Water traced jagged lines down the glass.
A dark SUV picked up speed fast, riding their tail.
Her fingers pressed hard against the edge of the chair. Aria stayed still, knuckles whitening. The moment stretched without sound. Only her breath broke the silence. Stillness held the room tight.
Aria:
Again, Kael glanced at the rearview mirror.
Quiet settled across his face instead of change.
Too calm.
Kael:
A sudden wobble came over the SUV, closing the gap fast - just meters away. It jerked sideways again, gaining ground without warning.
Aria’s voice rose.
Aria:
Kael eased into the gas.
Forward it went, the car jumping ahead.
Kael:
Aria:
Right behind came the SUV.
Every turn Kael took
They copied.
Aria turned her head once more.
Aria:
Kael sighed.
Kael:
Aria:
Kael jerked the steering wheel hard.
A sharp turn sent it down an unmarked path.
Kael:
Aria blinked.
Aria:
Kael:
Aria swallowed.
He was right.
Yet fear still clung thick despite knowing better.
Footprints in the gravel showed where it had passed before. The SUV moved forward on tires heavy with mud.
Still following.
Aria:
Kael smirked faintly.
Kael:
Aria:
Faster now, Kael twisted between cars like smoke caught in wind.
Puddles spread across the pavement, leaving surfaces slick beneath passing feet.
Aria’s heart pounded.
Aria:
Kael looked her way.
Kael:
Aria:
Kael shrugged.
Kael:
Aria stared.
Aria:
Kael didn’t answer.
Stillness crept in like it had something to hide.
Very suspicious.
Aria groaned.
Stolen novel; please report.
Aria:
Kael pivoted hard around the next bend.
A sudden lurch backward, then the SUV pulled up close - only to steady itself just as fast.
Still there.
Still chasing.
Kael:
Aria:
A sharp turn led him into a tight passageway without warning.
The SUV hesitated.
Then followed.
Aria looked around.
Aria:
Kael smiled slightly.
Kael:
________________________________________
Ten Minutes Later
Slowing came over the car like a breath held too long.
Fog curled around the rooftops where they stepped into the riverside streets. Silence hung thick between the houses close to the water's edge.
Old warehouses.
Dim streetlights.
Empty roads.
Aria looked confused.
Aria:
Kael slowed the vehicle to a stop.
Aria:
Kael shut down the machine.
His eyes met hers without delay.
Kael:
Spinning fast, Aria faced the opposite way.
Footprints led away from where the vehicle had been parked.
Completely.
She exhaled heavily.
Aria:
Her eyes turned toward him once more.
Aria:
Her eyes narrowed.
Aria: “
Kael eased into the chair, arms loose at his sides.
Kael:
Aria fixed her gaze upon him.
Aria:
Kael said nothing.
A clear sign, really.
Aria moved her head from side to side.
Aria:
Kael smiled slightly.
Kael:
Back she slumped into the chair.
Energy trickled away like water through fingers.
Briefly, a thought snapped into her mind.
Aria:
Kael nodded.
Kael:
Aria:
Out came Kael, pushing the car door wide.
Kael
Aria frowned.
Aria:
Foot hitting pavement first, Kael left the car behind.
Kael:
She moved after him, slow and unsure. A quiet step behind, her feet dragging on the path he took.
Into the shadow of a massive warehouse they moved, step by slow step.
It looked abandoned.
Rusty metal doors.
Broken windows.
Aria folded her arms tight across her chest.
Aria:
A sequence of numbers appeared under Kael's fingers, pressed one by one onto a small panel tucked next to the frame. The device sat flush against the wall, unnoticed unless you knew where to look.
Aria’s eyes widened.
A loud click came from the thick door. It swung open slowly.
She blinked.
Aria:
A shove came from Kael against the door. It swung wide.
Kael:
Aria hesitated.
Aria:
Kael turned his eyes toward her.
Dead serious.
Kael:
Aria gasped.
Kael held his expression flat - just long enough for silence to settle between heartbeats.
Then he laughed.
Fist met flesh when Aria struck. His arm bore the sudden impact without warning.
Aria:
They stepped inside.
Bright glow filled the room by itself. The space lit up without anyone touching a switch.
Aria froze.
Filled from wall to wall, the warehouse held nothing but machines. Technology packed every corner, silent under dim lighting.
Screens.
Servers.
Security systems.
City maps.
It looked like a secret operations centre.
A quiet hush fell as her lips parted. Slowly, a gap appeared between them.
Aria:
Last thing Kael did was shut the door after stepping through.
Now his voice was softer.
Serious.
Kael:
Aria fixed her eyes on him.
Still sorting through it all.
Aria:
Kael nodded.
Kael:
Into the room Aria moved, step by slow step.
Looking at all the screens.
Financial reports.
Company data.
Surveillance feeds.
Fragments of thought began to link together inside her mind.
Only after a long pause did she face him again.
Aria:
His eyes stayed on her, slow and steady. Then a breath passed while he took it all in.
Aria:
For a moment, Kael stayed silent. Then his voice came slow, like it had to climb up from somewhere deep.
He moved in the direction of a big screen instead.
Pressed a button.
A piece of paper showed up on the display.
Aria stepped closer.
Her eyes widened.
A shareholder report came out of nowhere. It arrived without warning.
Ownership percentages.
Out of nowhere, her voice dropped to a whisper. Then silence filled the space between words.
Aria:
His eyes met hers.
Her finger moved toward the display. The image caught her eye. There it was, clear and still.
Aria:
Empty air settled between them. Stillness took hold where words had been.
Kael nodded slowly.
Kael:
Aria opened her eyes, then closed them again a few times.
Still catching my breath after that shocker dropped.
Aria:
Kael moved his head from side to side, slow at first, then a little sharper.
Kael:
Staring didn’t come easily, yet Aria fixed her eyes on him. Disbelief hung heavy in the way she stood there.
Aria:
Kael nodded again.
Kael:
Fingers slid up into her hair, palms following close behind.
Aria:
Her eyes turned to meet his once more.
Aria:
Kael hesitated.
Then answered honestly.
Kael:
Aria sighed.
Aria:
Without warning - a monitor let out a sharp beep.
Kael turned quickly.
An alarm lit up the display without warning. The message appeared suddenly, sharp and clear. Bright letters spelled trouble in an instant. A notice showed itself fast, catching attention right away.
Aria walked closer.
Her stomach dropped.
A flicker on the display revealed moving images from a lens pointed at the room. It wasn’t recorded - happening right then, visible in real time.
Out on the sidewalk, she left from her apartment building.
A pair of guys stood by the door. Outside waited two fellows near the opening.
The guy from the parking garage turned up among them.
A figure from Kael's past stood there - his uncle. Not a stranger, yet not quite familiar either.
Aria whispered.
Aria:
Frost settled into Kael's face, stilling every feature.
After a pause, his voice dropped to a whisper
Kael:
