Protective Custody
Xiaoyu and Alexander were whisked away to a safe house on the outskirts of the city. They were greeted by two burly men who introduced themselves as their protective detail.
"You're safe here," one of them said. "No one can get to you."
Xiaoyu nodded, her eyes scanning the room. It was a small, nondescript apartment, but it felt like a prison.
"How long do we have to stay here?" she asked.
The man shrugged. "Until the investigation is over. Could be days, could be weeks."
Xiaoyu sighed, feeling a sense of frustration. She wanted to be out there, helping to bring her family's enemies to justice. But she knew that she had to be patient.
Alexander seemed to sense her unease. He put a hand on her shoulder, his eyes locked onto hers.
"We'll get through this," he said. "Together."
Xiaoyu nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. She knew that she couldn't have made it this far without his help.
As the days passed, Xiaoyu and Alexander settled into a routine. They spent their days pacing the small apartment, waiting for news from the outside world.
But as the hours ticked by, Xiaoyu began to feel a sense of unease. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, that the syndicate was closing in on them.
And then, one night, she heard a noise. A faint scratching sound, coming from outside the apartment.
Xiaoyu's heart raced as she turned to Alexander. "Do you hear that?" she whispered.
Alexander nodded, his eyes locked onto hers. "I think we're in trouble," he said.
Xiaoyu and Alexander crept towards the window, their hearts pounding in unison. They slowly pulled back the curtain, and Xiaoyu's blood ran cold.
There, on the fire escape outside, was a figure. A figure in a black hoodie, their face obscured by shadows.
Xiaoyu's instincts screamed at her to run, but her legs were frozen in place. Alexander, however, sprang into action.
He grabbed Xiaoyu's hand, pulling her away from the window. "We need to get out of here, now," he whispered urgently.
Xiaoyu didn't need to be told twice. She followed Alexander as he dragged her towards the door, their protective detail hot on their heels.
But as they reached the hallway, Xiaoyu realized that they were trapped. The stairs were blocked by more figures in black hoodies, their eyes gleaming with malice.
Xiaoyu's heart sank. They were surrounded.
And then, a voice spoke from the shadows. "You should have stayed out of this, Xiaoyu," it said.
Xiaoyu's eyes scanned the darkness, trying to locate the speaker. But before she could respond, everything went black.