Chapter 58

Chapter Fifty-Eight

The SUV sped along the highway. Trees blurred by as dark shapes on either side. Inside, the tension hung thick. Fiona's knuckles were white on the steering wheel as her heart pulsed to the aftermath of the explosion. It had thrown them all off kilter, and the silence in the vehicle was heavy with unspoken for Emma.

Victor sat in the passenger seat, his eyes riveted to the road ahead, though his mind strayed elsewhere. He had seen the explosion in his rearview mirror; it was all that he could do to keep his focus. Julian was in the back, his eyes turned toward the window, reeling with possibilities in his head and worrying about Emma.

Kian broke the silence first. "We need to circle back."

Fiona's gaze flicked to the rearview mirror, meeting Kian's reflection. His face was hard, and determined, and there was no mistaking the urgency in his voice.

"You must be out of your mind," Victor snapped, his voice sharp. "That place is swarming with Cross's men. We barely got out alive."

"Emma's still in there," Kian shot back, his tone defiant. "We can't just leave her."

"She knew the risks," Julian said quietly, though the words seemed to be as much for himself as for the others. "We all did."

Fiona swallowed, the muscles in her throat tightening. All of her instincts were screaming at her to turn around, go back and find Emma, make sure she was safe. But then there was that logical part of her mind, that had kept them alive thus far, which knew it wasn't that simple.

"If we go back now, we're walking into a trap," Fiona said, trying to sound steady despite the turmoil inside her. "Cross's men will be all over that place. We won't stand a chance."

Kian clenched his fists, jaw tight. "So, what? We just leave her to die?"

"No one said anything about leaving her," Fiona replied firmly. "But we need a plan. Charging back in there without one is suicide. Emma wouldn't want that."


Julian shifted in his seat, the weight of their situation pressing down on him. "We have to assume Cross knew we were coming. He was ready for us. That explosion… it wasn't just random. It was a message."

"A message to who?" Victor asked, his voice dark.

Julian met Victor's gaze. "To us. To anyone who tries to take him down. He's not going to go down easy, and he wants us to know it."

Fiona's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "We regroup. We figure out our next move, and then we go after Cross. But we do it smartly. We do it right. For Emma."

Silence hung heavy, the weight of the words sinking in. Finally, Victor nodded his head, expression grim, but resolute. "We're not done yet."

Kian exhaled slowly, tension in him easing just slightly. "Agreed. But we have to make it fast. Cross won't stand around waiting for us to recover."

Fiona nodded, her mind already racing with their options. "We'll get back to the safe house, regroup, and make contact with the rest of the team. We need to know what we're up against."

Victor glanced at the dashboard. "We've got about twenty minutes before we reach the safe house. Once we're there, we'll need to move quickly."

Julian leaned forward, voice low. "And if Emma made it out, she'll be heading there too. We need to be ready.".

The tension inside was as thick as the darkness outside. Inside that speeding SUV, Fiona's heart went out to Emma, to the friend and ally who had just placed herself on the line for them. But she knew that emotion couldn't guide what they did at this moment. They had to be smart and strategic. It was the only way to survive.

The closer they got to the safe house, the forest opened to a secluded clearing. The building itself was dark, nestled among trees, barely visible in the silhouette of the moonlight. Fiona slowed the SUV down, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of danger.

Victor was out first, weapon at ready as he surveyed surroundings. "Clear."

The others strung out after him, their footsteps guarded as they reached the door. Kian went to the keypad, where he swiftly punched in the code that would disarm the security system. The door unlocked with a quiet click, and they slipped inside, shutting it behind them.

The safe house was a world of difference from what they had just left. Aside from the soft hum given off by the generator, it was almost eerily quiet there. It was meager, functional, all wired for use rather than comfort.

Fiona took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing nerves. "We have to get in touch with the others. If Cross is on to us, we need to know what we're up against."  
 
Julian was already moving toward the communications station, his fingers dancing across the board as he called up their secure network. "I'll check on our surveillance status. If Cross has made any kind of move, we'll know."

Victor moved into place beside the window, on lookout. "We need to be prepared for anything at this point. Cross will not stop until he's wiped us all out."

Still looking edgy, Kian moved into position beside Fiona. "I'll get in touch with my team. We'll need their support if we're going after Cross again.

Fiona nodded gratefully for Kian's presence. All said and done, he had turned out to be quite an ally, and she realized that without him, they couldn't do this.

As Kian stepped aside to make his call, a wave of exhaustion washed over Fiona. But she could not give in to the need to rest, not yet. They had to find Emma. They had to finish what they started.

The screen on the comms station flickered to life, and Julian leaned in, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the data. "I've got something. There's movement near the warehouse. It's. Emma."

Fiona's heart leaped. "Is she okay?"

Julian hesitated, his eyes focused on the screen. "She's injured, but she's moving. She's heading our way.

Fiona felt relief wash through her, only to be brought back to the reality of the situation. "We have to get her back here. Victor, get the med kit ready."

Victor nodded and dashed off to collect the supplies.

Kian hung up the phone and came back into the group, dropping his expression to one that was very severe. "My team is on their way. They will be here in 10."

Fiona's mind was already racing at the possibilities. Emma was injured, but she was alive. That was all that mattered. But Cross was still out there, and they couldn't afford to let their guard down.

Julian turned from the screen, expression grim. "We need to be ready for anything. If Cross is making his move, we're going to fight with our hands."

Fiona nodded, determination hardening her resolve. "We'll be ready.

They worked fast, turning the safe house into a stronghold, but all Fiona could think about was Emma. They had been through too much together, and she wasn't about to lose her now.

The minutes ticked by. The tension grew. They were on high alert, every little sound making them jump. Then the security system beeped, signaling someone approaching the perimeter.

"It's Emma," Julian confirmed, relief in his voice. "She's almost here."

Fiona rushed to the door, her heart in her throat as she waited for the signal. When it came, she opened the door, and there was Emma, battered and bloodied but alive.

"Emma!" Fiona cried, rushing to her side.

Emma could raise a weak smile, her voice hoarse. "Took you long enough."

Fiona and Victor helped her inside, easing her down to the couch as Kian grabbed the medical kit. Julian quickly locked down the safe house, ensuring they were secure.

"You're safe now," Fiona said softly, brushing a strand of hair from Emma's face. "We've got you."

Emma winced as Victor began treating her wounds. "Cross… he's not done. He's regrouping, getting ready to hit us again.

"We know," Kian said firmly. "But we're ready for him."

Emma's eyes were heavy with exhaustion, but there was a fire in them that hadn't been there before. "We finish this, Fiona. For good."

Fiona squeezed her hand, her resolve stronger than ever. "We will. Together."

As she'd settled in to gear up for whatever was coming, Fiona knew it wasn't over. But with her team at her back, she was ready to stand against whatever Cross threw at them. They were stronger together, and this time, they wouldn't stop until they took him down.