The darkened cityscape stretched endlessly before Aura as she stood on the rooftop of the warehouse, surveying her next move. Her earpiece crackled faintly, a reminder of her missed briefing. But there was no time to re-group; Carlos Moretti had crossed the line by targeting her and bringing civilians, one civilian in particular, Logan, into his problem.
Logan sat brooding inside the SUV below, his ego bruised from being manhandled and ordered around. His expensive designer clothes were torn, and his hair disheveled, but his expression remained one of defiance.
"Do you have any idea who I am?" he had asked earlier before Aura left him in the SUV like a little boy waiting for his mom's protection.
Aura didn't answer him. She didn't care.
****
In his lair, Carlos Moretti paced furiously. The humiliation of Aura's escape, coupled with the loss of his men, was unbearable. He crushed the note she had left on one of his men again, her mocking voice echoing in his mind: "Try harder Carlos. You can't escape me."
"Where is she now?" Carlos barked at one of his henchmen.
"Sir, she's off the grid. We have lost her signal."
Carlos slammed his fist into the desk, sending papers and a glass of whiskey flying me. "Find her! And bring me that arrogant fool she saved. If she cares enough to rescue him, he will be the perfect bait."
Back at the Warehouse
Logan's patience was running thin. He was used to being pampered, admired, and obeyed l, not ignored by a mysterious woman who seemed to think she was some sort of action hero.
"What exactly is your plan, Aura?" he called out, leaning against the SUV.
Aura appeared behind him so silently that he flinched, though he quickly covered it with a smirk.
"You are going to stay here while I clean up this mess," she said, her tone dismissive.
Logan folded his arms. "And what happens if Carlos's men find me first? You think they will just hand me a glass of champagne and ask for an autograph?"
Aura raised an eyebrow. "You are surprisingly self-aware."
Logan's smirk widened. "You are surprisingly reckless. Saving me was a cry for attention. Admit it, you are a fan."
Aura snorted. "Of what?Your terrible acting or your overpriced cologne?"
Logan scowled l, clearly offended. "It's not overpriced, it's exclusive."
Aura waved him off. "Stay put and don't do anything stupid."
Before Logan could retort, she had already disappeared into the night.
Meanwhile, Carlos had set his trap in motion motion. Knowing Aura's penchant for working alone, he spread false information about an impending shipment of weapons at a secluded dock. It was the perfect lure, too big of a target for someone like her to ignore.
"Send a team to the docks," Carlos ordered, his voice cold and calculating. "And make sure they are ready. If she shows up, she doesn't leave alive."
Aura moved through the city in a flash, her senses heightened. She had intercepted a faint signal communication network, just enough to confirm that something was happening at the docks.
She knew it was like a trap, but that didn't matter. Carlos had made it personal, and she was determined to end it on her terms.
The docks were eerily quiet when she arrived, the sounds of waves lapping against the shore breaking the silence. Aura crouched behind a stack of containers, scanning the area for signs of an ambush.
Her earpiece buzzed to life. "Aura, are you sure about this?"
It was her handler, clearly uneasy.
"Positive," she replied, her voice steady.
"Carlos is desperate. He might be more dangerous than usual."
Aura smirked. "Good. Desperate men make mistakes."
*****
Back at the warehouse, Logan's frustration reached its peak. He paced restlessly, muttering under his breath about the absurdity of his situation.
"This is ridiculous," he said to himself. "I'm not some damsel in distress."
His gaze fell on the SUV's keys, still in the ignition. He hesitated for a moment, then he shrugged.
"If she thinks she can boss me around, she's got another thing coming."
Logan climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. He had no idea where he was going, but he was determined to take control of his situation.
*****
At the docks, Carlos's men were waiting, their eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movements. They didn't notice Aura until it was too late.
She struck with precision, taking out the guards one by one. Her silenced weapons ensured that the rest of the team remained oblivious until they were already down.
Aura moved closer to the center of the operation, her gaze narrowing as she spotted Carlos's second-in-command barking orders.
"Where's Carlos?" she muttered, her frustration mounting.
Suddenly, the sound of tires screeching caught her attention. She turned just in time to see an SUV barrel onto the scene.
Her jaw tightened.
"Logan," she hissed.
Logan stepped out of the SUV, his expression a mix of defiance and arrogance.
"Didn't think I would let you have all the fun, did you?" he called out, clearly enjoying the shocked looks from Carlos's men.
Aura pinched the bridge of her nose. "You have got to be kidding me. How did he know I was gonna be here?"
The element of surprise was gone, and the remaining guards turned their attention to Logan.
"Who's the idiot?" one of them asked.
"The bait," Aura muttered under her breath.
Aura moved quickly, taking out the guards closest to Logan before they could reach him.
"You are going to get yourself killed," she snapped, grabbing his arm and dragging him behind a container.
Logan grinned. "Admit it, you are glad I'm here."
Aura glared at him. "I'm going to kill you myself if you don't shut up."
The sound of reinforcements arriving forced them to move. Aura threw a grenade, creating a massive explosion that sent crates flying, and the area was plunged into chaos.
In the confusion, she and Logan made their escape, slipping into the dark as Carlos's men scrambled to re-group.
Back at a new safe house, Aura paced angrily while Logan leaned casually against a wall, clearly unbothered.
"What part of 'stay put' do you not understand?" she demanded.
Logan shrugged. " You needed my help."
Aura threw up her hands. "I need you to stay out of the way."
Logan smirked. "You are welcome."
Aura stared at him for a long moment, then turned away, muttering under her breath.
"This isn't over, I need to do my job. So stop being a pain in the ass." She said quietly.
Logan's smile faded slightly as he watched her. For the first time, he felt guilty, he began to realize how dangerous this fight was and how dangerous Aura was.