Chapter 147
Meanwhile, back at the control room, Jacob and Michael were working quickly to ensure they maintained control over the factory’s systems. The security cameras showed Alexander still grappling with Ariana, while Lily was leading Viola to safety.
Jacob scanned the monitors, but something caught his eye—a new alert flashing on the system. “This isn’t good,” he muttered.
Michael moved over to his side, glancing at the screen. “What is it?”
“There’s a whole section of the factory we haven’t accounted for. It looks like Ariana had a backup plan—an emergency escape route.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed. “She always has another card up her sleeve.”
“We can’t let her get away,” Jacob said, his fingers flying over the keyboard. “If she escapes, this whole thing could start over again.”
Michael grabbed his earpiece and called into the comms. “Caleb, do you copy?”
Caleb’s voice crackled through. “I hear you, what’s happening?”
“We just found an emergency exit route on the factory’s south side. Ariana’s likely planning to use it if she hasn’t already. You need to cut her off before she slips away.”
“Got it,” Caleb replied. “I’ll take a team and head that way. Keep me posted on her location.”
As Caleb rallied a few of the bodyguards, Lily and Viola finally made it out of the underground maze and emerged into the night air. Lily held Viola close, not wanting to let her out of her sight for even a moment.
“You did so well, sweetheart,” Lily whispered. “I’m so proud of you.”
Viola clung to her, exhausted but relieved. “I knew you’d come, Mom. I just knew it.”
Lily smiled through her tears, but the fight wasn’t over. She handed Viola to a waiting medic and turned back toward the factory, determination burning in her eyes. “I need to finish this,” she said to herself.
Nearby, Caleb’s team was sweeping the south side of the factory, their eyes peeled for any sign of Ariana. The area was eerily quiet, the shadows thick and foreboding. As they moved through the narrow alleyways, Caleb’s sharp eyes caught movement up ahead.
“There!” he shouted, pointing toward a figure slipping through a hidden door in the wall.
They bolted toward it, but by the time they reached the door, it was already closing. Caleb slammed his shoulder into it, forcing it open, only to find a long, dimly lit tunnel stretching out before them.
“She’s using the tunnels!” Caleb cursed under his breath. “Go, go, go!”
They sprinted down the passage, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the walls. But Ariana was fast, and she knew these escape routes better than anyone. She had planned for every contingency, and this tunnel was no exception. At the far end, a getaway vehicle was already waiting for her, its engine idling.
Just as Caleb and his team burst through the final door, they saw Ariana slipping into the car. One of the guards fired at the vehicle, but it was too late. The car sped off, disappearing into the night before they could get a clear shot.
“Damn it!” Caleb slammed his fist into the doorframe. “She’s gone.”
Back at the factory, Alexander was still catching his breath after the intense fight with Ariana. Samson, shaken but resolute, lowered his gun. He had chosen his side, and it wasn’t Ariana’s anymore.
“She’s going to try again,” Samson said quietly, looking at Alexander. “But it’s not over yet.”
Alexander wiped the blood from his lip, nodding. “I know. But we’ll find her. We always do.”
The tension in the air didn’t lift as they returned to regroup with the others. Though they had rescued Viola and reclaimed some control, Ariana was still out there. And as long as she was, the danger remained.
As dawn began to break over the horizon, Lily stood on a hill overlooking the factory. Her heart was heavy with the knowledge that the battle wasn’t over. Ariana had escaped, and no one knew where she would strike next.
But then, as if the universe had granted them a small reprieve, news broke over the media that no bodies had been found in the burning car earlier that night. The headlines blared across every news station: *No One Killed in Fiery Car Crash — Mysterious Woman Escapes Death Once Again.*
Alexander, now standing beside Lily, sighed with relief. “The world will know soon enough,” he said, as they watched the morning news unfold on a nearby screen. “Lily, she wasn’t in the car. Ariana knows, and now, everyone will.”
Lily nodded, her gaze fixed on the horizon. “It doesn’t matter where she runs, or how long it takes. We’ll find her.”
The quiet resolve in her voice said it all—this battle was far from over. And now, with the truth about Ariana’s deceit coming to light, it was only a matter of time before the final showdown took place.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
