The night was quiet.
Too quiet.
Ethan stood by the roadside, hidden in the shadows.
His eyes fixed on the empty stretch of road ahead.
Waiting.
Listening.
Breathing steady.
Controlled.
Time passed slowly.
Every second stretched.
Every sound mattered.
Then—
Headlights.
Far in the distance.
Approaching.
Ethan's body tensed slightly.
This was it.
The vehicle moved closer.
A transport van.
Just like the one they used before.
His grip tightened.
No hesitation.
As the van passed the marked point—
Ethan moved.
Fast.
Precise.
The first strike came without warning.
A sharp object hit the tire.
The van swerved.
Lost control.
Then—
Stopped.
Silence.
For one second.
Two.
Then—
Doors burst open.
Guards rushed out.
Weapons ready.
Ethan didn't wait.
He attacked.
Everything became movement.
Impact.
Speed.
He moved like someone who had done this before.
Because he had.
One guard down.
Then another.
But more followed.
Always more.
"Stop him!"
Shouts filled the air.
Footsteps.
Gun clicks.
Ethan dodged.
Countered.
Struck again.
Pain shot through his arm.
He ignored it.
Nothing mattered except one thing—
Finding her.
Meanwhile—
Inside the van—
Maya sat still.
Her heart pounding.
Her senses sharp.
She had felt it.
The sudden stop.
The chaos outside.
It's happening.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
But her mind—
Her mind was calm.
This was her moment.
A guard opened the door.
"Stay—"
Maya reached out.
Grabbed his wrist.
The vision hit instantly.
A memory.
A command.
A code.
She saw it.
Clear.
Perfect.
The guard froze slightly.
Just for a second.
That was enough.
Maya moved.
Fast.
Unexpected.
She pushed past him—
And ran.
Outside—
Everything was chaos.
Her eyes searched.
Frantically.
Desperately.
Then—
She saw him.
Ethan.
For a moment—
Everything slowed.
He saw her too.
Relief.
Shock.
Something deeper.
"Maya!"
But then—
A shot rang out.
Everything shattered again.
Ethan turned sharply—
Too late.
The bullet hit.
Maya's breath caught.
"No—!"
Ethan staggered.
His body tensed—
Then dropped to one knee.
Time stopped.
Maya ran toward him.
Her heart breaking with every step.
"Ethan!"
More guards surrounded them.
Weapons raised.
Control regained.
The man in black stepped forward calmly.
Like he had expected this all along.
"This was predictable," he said.
Maya's chest rose and fell rapidly.
"You planned this," she whispered.
He didn't deny it.
"We always plan ahead."
Her fists clenched.
"You used me."
He looked at her.
Calm.
Unbothered.
"No," he said.
"We used both of you."
Maya's heart dropped.
Ethan coughed slightly, blood staining his shirt.
But his eyes—
His eyes were still focused.
Still burning.
He looked at her.
"Run…" he whispered.
Tears filled her eyes.
"I'm not leaving you again!"
But deep down—
She knew.
They had lost this round.
And worse—
This wasn't just a trap.
It was a message.