Sam sat comfortably on his couch, watching his favorite morning TV show while eating pancakes and sipping coffee. A noise from the kitchen caught his attention. Turning toward it, he saw his wife, Emi, busy blending something.
"What are you doing?" Sam asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
"I saw this recipe on NoTube," Emi replied with a smile. "It's a fruit smoothie. I'm testing it out." She returned her focus to the blender, fully immersed in her experiment.
Sam chuckled softly at her enthusiasm and turned back to the TV. It was just like Emi. She loved watching videos online and always tried to recreate whatever she saw, no matter how mundane or ambitious. Her endless curiosity was one of the many reasons he had fallen in love with her.
He forked another piece of pancake, chewing it thoughtfully before quickly washing it down with a sip of coffee from his favorite mug—the one with Emi's face printed on it.
**Ding dong!**
The doorbell rang, cutting through the peaceful atmosphere of the house and pulling Sam's attention away from the television. He sighed and started to rise, but Emi's voice stopped him.
"Don't bother. I'll get it," she said cheerfully, glancing at him before heading toward the door.
"Alright," Sam replied with relief, slumping back onto the couch and returning his focus to the TV.
Suddenly, his phone, which was lying on the table in front of him, buzzed loudly as an incoming call lit up the screen. Sam frowned and leaned forward to check the caller ID. Unknown Caller.
He hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to answer, but curiosity got the better of him. He picked it up and swiped to accept the call.
"Hello?"
"Sam! Get hiding immediately!"
A sharp, urgent voice erupted from the speaker, startling Sam so much that he flinched, instinctively pulling the phone slightly away from his ear.
"W-who is this?" he asked, his voice shaky with confusion.
"It's me! Jacob Fox!" the voice replied, now clearer but still filled with urgency.
"Jacob? What's going on? How did you even get my numbe—"
"That doesn't matter right now," Jacob interrupted sharply. "I'll explain everything later. For now, you need to get out of the villa immediately.
"Why? What's happening?" Sam asked, his chest tightening with a growing sense of unease.
"Henry is dead, Sam. The boss is going to come after us next!"
Sam's eyes widened in disbelief. "Henry… dead?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. The words felt unreal. He had just been arguing with Henry two days ago—how could he be dead so suddenly? Could it really be the boss's doing?
"I don't understand. How do you know all this?" Sam managed to ask, his voice trembling.
"For fuck's sake, Sam! Stop wasting time and get out now if you don't want to die!" Jacob shouted, his tone frantic and unforgiving.
"A-alright," Sam stammered, barely able to get the word out before the call abruptly ended.
Lowering the phone, Sam sat frozen for a moment, his thoughts racing in all directions. Henry was dead. The boss was after them. He couldn't fully process it, yet the gravity of Jacob's words bore down on him like a heavy weight.
Then Sam suddenly remembered—the doorbell! His wife was still outside. She was going to meet whoever was at the gate! What if it was the boss's lackeys? What if they were already here to get them both?
"Fuck," Sam muttered under his breath, panic surging through him. Without wasting another second, he shouted, "Emi!"
He rushed toward the garden, heart pounding in his chest. There he saw Emi standing frozen, her face pale with worry. For a moment, their eyes locked, both wearing serious, grim expressions. Without exchanging many words, they immediately understood the situation.
"The boss…" Emi's voice trembled as she spoke, her lips quivering. "He sent a group. They're outside."
Sam's eyes widened in alarm. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her as if shielding her from what was coming. "Don't worry," he whispered, his tone firm yet gentle. "We'll survive this, okay? Just like we did two years ago."
"Hm," Emi nodded, though her body betrayed her fear. Her lips trembled, and her eyes brimmed with dread. She took a shaky breath before muttering, "It's finally happening. Everything we did two years ago—it's catching up to us."
"I won't let them take us," Sam said with conviction, pulling her closer for a moment before stepping back to look her in the eye. His gaze was filled with determination. "I promise, Emi. I'll protect you."
"Alright," she whispered, nodding her head as though convincing herself.
"For now, let's get to the underground passage," Sam said, glancing toward the far end of the garden.
Without another word, Emi followed him, moving through the thick, overgrown grass. It took them about a minute to reach their destination. Sam suddenly dropped to his knees and began digging into the soil with his hands.
"Let me help," Emi said as she knelt beside him, but Sam raised a hand to stop her.
"I've got it," he said with a small, reassuring smile, though his hands were moving frantically.
Bang!
Both of them froze. The loud, jarring sound of the gate being burst open echoed through the air.
"They're here," Sam muttered under his breath, his hands now moving even faster. Emi didn't hesitate this time—she knelt down and began helping him dig despite his protests.
Sam glanced at her briefly but didn't say a word. Time was running out, and every second felt like an eternity. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he dug feverishly, his ears catching the faint sounds of footsteps closing in. The men were spreading out, searching the garden and surrounding the villa.
Finally, they unearthed what they were looking for—a trapdoor hidden beneath the soil. Sam hurriedly pulled it open, revealing a dark passage beneath. A wave of earthy stench rose up, making both of them grimace and pinch their noses.
Without hesitation, Sam jumped down into the passage. The drop wasn't deep enough to seriously injure him, but it still made him stumble slightly. He quickly steadied himself and looked up at Emi, extending his hand.
"Come on, Emi!" he urged.
Emi nodded and jumped in after him.
"Ouch!" she gasped, wincing as she landed awkwardly. Sam noticed immediately and crouched down to check on her. Her foot was bruised and slightly swollen from the landing.
Sighing, Sam offered his hand to help her up. "We can't stop now. Let's go," he said gently but firmly.
Emi bit her lip to stifle the pain and took his hand. Together, they pressed forward into the dark passage, their hearts racing as the sounds of footsteps above them grew louder.