Chapter 140 - Desperate Escape.

Savannah's Side

A dull, throbbing pain was the first thing Savannah felt as she drifted back to consciousness. Her body felt heavy, and her limbs were sore, like they had been hit hard. Cold air tickled her skin, and the smell of wet earth and rotting leaves filled her nose. Slowly, she her eyelids fluttered open and saw a sky full of stars, their faint light barely cutting through the thick tree cover above.

For a moment, she just lay there, confused, breathing slowly and unevenly. Her mind was foggy, struggling to recall how she had ended up sprawled on the forest floor. Then, as things started to clear up, bits and pieces of her escape came flooding back to her like a big wave.

She remembered the chase, the forest, and the frantic run.

Her fingers moved as she tried to get up, but the pain was too much. She winced, trying to sit up, but a sharp sting on her forehead made her stop. Raising a trembling hand, she gingerly touched her temple and felt something wet and sticky.

Confused, she brought her hand in front of her face.

Blood.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the crimson smeared across her fingers. Panic clawed at her chest. She had been hurt. Badly. The throbbing in her head intensified as the realization fully hit her. She was bleeding.

She shut her eyes, trying to remember what happened. Then it hit her—she had fallen.

In her rush to get away, her foot had slammed into something hard-a large rock hidden beneath the leaves. She lost her balance and fell forward. The impact knocked the wind out of her, and everything went dark.

Now, she was lying alone in the middle of nowhere, her body aching and bruised.

Her pulse pounded as she forced herself to sit up. Pain shot through her limbs, but she had no other choice. She needed to move.

A shiver ran down her spine as she looked around. The trees seemed to stretch on forever in every direction, their long, spindly branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The darkness was overwhelming, the thick foliage blocking most of the moonlight, making it hard to see very far ahead. The ground was covered with dry, brittle leaves that poked at her skin as she moved.

She needed to get out of here.

But where would she go?

Before she could even start thinking, a sound broke the eerie silence.

"FIND HER!"

Savannah's body jerked violently, fear gripping her heart.

That voice.

Rodriguez.

It was deep, furious, and commanding—she knew that voice without a doubt. It sent chills down her spine.

Her breath caught.

He was here.

Looking for her.

Her instincts told her to move, to hide, to do something before he found her.

She swallowed her fear and frantically looked for somewhere to hide. Her eyes caught sight of a big, rough clay wall just a few feet away. It was long and uneven, splitting the forest into two parts. The surface was rough and worn down, thick enough to give her some cover.

Without losing a moment, Savannah got on her hands and knees and crawled towards it as quietly as possible. Every move sent sharp pains through her sore body, but she bit her lip to keep quiet.

She can't let them hear her.

Just as she reached the wall, another voice boomed through the night.

"Spread out!"

She heard leaves rustling and twigs snapping nearby.

They're getting closer.

Savannah pressed herself against the wall, her hands over her mouth to hold back her heavy breathing. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought they might hear it.

Stay calm. Stay quiet.

She peeked over the edge, her eyes darting through the thick trees. Men were moving around in the shadows, their figures barely visible in the dark. They stepped on the forest floor, making crunching sounds as they spread out, looking around with sharp, predator-like eyes.

Rodriguez is leading them.

Her hands were shaking so hard she had to clench them into fists. She knew she had to move before they saw her.

She carefully moved along the clay wall, using its rough surface for guidance. Every step was slow and careful. She kept her body low and her breathing quiet. The cold air stung her wounds, but she ignored it.

Then she saw it.

And her heart sank.

Up ahead, the clay wall ended abruptly at a steep incline. The drop below was too deep and dangerous to climb down in her injured state. The only other way forward was an open clearing—fully exposed.

A feeling of dread settled in her stomach.

She was trapped.

Blaze's Side

The deep forest stretched out forever in front of them, with the thick canopy blocking most of the moonlight and casting spooky shadows on the wet ground. Blaze had been here before. The memories from that night years ago were still fresh in his mind.

Back then, he had found Savannah here, running for her life, desperate and terrified, just like she probably was now. But this time, she wasn't appearing out of the trees, breathless yet hopeful.

This time, she was missing.

He gritted his teeth, fighting the fear creeping into his thoughts. He had no idea if she was hurt, scared, or worse, but he refused to let his mind go there. She's okay. She has to be. That's what he kept telling himself to stay sane.

He couldn't afford to lose her. Not again.

Blaze and his team finally reached Rodriguez's other secret hideout, hidden deep within the dense forest. A wooden house stood before them, secluded and isolated, its presence almost blending into the surrounding wilderness. But something was off.

The front door was wide open.

A chill went down Blaze's spine.

His gut told him something was wrong. A hideout like this would never be left open—unless something bad happened.

He quickly motioned to his guys with his hand, telling them to spread out and circle the house. They nodded and slipped into the dark, covering all the exits.

Arthur stood next to him, gun ready and eyes on the door. The two of them quietly moved toward the front door, pressing their backs against either side of the wooden frame.

Blaze counted down with his fingers.

Three... Two... One.

They swung around the entrance and barged inside, weapons ready.

The dimly lit hallway stretched out in front of them, showing nothing but some scattered furniture. A thick layer of dust covered the wooden floor, except for fresh footprints leading further inside.

Blaze's sharp eyes caught sight of a table next to the couch.

There was a half-empty bottle of booze among three other empty ones, their glass surfaces catching the dim light. Rodriguez had been here recently—drinking heavily. The sight made Blaze's blood boil. If that guy had been drinking, he must have felt relaxed, comfortable... ?

Arthur looked over and spoke, "Four bottles? He was either partying hard or drowning his sorrows."

Blaze snorted. "Either way, we'll know soon."

They moved forward, heading deeper into the house down the long hallway. In front of them were three doors, each one possibly hiding clues or danger.

Arthur took the first door on the left, gripping the handle firmly before shoving it open.

It was a restroom. Empty.

He shook his head at Blaze, signaling there was nothing there.

Blaze went to the second door on the right, pushed it open, and stepped inside with his gun up. It was a storage room full of dusty furniture under old sheets. They checked every corner but found no sign of Savannah.

Arthur let out a sharp breath and shook his head again. "Nothing."

That left the last door.

Blaze and Arthur looked at each other. They both knew what was coming. Whatever they were about to find behind this door wouldn't be good.

Weapons raised, they pushed it open and stormed inside.

The room was empty, but the scene before them was enough to make their stomachs churn.

Blaze's breath hitched as he stepped further inside, his sharp eyes catching the dark stain smeared across the floor. His heart pounded violently in his chest as he crouched down and ran his fingers over it.

It was blood.

Slightly still wet.

His fingers shook as he pulled them away. Savannah...

Arthur, who was standing near the far end of the room, suddenly went stiff. "Boss... check this out."

Blaze turned to see Arthur standing by a chain bolted tight to the wall. The metal links were hanging loose, but their purpose was obvious.

"They tied someone here," Arthur said, his voice low and serious. He looked at Blaze, his eyes dark with realization. "It had to be her."

Blaze clenched his fists, his entire body radiating tension. His blood roared in his ears as fury coursed through him.

Rodriguez took Savannah. He had hurt her.

And Blaze wasn't going to let him get away with it.

His face turned hard, deadly serious, as he looked at his men. His voice was sharp, orders clear.

"Spread out. Search every inch of this forest. I want Rodriguez alive-Savannah safe. Move!"

The guys didn't wait. They knew how serious he was.

Blaze straightened, his mind set on one thing.

He was going to find Savannah. No matter what it took.

Author's Note :

Thankyou for reading<3

Have a good day/night <3<3