time you meet your end."
He raised the gun slightly.
Then—
BANG!
The entrance suddenly exploded open.
The door slammed against the wall before breaking from its hinges and crashing onto the concrete floor.
Nicklaus spun around.
Elian stood in the doorway.
Before Nicklaus could react, Elian fired.
BANG!
The bullet struck the gun from Nicklaus's hand, sending it flying across the floor.
Nicklaus staggered backward, completely stunned.
Elian fired again.
The shot struck the concrete beside him.
Nicklaus quickly regained his balance and stared at Elian through the mask covering his face.
Elian's eyes immediately moved past him.
And then he saw her.
"Grandmother…"
Mrs. Anna's eyes widened.
"Elian…"
For the first time since he had entered the building, the tension in Elian's face broke.
Relief washed over him.
She was alive.
He had found her.
Elian lowered the gun slightly as he took a step toward her.
"I found you."
Anna's eyes filled with tears.
But before Elian could reach her—
Nicklaus lunged.
His foot slammed into Elian's wrist.
The gun flew from Elian's hand and skidded across the concrete.
Elian barely had time to react before Nicklaus swung his fist.
Elian blocked the first punch.
The second connected with his cheek.
Elian stumbled backward.
Then he charged forward.
The two men collided violently.
Neither of them held back.
Elian grabbed Nicklaus by his clothing and tried to rip the mask from his face.
Nicklaus immediately fought to keep it in place.
"Take that off!" Elian shouted.
Nicklaus twisted away.
Elian grabbed for his cap.
Nicklaus slapped his hand aside.
"You want to know who I am so badly?" Nicklaus sneered.
Elian drove his fist into his stomach.
Nicklaus doubled over for a moment.
Elian grabbed the edge of his mask again.
But Nicklaus suddenly kicked him hard in the front.
Elian lost his balance and crashed onto the concrete.
Before he could recover, Nicklaus jumped on top of him.
His fist came down.
BAM!
Elian's head snapped sideways.
Another punch followed.
And another.
Nicklaus's anger had completely taken over.
"You ruined everything!"
Elian raised his arms, blocking some of the blows.
"You took my grandmother!"
Nicklaus punched him again.
Elian shoved him away and rolled to the side.
Outside, the sound of the struggle reached the waiting men.
Several of Elian's guards turned toward the entrance.
"Sir!"
They started moving.
But another guard stopped them.
"He ordered us to secure the area!"
Inside, Elian was already back on his feet.
He charged at Nicklaus.
Nicklaus caught him and slammed him against a concrete pillar.
Elian groaned.
Nicklaus tried to strike him again.
Elian ducked.
He grabbed Nicklaus around the waist and drove him backward.
The two crashed into the unfinished concrete wall.
Dust fell from above.
Nicklaus struggled to break free.
Elian grabbed his mask again.
"Who are you?"
Nicklaus shoved him away.
Elian stumbled.
Nicklaus immediately rushed forward and grabbed him.
With all his strength, he slammed Elian against the concrete floor.
Elian groaned sharply.
Nicklaus stood over him.
But Elian refused to stay down.
He grabbed Nicklaus by the shirt and pulled him down.
Then he slammed him against the concrete.
Nicklaus cried out.
Both men pushed themselves away from each other.
They stood several feet apart, breathing heavily.
Blood stained the corners of their mouths.
Their eyes remained locked.
Neither was willing to surrender.
Then they charged at the same time.
Both men struck each other in the stomach.
The impact forced the air from their lungs.
They staggered backward.
Then both collapsed onto their knees.
They coughed violently.
Blood touched the concrete beneath them.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Nicklaus looked at Elian.
He knew.
Elian wasn't going to stop.
Not while Anna was still there.
Not while he believed Nicklaus was responsible.
Nicklaus's eyes shifted toward the gun that had fallen earlier.
It was several feet away.
Elian hadn't noticed.
Nicklaus slowly moved his hand toward it.
Elian looked up.
"What are you doing?"
Nicklaus suddenly rolled across the floor.
He grabbed the gun.
Elian's eyes widened.
"NO!"
Nicklaus raised the weapon.
Three shots rang through the unfinished building.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Elian immediately threw himself toward Anna.
The first bullet struck his hand.
He cried out but didn't stop.
The second bullet struck his chest.
His body jerked from the impact.
The third struck him again in the chest.
"Elian!"
Anna screamed.
Elian collapsed in front of her.
For a moment, everything seemed to stop.
Nicklaus stared at him.
Elian's body lay motionless on the concrete, blood spreading across his clothing.
Anna struggled desperately against her restraints.
"Elian!"
Nicklaus looked toward the entrance.
He could hear movement outside.
The guards were beginning to realize something was wrong.
Nicklaus quickly lowered the gun.
He turned and ran toward another opening at the back of the unfinished building.
Before disappearing, he looked back once.
Elian was still on the ground.
Anna was crying out his name.
Nicklaus pulled his mask tighter and vanished into the darkness.
Outside, Elian's men finally rushed toward the building.
"Sir!"
Cherry heard the shouting and immediately ran toward the entrance.
Nicholas and Jennie followed close behind.
Inside, they found Anna still restrained.
And Elian lying on the concrete.
Cherry froze.
Her face went pale.
"Elian…"
She rushed toward him.
"ELIAN!"
Anna's cries echoed through the unfinished building as the guards hurried inside.
Nicklaus was already gone.
While Elian and Nicklaus continued fighting, Cindy remained near the edge of the unfinished room.
Neither man paid any attention to her.
Their entire focus was on each other.
Elian kept trying to tear away Nicklaus's mask and cap, desperate to see his face.
Nicklaus fought back furiously, refusing to let Elian expose him.
Their fists collided again and again.
The noise of their struggle echoed throughout the unfinished building.
Outside, Elian's men remained at their positions, watching the entrances and following their orders to secure the area.
Inside, Cindy slowly backed away.
She glanced toward the opposite side of the building.
There was another unfinished passage leading toward the rear.
Nobody was watching it.
Cindy knew this was her chance.
She carefully stepped backward, keeping herself out of Elian and Nicklaus's line of sight.
Neither man noticed.
Nicklaus suddenly grabbed Elian and slammed him against the concrete.
Cindy took another step toward the rear passage.
Elian fought back, grabbed Nicklaus, and slammed him against the concrete in return.
Their struggle became even more violent.
Cindy turned around.
Then she ran.
She hurried through the unfinished passage, keeping her head down and her disguise in place.
By the time Elian's men realized there was another possible exit, Cindy had already disappeared from the building.
Back inside, Elian and Nicklaus continued fighting, completely unaware that Cindy had escaped.
Nicklaus had no idea that Cindy was already gone.
Elian had no idea either.
The only thing either man cared about was defeating the other.
And Anna was still trapped in the middle of it all.