THE TRAP TURNS TIGHT

Samantha's POV Time appeared to slow down the minute the man entered the gateway. His shadow blocked our sole exit, the flashing red lights bathing him in an eerie glow. My breath seized in my throat as I identified the man before us—one of Royce's most reliable enforcers—someone I had sought to avoid at all possible. "Going somewhere?" His voice was icy, like a dagger piercing through the screaming alarms. He was tall, his wide physique covering the little area. His eyes were harsh, glinting with amusement as they landed on Alex, Lila, and at last on me. Though I could feel my pulse beating and panic biting at my insides, I tightened my hold on the revolver in my hand automatically. We had the data, but right now we were corned—trapped. Alex moved forward, his body stiffened ready for whatever was about to happen. Alex said, "Move," his voice low but deadly serious. His whole body coiled like a spring poised to snap, his eyes fixed on the man. The enforcer moved nothing. Rather, he laughed darkly, his arms crossing across his chest and he stepped forward. You truly do find it that simple? You enter Royce's estate, pilfer from him, and then leave as though nothing happened? Alex's jaw closed as his muscles started to ripple with tension. His displeasure was evident in the way he was methodically considering every conceivable result. He was not the kind to charge carelessly, but I could sense resentment boiling under the surface. "We don't want to hurt you," I answered, my voice remarkably consistent as the terror coursed through me. "We won't have a choice, though, if you do nothing." The man's smile grew wider and he moved forward, his eyes fixed on me. "You fail to understand, do you? You are not going to go. Royce prepared for this. He knew you were always on your way. Lila gasped a little behind me, her face losing color. His words' whole weight dropped over us, the trap becoming closer. Of course Royce had knowledge about. He had always been one step ahead, and just now we were working straight into his hands. "I don't care what Royce thinks," Alex said, his voice low and menacing. " Get out of our way." The enforcer shook his head slowly, a gleam of humorous sympathy in his eyes. "I doubt your grasp of the circumstances you find yourself in. Royce does not want your death. No, no; he is looking for something far worse. A chilly shudder went down my spine, the words of inference seeping in. Royce lacked interest in our life. He was after ultimate, indisputable control. He insisted on us not leaving. He wanted us wrecked, defeated, desperate. He aimed to wipe out every last bit of our remaining combat capability. We were not, however, providing him with that gratification. Alex sprang forward without unexpectedly, his punch squarely striking the enforcer's jaw. Clearly not anticipating the abrupt strike, the man staggered back. Gun lifted as we approached the door, I moved fast, stepping beside Alex. Though the battle was not finished, we had to leave before more Royce's men showed up. Recovering fast, the enforcer used the back of his palm to wipe the blood from his lip. His smile vanished, replaced with a frigid, fatal concentration. "Notable error." He shot Alex, and their collision was with terrible force. Alex dodged the enforcer's strikes, his motions crisp and exact. He was faster. But the man was robust—stronger than I had expected—and with every strike, the weight of what was at risk seemed to thicken the air. Trying to get a clean shot, I raised my gun, but the two men were embroiled in a savage struggle. As I saw my hands shake, terror tightened its hold around my chest. This was survival, not merely a fight. Lila stood still behind me, terrified wide-eyed. She was not meant for this, and I could see panic all over her face. We had to move quickly; else, we would not be leaving this planet. I hissed, lila, my voice harsh. "Run! Look for still another escape route! She stopped, her eyes darting between me and the struggle playing out in front of her. I could sense the inner struggle she was engaged in—fear against survival. Though she realized she would be a liability if she stayed, she did not want to leave us behind. "I cannot simply—" Go! I grabbed, my voice more sharp than I meant. "We'll catch up!". At last Lila nodded, her face white, and ran down the hall, vanished into the shadows. Heart thumping in my chest, I glanced back to Alex and the enforcer. Alex gave the man a powerful blow to the gut, but the enforcer hardly . Alex staggered back, catching himself just before he touched the ground as he swung fiercely back. I couldn't wait any more. I leveled my gun, waiting for a clean shot with quivering hands. As Alex ducked and weaved, time seemed to stretch out agonizingly, his motions growing more frenzied as the fight wore on. At last I noticed an opening—a fleeting second in which the enforcer turned her back. I clicked the trigger. The enforcer slumped to the ground grasping his leg where the bullet had struck as the sound of the gunfire reverberated across the corridor. His face twisted in wrath, he let out a roar of suffering, but it was enough. Alex was already going, grabbing my hand as we shot for the door. Alex remarked, his voice choked as we hurried down the hall, "We don't have much time." "More of them will be arriving. Twice of telling was not necessary. As we raced throughout the hallways, the alarms still shrieking in the background, my legs burned. Every angle we turned seemed like a risk, every shadow a possible hazard. We now had only an urgent need to go; we had no plan. At last we erupted into the wide air, the fresh night breeze slapping my face. The vast estate grounds opened out before us, but the exit still was far distant. Lila, with a pale and nervous face, was waiting for us at the gate. Her voice quivering, she said, "Did you get it?" Alex nodded, holding up the little drive with the program we had risked all for. We got it. We must, however, move. Not now. Lila nodded fast while keying in the gate's code with shaky hands. It clicked open, and we fled, my heart pounding as we headed to the rendezvous point—where the automobile was waiting. I let myself flutter with a fleeting hope for a moment. We had established it. We had the program. We were given an opportunity. But as we arrived at the car, someone emerged from the darkness once more obstructing our route. When I identified him, my heart fell. Royces. He stood there, cool under pressure, as though he had known us all along. His eyes sparkled with laughter, a gradual smile over his face. "Well done, Samantha," he murmured, his voice silky and sarcastic. But did you really believe it would be that simple? His stare landed on me, cold and precise, and I felt weight. Royce moved slowly forward, his eyes never leaving my pulse. "This is just the beginning," he replied gently, his smile growing. "You still have work to do." Realizing we had entered his trap straight ahead, my stomach turned with horror.