The cabin door creaked open. Cold air rushed in, carrying the scent of pine and danger.
"Move," Adrian whispered, gun raised. Lucien followed, silent, scanning every shadow. I stayed between them, heart hammering, adrenaline sharp in my veins.
The path outside was uneven, littered with rocks and fallen branches. Every step threatened to betray us.
"They're close," Lucien muttered. "I can hear their engines."
"Then we run faster," I said, forcing my legs to obey.
Adrian grabbed my hand, steadying me. "Stay close. Don't trip."
The forest swallowed us. Darkness hid us but not entirely. Flashlights swept the undergrowth. Shouts echoed.
A bullet zipped past my ear. I stumbled, but Adrian caught me mid-fall.
"Keep moving!" he hissed.
Branches tore at my clothes. My lungs burned. Every muscle screamed, but I couldn't stop.
Lucien pointed ahead. "Bridge. Cross it, and we lose them for a minute."
The bridge was narrow. Wooden planks groaned under our weight. A shadow emerged at the far end. One man. Alone… or maybe bait.
Adrian paused. "I'll handle this."
He fired once. Then again. The man fell silently. I exhaled, shaking.
Lucien grabbed my arm. "No time to process. Run."
We sprinted across the bridge. Below, the river roared like it wanted to swallow us whole.
A second shot rang out. Adrian's shirt was shredded. He hissed but didn't slow.
I felt my chest tighten. Fear mixed with something else. Something I couldn't name yet.
Finally, on the other side, we ducked into thick trees. Silence. Momentary.
Lucien scanned the area. "We have minutes. Not hours."
Adrian leaned close. "You did well."
I swallowed. "I nearly… died."
He smirked. "Not yet. But you've got fight in you."
For the first time tonight, I realized… survival wasn't enough. I wanted more. Answers. Control. Revenge.
And maybe… trust.