CHAPTER 50

The Final Stand

Gunfire shreds the silence, tearing through the walls as Riley and I dive behind cover. The room is a warzone—bullets ricocheting, smoke curling in the air, the scent of gunpowder thick in my lungs. My pulse hammers in my ears, each beat counting down to our last breath if we don't find a way out.

Riley reloads, her movements sharp, controlled—her mask slipping back into place even as her hands shake. "We're surrounded."

I risk a glance over the overturned table shielding us. Black-clad operatives fan out, moving with precision. Julian's personal soldiers.

Figures. He always did like playing with his own pieces on the board.

My jaw clenches. "Not for long."

I twist out of cover, firing two shots. One drops an enemy instantly. The other staggers but keeps moving, armored vest absorbing the impact. Damn it.

Riley curses under her breath and fires beside me, her bullets finding a weak spot between plates. The second soldier collapses. "We need an exit."

"No kidding."

There's a door at the far end of the room, but getting to it means crossing an open kill zone. I scan the walls, the vents—anything we can use.

Then I see it. A maintenance hatch near the ceiling. Small, but possible.

I grab Riley's wrist. "Up there."

She follows my gaze. "You think we can make it?"

"Guess we'll find out."

She nods once, understanding unspoken. No hesitation. That's what I've always admired about her—even when the world is falling apart, she moves.

I lace my fingers together. "Go."

She steps into my hands, and I launch her up. She grips the edge, muscles straining as she pulls herself through.

The gunfire intensifies.

I turn, firing another round to keep them back. A shot grazes my arm, burning hot. I grit my teeth against the pain.

"Come on!" Riley yells.

I jump, grabbing the edge of the hatch as bullets rip into the floor where I just stood. Riley grips my arm, pulling with everything she has. My legs scramble against the wall, and for a second, I think I'm slipping—

Then I'm through.

We tumble into the narrow air duct, breathing hard.

"We need to keep moving," Riley says, voice tight.

I nod. No time to dwell. No time to bleed.

We crawl forward, the metal groaning under our weight. Below us, voices bark orders. They're tracking us. We don't have long.

We reach a junction. Two paths.

Riley glances at me. "Left or right?"

I make the call without thinking. "Left."

We push forward, but something doesn't feel right. The air changes. The walls seem too… pristine.

And then I realize—

This isn't an escape route.

It's a damn trap.

Before I can warn Riley, the vent collapses beneath us.

We free-fall, metal and dust swallowing our screams.

The impact is brutal. I hit the ground hard, pain exploding in my ribs. Riley lands beside me with a choked gasp.

Above us, the hatch slams shut.

I cough, pushing myself up. Every nerve in my body protests. "You okay?"

Riley groans but nods. "Been better."

The room we're in is large. Dark. Empty except for the single spotlight in the center. A stage. A prison.

And standing in that light—

Julian.

Unscathed. Unbothered. Watching us like we're entertainment.

He claps slowly. "Brilliant effort." His lips curve in that signature smirk. "Truly. I expected you to last another ten minutes, at least."

I push to my feet, fists clenched. My vision swims, but I stay upright. "Go to hell."

Julian chuckles. "Been there. It was dull."

Riley shifts beside me, her breathing sharp. She's hurt.

Julian tilts his head. "You look disappointed. Did you really think I'd let you leave so easily?"

I don't answer. My silence is enough.

Julian sighs, almost pitying. "You still don't understand, do you?" He gestures around us. "This isn't about escaping. It never was."

My muscles coil. "Then what is it about?"

Julian steps closer, his gaze locking onto mine. "You."

A cold wave rolls through me.

"What the hell does that mean?"

Julian studies me for a moment, then exhales as if he's been waiting for this. "Nathan, you erased your past for a reason. You. Not me. Not them. You chose this."

My breath catches.

"No." I shake my head, stepping back. "That's not—"

Julian doesn't let me finish. "Oh, but it is. You wiped yourself clean because you couldn't live with the truth. And now?" His eyes gleam. "Now you're so desperate to reclaim it."

I feel Riley's gaze on me, but I can't look at her.

My mind is unraveling.

Julian takes one more step forward, lowering his voice. "So, Nathan… tell me. Are you sure you want to remember?"

The words slam into me like a fist.

I can't breathe.

Because for the first time, I don't know the answer.