Adrian didn't speak much as he examined the security system.
I followed every move, trying not to breathe too loud. Every beep, every red light, every camera angle burned into my mind.
"This place is a fortress," I whispered.
"Not impenetrable," he muttered, eyes scanning monitors. "Just… confident people built it."
I nodded. Confident people who didn't expect someone like me to fight back.
He finally looked at me. Close. Personal. That controlled gaze that made my heart both race and freeze.
"Listen carefully," he said, voice low. "When we move, it has to be precise. One mistake, we die. Understood?"
"Yes," I said immediately, though my hands trembled.
He studied me for a moment. "Good. You're learning fast."
I clenched my jaw. Learning fast? No. I've survived worse than this tonight.
Minutes later, the corridor outside our room was quiet. Too quiet.
I followed him silently as he crept toward the garage exit.
"Stay close," he whispered.
The hall was lined with cameras and guards that shifted every few seconds. His eyes flicked to every angle, calculating.
"You ready?" he asked.
I swallowed. "I'm ready."
He hesitated. For the first time tonight, he looked… human. Vulnerable.
"You know," he said softly, "you don't have to do this alone."
I glanced at him. His hand brushed mine briefly a grounding touch. Not romantic. Not comforting. Protective. And something else… dangerous.
"We move now," he said, voice snapping me back.
We slipped into the shadows. Silent. Efficient. My pulse raced with every step.
A guard appeared around the corner.
Adrian grabbed my arm and pulled me behind a column.
Gun drawn. Shot fired. One guard down. Another turned. We moved. Fast.
The garage door was in sight.
"Almost there," he whispered.
I forced my legs to keep pace. Heart pounding. Sweat slicking my palms.
Then alarm.
Red lights flashed. Sirens screamed.
"They know," Adrian muttered.
"We still make it?" I asked, voice trembling.
"Yes. But it's close."
A bullet hit the wall inches from my head. I flinched.
He pulled me forward. "Now!"
We reached the secondary tunnel. Hidden, narrow, unassuming. He keyed in a code. Door slid open.
Freedom? Almost.
The sound of footsteps echoed behind us. Too many. They followed.
He grabbed my wrist, yanking me into a shadowed corner.
"Don't move," he hissed.
I froze. My body rigid.
"They won't stop," he said quietly.
"We stop them," I said, heart racing.
His gaze locked on mine. Calculating. Fierce. Dark.
Then… he nodded.
And together, we stepped into the tunnel.