Ethan saw it.
From across the chaos.
Maya.
Standing still.
Not running.
Not fighting.
Just… standing there.
With him.
"No!" Ethan shouted, shoving the man in front of him aside.
He broke free and ran toward them.
But he was too late.
Maya didn't move.
Her heart pounded so loudly she could barely hear anything else.
She knew what she was doing.
And she knew it was dangerous.
But Ethan couldn't win this.
Not alone.
Not against all of them.
If someone had to give in—
It would be her.
"I said let him go," she repeated, her voice steadier now.
The man in black tilted his head slightly.
"You're willing to come with us… willingly?"
Maya swallowed.
"Yes."
Behind her—
"Don't."
Ethan's voice.
Breathless.
Desperate.
She closed her eyes for a second.
Then opened them again.
"I'm tired of running," she said quietly.
The man smiled faintly.
"A wise decision."
"No!" Ethan reached them, grabbing her arm.
"Maya, don't do this."
She looked at him.
Really looked at him.
For a moment—
Everything else disappeared.
"I don't have a choice," she whispered.
"You do," he said firmly. "Stay."
Her heart ached.
"I can't."
His grip tightened slightly.
"I won't let you go."
That one sentence—
That one moment—
Made everything harder.
Because part of her wanted to stay.
Wanted to believe him.
Wanted to trust him.
But—
Reality was cruel.
"They'll keep coming," she said. "They won't stop."
Ethan's silence confirmed it.
Maya took a slow breath.
Then gently—
She removed his hand from her arm.
"I'm sorry."
His eyes widened slightly.
And in them—
She saw something she hadn't expected.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
The man in black stepped forward.
"Enough."
His voice cut through everything.
Two men moved toward Ethan, holding him back.
He struggled.
"Let go of me!"
Maya forced herself not to react.
Not to break.
Because if she did—
She wouldn't be able to go through with this.
"Don't touch her!" Ethan shouted.
But it was too late.
The man reached for Maya.
This time—
She didn't resist.
As his hand touched hers—
The world exploded again.
A vision.
Stronger than ever before.
She saw the organization.
Clearer now.
A facility.
Hidden.
Secured.
People working in silence.
Screens.
Files.
Experiments.
Then—
She saw herself again.
But not as a target.
As something else.
Something worse.
ASSET
Her breath caught.
Then—
She saw Ethan.
Alone.
Broken.
Standing in the rain.
Watching something burn.
Her heart shattered.
The vision ended.
Maya gasped, her knees almost giving out.
But the man held her steady.
"Careful," he said calmly.
She looked up at him, fear filling her eyes.
"You're not just taking me," she whispered.
"You're planning to use me."
He didn't deny it.
"Of course," he said. "That was always the plan."
Behind her—
Ethan stopped struggling.
His voice, when he spoke, was different.
Lower.
Colder.
"If you take her…" he said slowly, "…I won't stop this time."
The man smiled faintly.
"That's what I'm counting on."
Maya's heart dropped.
"What does that mean?" she asked.
But no one answered.
The van door opened.
The moment had come.
Maya hesitated for just a second.
Then—
She stepped inside.
Ethan stood there.
Helpless.
Watching.
As the door closed.
As the van drove away.
As everything slipped out of his control.
His fists clenched.
His expression hardened.
And something inside him—
Snapped.
"They made their move," he muttered.
His eyes darkened.
"Now it's my turn."