With his thoughts racing from the past few days, Ryan sat in his tent and stared blankly at the region's map. The mission had failed catastrophically. The infamous diamond, a priceless gem that had evaded capture for years and served as the fuel for deals on the black market and criminal empires, had been assigned to him. Yet, it wasn't just about the precious stone any longer. Allison, a woman who appeared to be a beacon of light in his dark, perilous world, had led him to fall in love with her. She was now gone, taken by the ruthless terrorist group Hyena as a bait to get him into their trap. He kept replaying the terror-stricken, helpless expression on her face. They had left a note in her place, a savage final offer: **If you need Allison alive, convey the jewel to us in three days. Three weeks Ryan had no weapons, no diamond, or backup, and the clock was ticking. He was alone, desperate, and stranded in the middle of the mountains. He was presumed dead by his government. That was important for his arrangement: to vanish, to put on an act of being dead so he could work in the shadows. However, it had now backfired. They would do anything to get the diamond, believing he possessed it. Not only did Ryan feel physically worn out, but he also felt guilty for having dragged Allison into this nightmare. This was not right for her. He had assumed, at least, that she was innocent. In the hope that it would safeguard her, he had taken care not to reveal his true identity to her. Yet, presently, his privileged insights had up to speed to them both. He felt more and more weighed down by the situation as time went on. He had to stop them from killing her. He could not allow his failures to hurt the woman he loved. But how was he going to defeat the Hyena on his own? He had no clue about where the precious stone was, it had fallen through his hands during the last turbulent experience. The public authority, in the mean time, had fostered a gadget to follow it, however he had no admittance to it. Davis, his boss, was in control, however Ryan was unaware of everything going on, secluded and frail. As he thought about his depressing choices, Ryan settled on the main strategy left: he needed to battle. There could have been no other decision. He had to save Allison, regardless of whether he had the diamond. The rest he could figure out later. He sought solitude deep within the mountains to train and plan his next move. As he pushed himself to the limit, his muscles screamed from exertion. He went through drills for combat, honed his survival skills, and even tried to buy weapons from illegal arms dealers. He had no reinforcement, no authority support from the office, however he would do battle for Allison. Yet, even following quite a while of readiness, he felt the virus hand of dread grasp his chest. He stood alone against an army of ruthless terrorists. How could he? He knew it was suicide based on his instincts. Ryan was still plagued by doubt as the second day passed. His mind was racing, his body was worn out, and the clock was merciless. He was aware that he would likely perish if he confronted the Hyena head-on. Still, he moved forward at the thought of losing Allison, a woman who had rekindled something in him that he hadn't felt in years. He would at least die fighting for something that mattered if this was the end. By the third day, Ryan had set out to act. Dusk would give him the cover he wanted. This was not about glory or even success, so he did not have any grandiose thoughts. It dealt with love and the fear of never having it again. His chest was pounding as he followed the instructions and went to the meeting location. He set traps all around the perimeter to take advantage of the rough terrain. He would use every ounce of his cleverness to tip the balance in his favor rather than confronting them all head-on. As Ryan waited in the shadows, the icy mountain air biting at his skin, his thoughts raced. At the point when the opportunity arrived to convey the jewel, he sent a bait — a canine with a pack tied around its neck. While attempting to capture the dog, the Hyena members were distracted and barking commands at one another, believing it to be carrying the gem they so desperately desired. Ryan struck at that exact moment, attacking from behind with careful planning. His traps worked perfectly, causing the group to stumble and fall in disarray. He silently and quickly moved through the darkness to eliminate several of them. He experienced a brief surge of hope. He was in control, and he could almost see Allison's path. When he got to the dimly lit, small room where she was being held, his heart raced. She wasn't hurt despite being tied up. He rushed to her side, cut the ropes, and pulled her to her feet as relief filled his chest. He grabbed her hand and whispered urgently, "We need to go." "I'll explain everything later, but we have to leave right away," she said. However, as they moved toward the exit, something went wrong. It wasn't the cold that caused Ryan to feel a chill in the air. Allison came to a complete halt and began to move away from him. His heart broke as he turned to look at her. She was holding a gun that was pointed right at his chest. "Allison, what's going on?" Ryan's confusion made his voice waver. "We must leave this place. We lack the capacity to deal with this." She did not, however, lower the gun. He had never seen her eyes so cold and hard. "Do you believe that I didn't know who you were?" She said in a venom-laced voice. You have been deceiving me for the entire time. acting as me. And do you think I'll just follow you now?" Ryan's thoughts raced. This was not one of the many things for which he had prepared. "Allison, I can explain; kindly put the gun down," I said. I'll tell you everything after we get out of here first." Ryan's leg began to hurt as soon as a shot rang out. He imploded to the ground, gripping his thigh as blood leaked through his fingers. He noticed, when he looked up, that one of the Hyena members was proudly lowering his weapon. And afterward, from the shadows, their chief ventured forward, applauding gradually, jokingly. "Good, good, good. The great Ryan, defeated by his own flaws." Dark amusement filled the leader's voice. "Did you really believe you were smarter than us?" Ryan's eyes flickered to Allison, who was still there holding the gun and unable to make out her face. No, this cannot be taking place. He battled to handle what was unfurling before him. "Allison… " he murmured, his voice scarcely perceptible. "What's happening?" As he got closer, the hyena leader chuckled. Oh, did you know that? All along, Allison has been with us. Ryan, you are not the only one who can contribute to the story." That split Ryan's world in two. The lady he had battled for, drained for, was one of them. Everything had been a lie. She had betrayed him after he had put everything in danger for her. His leg's physical pain was far less severe than his emotional anguish. As he felt the strength leave his body, his vision became blurry. The final thing he saw before murkiness guaranteed him was Allison, remaining over him, her face as downright frigid.