After a lengthy interrogation, Calum squeezed every bit of information from Kyrie. He now had everything he needed to find Eagle's men and locate Mariana. Calum also discovered that Kyrie had secretly placed a tracking device in one of Eagle's men's cars as a precaution.
Calum didn't want to waste any time; he wanted the game to begin. He couldn't afford to lose. Leaving Trae behind, their unresolved argument taking a backseat to his mission, Calum set off to track one of Eagle's men who might be holding Mariana. His face was different, a familiar rage burning in his eyes. The car roared, almost flying as he pushed it to its limits.
His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but his focus remained unwavering: he would take down Eagle tonight, no matter the cost. He wouldn't wait any longer, hours, days, months, or years – he needed it to end.
It was strange, but he wasn't thinking about Mariana. Maybe she was right; he hadn't intended to fall in love with her. Perhaps that's why he could so easily push her aside, remove her from his priorities.
But that wasn't true. He was fighting himself, trying to suppress his feelings, convincing himself he didn't care for her to numb the pain in his heart. It hurt to let his guard down, to let her manipulate him. It hurt to admit he was deeply in love with her. But she couldn't be the reason he failed to achieve his goal.
He was confused. Was destiny guiding him towards success, or was it playing with him, letting his enemy's daughter into his hardened heart?
He slammed the steering wheel repeatedly, a physical manifestation of the turmoil within.
As he neared his destination, his anxiety grew. He parked his car over 300 meters away from the target vehicle, as indicated by the tracking device Kyrie had given him.
Calum, a trained assassin and one of the best, was adept at infiltrating enemy territory undetected. He reached the building where Mariana was being held. He silently observed the scene, listening through a small opening he discovered. Inside, he saw a group of men dressed in black, a policeman, a man in a suit, and most importantly, her: Mariana.
Seeing her brought a wave of relief that he didn't want to feel. He couldn't deny his worry for her safety. It was agonizing to watch her, bound by ropes, tears streaming down her face. He gripped his gun tightly, clenching his jaw. He felt a mix of relief and worry. He needed to wait and see what happened before making his move.
The man in the suit, who Calum suspected was the boss, walked out of the building, followed by the others.
"Wait for my call, and I'll let you deliver her there. Make sure you don't lose her, or you'll lose your heads."
The blonde man in the suit left those words with the three remaining men: the policeman, the tall man with a cap, and the black man with dreadlocks. They all nodded in immediate response, their fear palpable.
When the other men drove away, Calum wasted no time. He entered the building without hesitation. The three men, though skilled, were no match for Calum Bryant. They drew their guns, but bullets found their foreheads one by one, dropping them dead, their blood staining the floor.
Mariana screamed, tears flowing freely as she recognized Calum, the man she had been thinking about, the man she had hoped would save her. Her heart overflowed with joy at seeing him, replacing the fear she had carried. She didn't care about the dead men on the floor; all that mattered was that he was there. Calum Bryant was there with her.
Calum quickly untied her from the ropes. As soon as she was free, she threw her arms around him, holding him tightly. He was surprised, but it was exactly what he had craved – to feel her warmth against him, to know he wasn't alone in their undying affection. He let her cry on his chest, pulling her closer. They found solace and safety in that embrace.
Their hearts was reunited.
After that brief moment, which made Calum momentarily forget his mission, they went outside. He ushered her into his car so she could call Trae. Mariana didn't ask how he had found her; all that mattered was that he had found his way to her, back to each other.
"I found her."
Calum sighed, his voice low but clear.
"That's impressive. I didn't think it would be this quick, bud."
Trae chuckled, his amusement masking his appreciation.
"I hope you're not planning to take her back to the city and ruin your own plan again just because you love her, Calum. Don't be an idiot."
Calum closed his eyes, annoyance filling him. He couldn't believe Trae had seen right through him. He had hugged her, felt his love for her, and yet, he couldn't bring himself to put her in danger again and again. But despite the deceptive whispers of his heart, he had already made his decision. He had made up his mind to set aside what he felt for her and get everything done.
"I'm not an idiot, Trae. You'll see."
He hung up the phone before Trae could say more.
"Hey, tell me what I can do to help."
Calum heard those words before the call ended. Surely, even though Trae was angry with him, he was willing to fight by his side and help him take down Eagle. Since day one, they had been aiming for Eagle's head. But this was different; it felt like a battle within himself. And he couldn't afford to let Trae see him slowly deteriorate because of the woman he had fallen in love with. It was shameful and would make him look weak.
He wanted to do this himself; he didn't need anyone's help right now. He would kill Eagle, and he would make sure he never saw the sunrise ever again.
***