Chapter 145: An Unexpected Ally

The moment stretched thin with tension as Luca darted to the window, his pulse racing. Outside, shards of glass littered the pavement, and the faint glow of a figure in the distance disappeared into the night. He turned back to Alyssa and Ethan, his chest tight. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Alyssa's face was pale, and her hands trembled as she clutched her flash drive. "It's him… I know it. Darren's people, they're coming," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Ethan grabbed a duffle bag, quickly stuffing it with essentials. "We have to move," he agreed, urgency in his tone. "But if they know where we are, we can't just run blindly. We need a plan."

Luca's mind raced. "There's an old safehouse downtown," he said, thinking quickly. "Gray used it a few years back during a big job. It's off the grid—no records, no ties to any of us. We'll be safe there for a while."

Alyssa nodded hesitantly, glancing between the two men. "But won't they track us on the way?"

Ethan shot a look at Luca, a silent understanding passing between them. "We're going to have to make a diversion," he said. "We'll split up, make it harder for them to follow. Alyssa, you come with me. Luca, you take a different route and meet us there."

Luca didn't like the idea of splitting up—especially not with Alyssa, who could still be playing them. But there was no time to argue. "Fine," he agreed, grabbing a map from the drawer and sketching the location. "If we're not there in an hour, keep moving. Don't wait."

As they exited the apartment building, Luca took one last look back, his heart thudding with anxiety. They had just stepped out onto the edge of something dangerous and unpredictable.

Luca's route was a winding path through alleys and side streets, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of pursuit. The wind bit into his skin, and the distant sounds of the city did little to calm his nerves. As he rounded a corner, his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a message from Ethan.

"We're being followed. Two cars. Take the longer route."

His pulse quickened, and he quickened his pace, slipping deeper into the maze of the city. There was an old park nearby, abandoned for years—a place where he could buy them time if necessary. But as he reached the outskirts of the park, a figure stepped out from the shadows.

It was Gray.

Luca froze, his eyes widening in surprise and relief. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Gray gave a crooked grin. "Saving your ass," he replied, pulling a small device from his pocket and pressing a button. "That flash drive you're so desperate to keep safe—it's bugged. Darren's been tracking Alyssa's every move. He's probably listening in on us right now."

Luca's jaw tightened, a surge of anger coursing through him. "She set us up?"

"Not exactly," Gray said, his expression darkening. "I think she was running scared and thought she was ahead of the game. But she underestimated Darren."

The revelation sent a chill down Luca's spine. Alyssa's arrival, Darren's pursuit—it had all been a ploy to flush them out into the open. And now, they were playing right into his hands.

"Then we need to flip the game," Luca said, his eyes narrowing with determination. "If Darren thinks he's luring us in, let's make him regret it."

Gray's grin returned, this time more savage. "I thought you'd say that," he said, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a small pistol. "Let's make this a night he won't forget."

Luca's resolve hardened. Darren might think he had them cornered, but the night was far from over. And he was about to show Darren just how dangerous it was to underestimate them.

End of Chapter 145

To Be Continued…