Chapter 92: The Countdown Begins

The hours that followed Adrian’s shocking revelations were clouded with urgency and tension. The cabin, once a refuge, now felt like a ticking time bomb. The forest surrounding them was silent, but inside, a storm brewed. Jake, Peter, and Adrian had only one thing on their minds: survival.
Jake sat at the worn, wooden table, his fingers tapping anxiously against the surface. His mind raced, spiraling between strategy and fear. They had two nights until the Malikov gala, and no matter how many plans they drafted, the threat felt insurmountable. On the surface, it was a lavish event, an opportunity for the Malikovs to cement their power. But beneath the surface, it was a trap. Vanessa was waiting for them, and she would use the gala to draw Peter into her web. To destroy him. To destroy all of them.
Peter stood by the window, his silhouette framed by the fading light. He stared out into the thick woods, though his eyes weren’t truly seeing. They were clouded with thoughts, memories, and regrets. He had been down this path before—times when he thought he was ahead of the game, only to be blindsided by the ruthless forces that had always sought to control him.
“I don’t get it,” Jake muttered, his voice breaking through the silence. “Adrian says Vanessa’s planning something big. But what if it’s more than just her manipulating us? What if the Malikovs are directly involved?”
Peter turned slowly, the weight of Jake’s words sinking in. He knew that the Malikovs weren’t people to underestimate. They didn’t just play the game—they owned it. And if Vanessa was looking to provoke them, she was walking a thin line. One wrong move, and she would no longer be in control.
“If the Malikovs get wind of this,” Peter said, voice low, “Vanessa won’t just be a liability—she’ll be expendable.”
“Which is why we need to be careful,” Adrian chimed in, his voice sharp with urgency. “We don’t know how deep the Malikovs are involved. But one thing’s for sure: if they decide to make a move, we’ll be caught in the crossfire.”
Jake sighed, rubbing his eyes. The pressure was suffocating, and for a moment, he wished he could just walk away from it all. But the reality was that Vanessa had dragged them all into her schemes, and now there was no way out.
Peter crossed the room, his footsteps measured and deliberate. “We’re not walking away. We’re going to face this head-on. But we can’t do it alone.”
“Who else can we trust?” Jake shot back, his voice tinged with frustration. “You heard Adrian—Vanessa’s pulling every string she can. I don’t think we can count on anyone outside this room.”
“I have someone,” Peter said, surprising both of them. He met Jake’s questioning gaze, then looked at Adrian. “An old friend. Someone who knows how to deal with people like the Malikovs. But I won’t reach out unless I know it’s our only option.”
Jake’s eyebrows furrowed. “An old friend? Are we talking about someone who might get us killed?”
Peter held his gaze, and for a moment, the tension between them felt thicker than it had ever been. The past few months had been a rollercoaster, and Jake had seen sides of Peter he hadn’t known existed. Trust was fragile between them, but in this moment, Jake couldn’t afford to doubt him.
“I trust this person,” Peter said, his voice steady. “But they’ll only help if they think we’re in real danger.”
“I don’t think that’ll be hard to convince them,” Jake muttered. “I’ve been feeling like we’re in real danger for a while now.”
Adrian stepped forward, his expression hardening. “We don’t have time for second-guessing. Every minute we waste is another minute that Vanessa gets to set the pieces in motion. We need to get ahead of her—figure out what she’s planning, who’s involved, and how we can shut it down before it’s too late.”
Peter nodded. “Agreed. I’ll make the call to my contact. In the meantime, we’ll start gathering intel. Adrian, you’re right. We need everything—the layout of the gala, the guest list, security protocols. Anything and everything.”
Adrian’s lips twitched into a small smirk. “I already started looking into it. It’s going to take time, but I can hack into the Malikovs’ systems and get us access to their private files. That’ll give us an edge.”
“Good,” Peter said. “We’ll need it. The Malikovs won’t just let us waltz into their territory without consequences.”
Jake’s eyes were heavy with the weight of their situation. The clock was ticking, and with every passing second, the walls seemed to close in tighter. The thought of the gala—the glittering event that was supposed to be the highlight of the Malikovs’ empire—now felt like a death trap.
“I just want to know,” Jake said, his voice low and reflective. “If we make it through this… what happens then? Where do we go from here?”
Peter’s eyes softened, a fleeting moment of vulnerability. “We take it one step at a time. Right now, it’s about survival. We can’t afford to think beyond that.”
Jake nodded, but the uncertainty gnawed at him. Survival. That was all they had left.
As Peter left to make his call, the silence that filled the room was palpable. Adrian resumed his task at the desk, furiously typing into his laptop. Jake watched him for a moment, his mind racing.
The man who had once been his ally was now a potential threat. And yet, Adrian was the only one who seemed to have a clear idea of what needed to be done. His mind was sharp, his instincts honed. Jake hated the fact that he needed Adrian right now, but he couldn’t deny the truth: they were running out of options, and Adrian was the only one who seemed to have the skills they needed.
Jake stood up, pacing the room. His hands were trembling, and he clenched them into fists to steady himself. The weight of the situation was unbearable, but he refused to break down. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.
He had to stay focused.
He had to stay strong.
The door creaked open, and Peter returned, his expression unreadable. Jake knew he had made the call. He knew the stakes had just gotten higher.
“Who is it?” Jake asked, his voice tight.
Peter’s eyes flicked over to Adrian. “My contact’s on board. We’ve got a shot at getting the intel we need before the gala. But there’s a catch.”
Adrian paused, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. “What kind of catch?”
Peter’s eyes narrowed. “The Malikovs aren’t the only ones watching us. We’ve got other eyes on us too. People who want to see us fail.”
Jake’s heart skipped a beat. “Who?”
Peter shook his head, his jaw clenched. “We don’t know yet. But I’m betting Vanessa’s behind it. She’s not done with us, not by a long shot.”
The room grew colder, the weight of Peter’s words hanging heavy in the air.
Jake swallowed, his throat dry. “Then let’s move fast. We don’t have time to waste.”
With the plan in motion, they had no choice but to face the truth: the clock was ticking, and the countdown to the gala had begun. The only question was—who would be left standing when the dust settled?
As Jake looked at Peter and Adrian, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The countdown to the gala wasn’t just about time. It was about survival. And in this game, survival meant everything.