The train raced through the stormy night, its wheels clanging like a heartbeat under the pounding rain. The air smelled like wet metal and electricity. Ethan Drake crouched low on the flatbed, water dripping off his hair and soaking into his jacket. The steel beneath him groaned with every bump, making it clear they weren't safe.
"Stay low, Clara," Ethan said, his voice low and tense. Rain dripped down his jaw, mixing with his words. His sharp gray eyes scanned the dark landscape. "If they find us, it's over."
Clara DeVries gripped the flatbed's edge tightly, her knuckles white against the slippery metal. She glanced at Ethan, her face pale but determined. "You're awfully calm for someone who's bleeding everywhere," she said, her voice shaking but steady. "Doesn't it hurt?"
Ethan looked at the deep cut on his arm. Blood mixed with rainwater, streaking his sleeve. The wound throbbed with every heartbeat, a sharp reminder of how much slower he'd be if it got worse. He clenched his jaw and flexed his fingers, wincing as pain shot through him. "Pain's just proof I'm alive," he said with a faint smirk.
Clara rolled her eyes. "That's not exactly comforting." She shifted her footing, but the train jolted, and she gasped as she nearly slipped. Ethan grabbed her wrist, holding her steady without looking away from the horizon.
Ahead, the city skyline rose like a shadowy fortress, its towers and antennas poking through the rain. Warm lights in windows hinted at safety, but the dark spaces between them warned of hidden dangers. Clara steadied herself, her breath coming fast. "Back there with those guys," she said, hesitating. "You knew exactly what to do. How?"
Ethan shrugged, his tone flat but edged with something deeper. "When you've been running as long as I have, you learn a few things." His lips twitched. "Besides, you weren't so bad yourself."
Clara gave a short, dry laugh. "If screaming and panicking count as skills, sure. I just kept thinking about what Victor said about the ledger."
Ethan's expression darkened, and his eyes locked onto hers. "The one in the piano. Malikov knows now. If he didn't before, he does now."
Rain poured harder, drumming on the metal around them. Clara's voice dropped to a whisper. "That ledger… it's that important, isn't it? Worth risking everything?"
Ethan's jaw tightened. "It's worth killing for. And Malikov doesn't forgive. He hunts."
Clara's hands balled into fists, her voice firm. "Then we find Victor's house first. No matter what."
For a moment, Ethan's hard expression softened, a hint of respect flickering in his eyes. But then it vanished, replaced by his usual focus. "No matter what," he agreed. "Just don't do anything stupid."
The train swerved sharply, sending sparks flying. Clara slipped, letting out a startled yelp. Ethan caught her arm again, pulling her upright.
"Careful," he said, his tone gentler than before. "I can't do this without you."
Clara stared at him, her voice soft but steady. "You can't keep working alone, Ethan. You need help."
His face stayed hard, but his silence said everything. "That's not how I work," he finally muttered.
"Maybe it's time you changed," Clara shot back.
Before he could reply, a new sound rose above the storm. Both froze, their instincts flaring. The low, chopping hum of helicopter blades grew louder, cutting through the rain.
"Helicopter," Ethan said, his voice tight. "Malikov's."
A spotlight blazed down, slicing through the dark like a knife. The beam swept the train, its whirring echoing the storm's fury. A loud voice boomed from the sky. "Ethan Drake! Surrender now, or face the consequences!"
Ethan yanked Clara into the shadows of the flatbed as bullets rained down, sparking off the metal.
"He's not messing around," Ethan muttered, his voice grim.
Clara's breathing quickened, panic flashing in her eyes. "What do we do? We're trapped!"
Ethan's gaze darted to the train's edge, then to the rushing river below. His decision came fast. "We jump."
Clara's eyes widened. "Jump? Are you crazy?"
Gunfire answered her question, forcing her to duck. Ethan grabbed her wrist, urgency in his tone. "The river's our only shot. Trust me. Now or never."
Without waiting, he leaped. Clara hesitated, fear locking her in place. But as bullets ricocheted closer, she had no choice. She jumped, a scream tearing from her throat as she plunged into the freezing water.
The river's current hit her like a brick wall, cold and unrelenting. Ethan surfaced first, gasping for air, his eyes scanning the darkness. He spotted Clara struggling and fought toward her, his muscles burning.
"Hold on!" he shouted, his voice barely carrying over the storm. "We're almost there!"
With one last push, he dragged her to the muddy shore. They collapsed, coughing and shivering, as the helicopter's spotlight swept the river, missing them by inches.
Clara sat up, trembling. "You really know how to pick an escape plan," she said, her voice shaky but trying for humor.
Ethan laughed, short and tired. "Gotta keep things interesting."