Chapter 174
As dawn broke, casting a pale light over the city, Alexander, Lily, Maxwell, and Caleb arrived at the old construction site. The place was desolate, its skeletal structures looming like forgotten giants. A chill hung in the air, mixing with the scent of wet concrete. They parked a distance away, hidden behind a cluster of trees, and began to assess the area.
Lily, clutching a pair of binoculars, scanned the site. “It looks deserted, but we can’t take any chances. The Architect is known for his traps.”
Maxwell adjusted his earpiece, nodding toward a narrow entry point. “We should split up—cover more ground. Caleb and I will take the south side. You and Alexander can cover the northern perimeter.”
Alexander agreed, but there was a lingering tension as the pairs split off into the early morning shadows. He caught a glimpse of Caleb’s expression—a look he couldn’t quite decipher. He filed it away in the back of his mind, knowing that doubt could mean the difference between life and death.
As they moved deeper into the abandoned site, Lily’s phone buzzed. It was a text from one of their police contacts, sent directly to her encrypted line: *Tracking movement near your location. Be on alert.*
She showed the message to Alexander, and they exchanged a knowing look. They continued forward with increased caution, every step feeling like it could trigger a hidden trap.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from the darkness. Alexander signaled to Lily to stay back as he moved forward, his hand on his weapon. He turned a corner, expecting to find one of The Architect’s henchmen—but instead, he was face to face with Ariana.
Her eyes darted around, wild with fear, her clothes disheveled. “I didn’t come to fight,” she said quickly, her hands raised in surrender. “I’m alone.”
Alexander didn’t lower his weapon, keeping a wary eye on her. “Why should I believe you? Last time we met, you tried to kill us.”
Ariana swallowed, glancing behind her as if expecting to be followed. “Things have changed. The Architect... he’s planning something bigger than you realize. I tried to warn Carolina, but she wouldn’t listen.”
Lily stepped up beside Alexander, her expression skeptical. “You’re saying you turned against him? Why?”
Ariana’s face twisted with anger. “Because he betrayed me. He used my mother as a pawn and then abandoned her the moment she wasn’t useful. And now he’s planning to destroy anyone who gets in his way—even his own allies.”
Alexander shared a quick glance with Lily, unsure whether to trust Ariana’s words. But before they could question her further, a loud explosion echoed across the site, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
“What was that?” Lily shouted, scanning the area frantically.
Ariana’s face paled. “He’s here. He knew you’d come. He set the charges to bring this whole place down.”
***
Meanwhile, on the south side of the site, Maxwell and Caleb were moving through the narrow hallways of an unfinished building. The air was thick with dust, and every creak of the metal beams set their nerves on edge. Caleb moved ahead, scanning the area with a flashlight, when a subtle beeping sound caught his attention.
Maxwell followed the sound to a small, blinking device hidden beneath a stack of debris. His heart sank as he recognized it—another explosive. “Caleb, we need to move. He’s rigged this place.”
But as he turned, he caught the flicker of something in Caleb’s expression—a momentary hesitation. A chill ran down Maxwell’s spine. “Caleb... why didn’t you warn us?”
Caleb’s face shifted, guilt mingling with resolve. “I had no choice, Maxwell. He has something on me—something that would ruin my family if it got out. I thought I could manage it, but I was wrong.”
Maxwell’s grip tightened around his weapon, but he didn’t raise it. “You’ve put us all in danger, Caleb. How could you?”
Before Caleb could respond, another explosion rocked the building, sending a cloud of debris crashing down between them. Maxwell stumbled back, barely avoiding a falling beam, and the two were separated by a wall of rubble.
Caleb’s voice called out through the dust, sounding desperate. “I’m going to make this right, Maxwell! I swear it!”
Maxwell coughed, trying to clear the dust from his lungs. “You’d better, or none of us are making it out of here alive.”
***
Back on the north side, Alexander, Lily, and Ariana were running for cover as the explosions continued, sending metal and concrete raining down around them. They took refuge behind a large pillar, the structure barely holding against the shaking ground.
Ariana panted, her face streaked with dust. “He’s going to blow this place to pieces and take us down with it. If you don’t trust me, fine—but at least trust that I don’t want to die today.”
Alexander’s mind raced as he weighed their options. He turned to Lily, his voice urgent. “We have to find Maxwell and Caleb. If we can’t disarm the explosives, we’ll have to find a way out before the whole place comes down.”
Lily nodded, but she kept a wary eye on Ariana. “If you’re lying, you won’t make it out of here either.”
Ariana met her gaze, a defiant spark in her eyes. “I’m not lying. But if you want to survive this, we need to work together—even if it’s just this once.”
Alexander made a quick decision, handing Ariana a spare weapon. “Alright, let’s move. But try anything, and I’ll end this myself.”
With the ground trembling beneath their feet, the three of them moved deeper into the crumbling site, the danger of The Architect’s traps around every corner. As the explosions continued, a new question lingered in Alexander’s mind—how deep did The Architect’s network go, and how many of their allies were secretly working against them?
And back in the shadows, watching through hidden cameras, The Architect allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. The pieces on the board were finally moving the way he wanted. And the final phase of his plan was just beginning.
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