The night air was thick with the smell of earth and danger. Serena could still hear the distant footsteps of the woman, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. But they were safe. For now.
Aiden stood by the cabin door, his eyes scanning the shadows. He was too calm. Serena could see the weight of the deal they had just made pressing down on him, but his expression remained stoic, unreadable.
Serena stepped beside him, her voice low. "Do you really think she'll keep her word?"
Aiden didn't look at her right away. His gaze was focused on the path ahead, on the possibility of another attack. "We don't have much of a choice," he said finally. "She's dangerous, and we can't keep running forever."
"But making a deal with her?" Serena asked, her voice trembling. "That's playing with fire."
"I know," Aiden admitted, his jaw tight. "But we had to buy ourselves some time. We need to figure out our next move."
Serena glanced back toward the woods, the chill creeping through her. They had no idea what they were up against. This woman was part of something bigger, something dark. And now, Serena felt more than ever that they were caught in a web they couldn't escape from.
---
Inside the cabin, the walls were bare, the furniture sparse. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give them shelter for the time being. Aiden closed the door behind them, securing the locks with a soft click.
"How long do we have?" Serena asked, pacing the small space. "Until she comes back for us?"
Aiden exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know. Could be hours, could be days. But we need to move fast. We can't keep hiding forever."
Serena stopped, her eyes meeting his. "You're not planning to go after her, are you? You saw what she did."
Aiden's eyes were hard, but there was something else in them—something more than just determination. "If I have to, I will."
She shook her head, stepping toward him. "You can't take her on alone. You need me, Aiden. We need to work together if we're going to survive this."
He paused, studying her for a long moment. Then, with a soft sigh, he nodded. "You're right. We can't do this alone."
---
For the next few hours, they planned. They didn't talk much, but Serena could feel the weight of their situation hanging over them like a storm waiting to break. She felt like they were constantly running, never knowing where the next threat would come from, always looking over their shoulders.
They needed to get to the city. They needed to find answers. They needed to take control of their destiny before the woman and her mysterious employers found them first.
---
It was late when they finally decided to rest. Serena lay in the corner of the cabin, her eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling. Her thoughts raced, her mind spinning with fear, anger, and confusion. What was going to happen to them?
Aiden was still awake, sitting near the door, his back against the wall. He seemed lost in thought, his face shadowed in the dim light.
"Hey," Serena said softly, breaking the silence. "Are we really going to trust that woman? Even if we gave her what she wanted, she might come after us again."
Aiden turned to her, his eyes serious. "She's not the only one who wants that briefcase. If we give it to her, we may be able to buy ourselves some time, maybe even find a way to stop the people behind all of this. But it won't be easy."
Serena bit her lip, thinking it over. "And if we can't stop them?"
"Then we run. We keep running until we find a way to fight back."
---
The sound of footsteps outside snapped both of them to attention. Serena held her breath, her pulse racing. Aiden immediately reached for his gun, his movements swift and precise.
"Stay here," he whispered, moving toward the window to peer outside.
Serena's heart pounded as she crouched in the corner, her hand clutching the rock she had used earlier. She couldn't just sit and wait, not after everything they'd been through. She needed to be ready.
---
Aiden's voice cut through the tension. "It's her."
Serena's eyes widened. "Already?"
He nodded, his hand on the doorknob. "She doesn't waste time."
They both knew this moment was coming. The woman would come for them again. But this time, they weren't going to run.
---
Aiden slowly opened the door, his gun at the ready. The woman stood at the threshold, her figure silhouetted against the moonlight. She didn't look surprised to see them waiting for her.
"Did you really think you could get away that easily?" she asked, her voice colder than before.
Serena's heart was in her throat as she watched the woman step inside, her eyes flickering to the briefcase. "What do you want now?"
The woman's lips curled into a smile. "The game has changed. I'm here to offer you something you can't refuse."
Aiden's fingers tightened on the grip of his gun. "We don't make deals with you. Not anymore."
The woman's smile faded, replaced by something far more dangerous. "You're going to wish you had."
And that's when Serena knew. Whatever came next, it was going to be far worse than anything they had faced so far.
---