Ethan, Sophie, Clara, and Marcus stood stock-still, their backs to the wall as Riverton's security forces closed in. The air was thick with tension, the whirring of helicopter blades above drowning out even the distant city sounds.
Adrian Lockwood, the mysterious and brutal leader of Riverton, took slow, deliberate steps forward, his piercing gaze locking onto Ethan. "You've been a thorn in my side for far too long." He let out a mock sigh. "And for what? A foolish vendetta against a company that has existed long before you and will continue to exist long after.
Ethan balled up his fists as his heart went wild. "You killed my father," he spat out with clenched jaws.
Lockwood's smile grew into a little amused one. "Your father was a liability. Just like you." Lockwood tilted his head, darkening his face. "Unlike him, I can still offer you a choice."
Sophie took a step forward, speaking calmly. "And what is that?
Lockwood turned his gaze to her. "Surrender now, hand over the data, and I'll let you live." His smile widened. "You might even find yourselves quite useful under my employment. You're intelligent, resourceful. I could use people like you."
Ethan's grip tightened on the hard drive in his pocket. The idea of working for the very people who had destroyed his life made his blood boil.
Sophie merely kept her face impassive, but her thoughts ran faster than her words: What if we decline?
Lockwood's grin fell. "You'll disappear like so many others before you." He curled his fingers slightly, and his men drew their guns as silently as themselves.
Sophie's head is spinning. They are outnumbered, surrounded, and absolutely cannot fight their way out. If they don't get off, the hard drive won't do anyone much good.
And then she saw something – movement off near the rooftops. It was fleeting, light, but she knew exactly what it was.
A sniper.
Her pulse leapt. Someone was watching.
And that was when she realized.
Elliot Cross.
A Sudden Turn
She barely had time to process events before the air echoed with the sharp crack of a gunshot. One of Lockwood's men dropped instantly, his weapon clattering to the ground.
Panic erupted.
"Sniper!" one of the guards shouted, and chaos followed.
Ethan didn't think twice. He dragged Sophie to the closest SUV, pushing her before him as Clara and Marcus dived into cover.
"Stop them!" Lockwood bellowed over the bedlam.
Bullets ricocheted across the concrete as Ethan yanked open the driver's door, then shoved Sophie into the passenger seat. Clara and Marcus were practically paralyzed at the back entrance as Ethan planted his foot on the gas.
The tires screeched as they tore out of the compound. The night was a blur of flashing lights and the sound of gunfire.
Sophie twisted in her seat, her heart racing at seeing the convoy of Riverton springing into pursuit. "They're on to us!"
Marcus frantically worked on his laptop. "Just a few seconds longer—I can hack into the traffic system in the city and slow them down!
Ethan clenched his jaw. "We don't have a few seconds!"
Just as he was saying that, another vehicle emerged out of nowhere, cutting off the Riverton SUVs. It was a black sedan—one Sophie recognized immediately.
Elliot Cross.
The sedan swerved between their pursuers, slamming into one of the SUVs and sending it spinning off the road.
Sophie's breath caught. Elliot had given them their opening.
"Take the tunnel," Clara shouted, pointing ahead.
Ethan jerked the SUV sharply to the left, sending them crashing into a dark underground tunnel. For a few seconds, they were swallowed whole by darkness.
Then silence.
No more shots ringing out. No more lights racing after them.
They were clear.
Catch-Up
The SUV skidded to a stop outside a deserted warehouse. Ethan killed the engine, and for a second, no one said anything. They all were still running on adrenaline.
"We made it," Sophie whispered in a voice almost inaudible.
Elliot's sedan caught up with them. He opened the door and walked toward them. "That was pretty reckless," he said with a bite of amusement. "I should probably expect that from you."
Ethan got out of the SUV, standing opposite to him. "Why do you help us?
Elliot crossed his arms. "Because Lockwood is more dangerous than you understand. You believe this ends in Riverton? There's something greater at stake."
Sophie looked at Ethan. "Bigger how?"
Elliot let out a heavy sigh. "Lockwood isn't just protecting Riverton. He's protecting who they work for." He glanced around to make sure they weren't being watched. "You think Riverton is the final boss in this game?" He shook his head. "They're just a pawn in something much larger."
Clara stepped forward. "Then tell us everything."
Elliot hesitated before nodding. "Alright. But once I do, there's no turning back."
Sophie exhaled. "We passed that point a long time ago."
Elliot gave a small, knowing smile. "Then let's get started."
And with that, the game had changed once again. Riverton was just the beginning. The real war was only starting.