The moon hung low in the darkened sky, its silver glow spilling over the city like liquid. Aura moved silently across the rooftops, her sharp eyes fixed on the hospital building in the distance. Her body ached from the skirmish with Carlos Moretti and his men, but she pressed on, her steps deliberate and her resolve unwavering.
She had been tracking Logan Mason for hours, using every tool and resource at her disposal to ensure he was safe. When her devices confirmed his location, a private VIP hospital, Aura allowed herself a small sigh of relief.
But why was she doing this?
She paused on the edge of a nearby rooftop, gazing down at the hospital. The question gnawed at her. She had saved Logan out of necessity, not sentiment. Or so she told herself.
"Focus," she muttered under her breath, shaking off the unsettling thoughts.
The hospital was heavily secured, but that didn't deter Aura. She slipped into the dark, her movements as fluid as water. Scaling the walls was child's play; she found an open window on the fourth floor and slipped inside undetected.
The room was dimly lit, with soft beeping from medical monitors breaking the silence. Logan lay on the bed, his face pale but relaxed in sleep. His chest rose and fell steadily, a stark contrast to the chaos that had surrounded him just days ago.
Aura stood by the window, her gaze fixed on him. For a moment, she hesitated. She had seen Logan in his most vulnerable state during the rescue, but here, in the quiet stillness of the hospital, he looked almost... peaceful.
"What am I even doing here?" she whispered to herself.
Aura didn't care about people. She had learned long ago that attachments were liabilities. Yet, here she was, sneaking into a hospital room in the dead of night to check on a man she barely knew.
He's nothing to you, she reminded herself. Just another mission.
And yet, the sight of Logan bruised and bandaged stirred something within her. A flicker of concern.
Aura scrawled, shaking her head. "Get it together," she muttered.
Reaching into her pocket, Aura pulled out a folded piece of paper. She walked to the bedside table and placed the note where she knew Logan would find it.
The message was simple yet deliberate:
Don't forget I saved you.
Satisfied, Aura turned to leave, but something held her back. She glanced at Logan one last time, her sharp features softening for the briefest of moments.
Just as she was about to climb back out the window, Logan stirred. His head turned slightly, and a soft groan escaped his lips. Aura froze, her heart racing.
His eyes fluttered open, unfocused and glassy. For a moment, it seemed he might fully wake, but then he settled back into sleep.
Aura let out a quiet breath of relief. She couldn't afford to be caught here, not now, not ever.
Slipping back out the window, Aura moved swiftly, blending into the night as easily as a shadow. She landed gracefully on the rooftop of a nearby building and crouched there, watching the hospital from a distance.
Her chest felt tight, and she didn't understand why. She had done what she needed to do. Logan was safe, and her message would ensure he remembered who to thank for his life.
So why did it feel like leaving was the hardest part?
Across the city, Aura sat in her hideout, dismantling her weapons and cleaning her gear. Her movements were methodical, almost mechanical, but her thoughts were anything but.
For the first time in years, Aura felt something she couldn't quite name, a strange pull, and unspoken connection to the man she had saved.
But there was no time to dwell on it. She had other missions and other enemies to eliminate.
Still, as she packed away her gear, she couldn't shake the feeling that her encounter with Logan was far from over.
And neither could he.
******
Two days had passed since Liam rushed Logan to the private VIP hospital. The chaos surrounding Logan's disappearance had somewhat simmered down, but whispers of speculation still loomed over social media. Despite Liam's efforts to shield the truth, the media frenzy was persistent, and rumors of Logan's health, well-being, and whereabouts were swirling online.
Inside the pristine hospital room, the world was eerily quiet. Machines softly beeped, monitoring Logan's vitals, as sunlight seemed through the curtains.
Logan's brows furrowed, his eyelids fluttering open. The sterile white ceiling greeted him, and for a moment, confusion clouded his eyes.
Liam, who had been dozing off in a chair by the window, snapped awake as he heard movement. His disheveled hair and the dark circles under his eyes spoke volumes of his exhaustion.
"Logan!" Liam jumped to his feet, rushing to the bedside. Relief washed over him as he saw Logan awake.
Logan blinked, his throat dry. His voice was hoarse as he croaked, "Where is she?"
Liam froze. "Who?"
Logan's piercing gaze locked onto Liam. "Aura. Where is she?"
Liam's mouth opened and closed, searching for words. "Aura? Who's Aura?"
Logan tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his side forced him to wince. He grimaced but refused to let the pain deter him. "The woman who saved me. Aura. I need to talk to her."
Liam's confusion deepened. "Logan, you were found alone. There was no one else."
"No one else?" Logan's voice grew sharp, frustration lacing every word. "She's the one who got me out of that hellhole. She sent you the message to get me, didn't she?"
Liam hesitated. "I did get a message, but there was no name, no signature, just coordinates and instructions to find you. I thought it was some anonymous tip."
Logan fell silent, his mind racing. The memory of Aura's calm, deadly precision as she took down Carlos's men flashed in his mind. Her nonchalance, her sharp eyes, and her ability to handle chaos with ease it was burned into his memory. He clenched his fists.
"She's not just anyone," Logan muttered, almost to himself.
"She's mine." He muttered to himself.
Liam signed, sitting back in his chair. The past two days had been nothing short of a nightmare. He had been juggling too many responsibilities, from dealing with the media to managing Logan's contracts and personal affairs.
"I've been losing my mind trying to handle everything, Boss," Liam confessed. "You have no idea how close I was to calling the company and admitting you were missing. I had to cancel three photoshoots, two interviews, and an endorsement deal, all while pretending you were 'unwell' but recovering at home."
Logan smirked weakly. "Sounds like us, you've had a rough time."
Liam shot him a glare. "Rough time? Sir, people thought you were dead. The internet exploded with conspiracy theories. l even had to beg Samantha for information, but that...that snake dared to mock me and act clueless."
Logan's smirk faded, and his jaw tightened at the mention of Samantha. "Of course, she'd enjoy this mess. She probably got what she wanted."
Liam ran a hand through his hair, visibly stressed. "You have no idea how relieved I was to find you, even if you were unconscious. But this 'Aura' person.....if she's the one who saved you, why hasn't she come forward?"
Logan's eyes darkened. "Because she's not like anyone else, Liam. She's... different."
The memories of his time as a hostage replayed in Logan's mind. Carlos Moretti's sinister smirk, the mocking laughter of his goons, and the suffocating tension of being tied up for days without knowing if he'd live or die.
But then, there was Aura, fearless, lethal, and utterly captivating. She hadn't flinched in the face of danger, and the way she had handled herself amidst the chaos left him both impressed and intrigued.
Her parting words echoed in his mind: "Don't flatter yourself, Logan."
As Liam and Logan continued their conversation, a nurse entered, interrupting their discussion. She carried a tray of medications and water, her demeanor professional yet kind.
"Good to see you awake, Mr. Mason," she said with a smile. "You gave everyone quite a scare."
Logan nodded politely, though his focus was elsewhere. As the nurse adjusted the IV drip, Logan noticed a small envelope taped to the underside of the bedside table. His eyes narrowed.
After the nurse left, Logan reached out, peeling the envelope off the table. He opened it cautiously, revealing a simple note inside.
"You're alive because I allowed it. Don't forget that. – A"
Logan's heart raced. It was her.
"What is it?" Liam asked, noticing the sudden shift in Logan's expression.
Logan folded the note and slipped it into his pocket. "Nothing. Just a reminder."
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Logan underwent a series of medical tests to ensure his recovery was on track, but his mind remained fixated on Aura. Who was she? Why had she saved him? And what did she mean by her cryptic note?
By evening, Logan was cleared for discharge. Liam insisted on driving him home, though Logan was far from the cooperative patient Liam had hoped for.
As they drove through the city, Logan stared out the window, lost in thought. The bustling streets and flashing billboards felt like a world away from the chaos he had ensured.
"Sir," Liam began cautiously, "Are you sure you're okay? You've been quiet since we left the hospital."
Logan glanced at him. "I'm fine, Liam. I just need to figure some things out."
As they pulled up to Logan's penthouse, Logan stepped out of the car, his mind still preoccupied. He entered the elevator, the doors sliding shut as he leaned against the wall, deep in thought.
Logan may have survived, but his questions were far from answered. And somewhere, in the labyrinth of the city, Aura was already planning her next move.