Nova's gun remained trained on Rachel, her eyes locked in a silent challenge. I stood frozen, torn between trust and betrayal.
"Ethan, get behind me," Nova ordered, her voice firm. Rachel's smile grew wider.
"You think you can protect him, Nova?" Rachel sneered. "You're just a pawn in their game."
Nova's gaze flickered to me, her expression urgent. "Ethan, please. She's not worth it."
But I hesitated, unsure who to trust. Rachel's words echoed in my mind: "I did what I had to do to keep you alive." Was Nova just using me?
Suddenly, the window shattered, spraying glass everywhere. Bullets ripped through the air, Nova returning fire with precision.
"Get down, Ethan!" Nova yelled, dragging me to the floor. Rachel disappeared into the chaos, her whereabouts unknown.
As the gunfire ceased, Nova pulled me to my feet. "We need to move. Now." We sprinted out of the bungalow, leaving the wreckage behind.
In the safety of a nearby alley, Nova turned to me, her eyes burning with intensity.
"Ethan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to go down like this." Her voice softened. "But you have to trust me. We're running out of time."