The room was deathly silent, the tension almost unbearable. Lucas's eyes darted between Kane, who stood with a gun in his hand, and the figure now revealed in the doorway. To his shock, it was none other than Nathaniel, an old family friend he hadn't seen in years. Nathaniel's sudden appearance was as unexpected as it was unsettling.
"Nathaniel?" Lucas whispered, his voice barely audible. "What are you doing here?"
Nathaniel stepped forward, his sharp features illuminated by the dim light. His eyes were cold and calculating, a stark contrast to the warm, reassuring man Lucas had known in his childhood.
"I could ask you the same thing, Lucas," Nathaniel replied, his tone unreadable. "But I think we both know why we're here. Kane and I have unfinished business, and it seems you've become entangled in it."
Kane chuckled darkly, lowering his weapon slightly. "Oh, this is rich. Nathaniel, always swooping in at the last moment. I should have known you'd turn up eventually. Tell me, are you here to save him or to bury him?"
Lucas's mind raced. Nathaniel had been close to his father, one of the few people who seemed genuinely loyal. But now, standing here, he seemed different harder, more ruthless.
"I'm here to settle scores," Nathaniel said, his voice like steel. "And Lucas deserves to know the truth about his father's downfall."
Kane smirked. "Oh, please. The truth? Is that what you're selling? Don't forget, Nathaniel, you were just as complicit as anyone else in that mess."
Lucas stepped forward, his fists clenched. "Enough! If you know something about my father, then tell me. Stop playing games."
Nathaniel's gaze softened slightly as he looked at Lucas. "Your father was a good man, Lucas, but he made enemies powerful ones. Kane wasn't the only one after him. There were others, shadows lurking behind the scenes, pulling strings. I tried to protect him, but...I failed."
Kane interjected, his tone mocking. "Failed? That's a generous way of putting it. Tell him, Nathaniel. Tell him how you handed over the very information that sealed his father's fate."
Lucas froze, his heart pounding. "What is he talking about?"
Nathaniel looked away, shame flickering across his face. "It's true. I was desperate. They had something on me, something I couldn't risk coming to light. I thought I could outsmart them, but instead, I played right into their hands. Your father paid the price."
The weight of Nathaniel's confession hit Lucas like a tidal wave. The man he had once trusted had betrayed his father, setting off a chain of events that destroyed his family.
"How could you?" Lucas's voice trembled with anger. "You were supposed to protect him!"
Nathaniel's expression hardened. "I made a mistake, Lucas. A mistake I've been trying to atone for ever since. That's why I'm here—to help you stop Kane and uncover the truth."
Kane clapped slowly, his grin widening. "Touching. Truly touching. But don't let his sob story fool you, Lucas. Nathaniel isn't here to help you. He's here to save himself, just like always."
Lucas felt like the ground was shifting beneath him. Who could he trust? Nathaniel's betrayal cut deep, but there was something in his eyes a glimmer of remorse, a plea for redemption.
"I don't know if I can trust you," Lucas admitted, his voice heavy with emotion. "But if you have information that can help me take Kane down, then start talking."
Nathaniel nodded. "Kane has been working with a network of criminals far more dangerous than you realize. They're the ones who orchestrated your father's downfall, and they won't stop until they've destroyed everything connected to him—including you."
Kane raised his gun again, his patience clearly wearing thin. "That's enough," he snapped. "I'm done listening to this nonsense. Hand over the drive, Lucas, or I'll end this right here."
Before Kane could make another move, the lights in the room flickered and went out, plunging them into darkness. A loud crash echoed, followed by the sound of shattering glass.
"Stay down!" Nathaniel shouted, pulling Lucas to the ground.
Zara's voice came from somewhere in the darkness. "It's a trap! They're coming!"
The room erupted into chaos as shadows moved in the corners, figures emerging with weapons drawn. Lucas's heart raced as he realized they were surrounded.
In the confusion, Kane's voice cut through like a knife. "You'll regret this, Lucas. You've just stepped into a war you're not prepared to fight."
Lucas clutching the USB drive, his mind racing. Betrayed by Nathaniel, hunted by Kane, and now caught in the middle of a deadly ambush, he faces an impossible choice: fight or flee. But one thing is clear
this battle is far from over.