Fated Love: A Tale of Destiny

Chapter 0014: A Fight for Survival 

The engines outside roared louder, the unmistakable sound of multiple SUVs pulling up. Alexander exchanged a look with Ethan, both understanding that they had only minutes before the attack began.

Ethan quickly yanked the hard drive from his computer and stuffed it into a small, protective case. "We can't let them get this," he said urgently. "It's the only leverage we have."

Alexander nodded, already moving. He checked his gun, ensuring a full clip, then grabbed an extra from the table. "There's a back exit, right?"

Ethan shook his head. "Blocked. Only way out is through the front."

A heavy thud rattled the door. The goons outside weren't going to wait for an invitation.

Alexander positioned himself near the window and stole a quick glance. Men in dark tactical gear were surrounding the hideout. Sebastian wasn't playing around anymore.

Ethan cursed under his breath. "We can't take all of them."

Alexander exhaled sharply. "Then we don't. We create a diversion."

He pulled a smoke grenade from his belt—something he always carried for emergencies. He turned to Ethan. "On my mark, run for the alleyway. I'll cover you."

Another loud bang against the door. They were seconds away from breaking in.

Alexander yanked the pin and tossed the grenade toward the entrance. Smoke exploded into the room, filling it with a thick gray haze.

"Go!" he shouted.

Ethan bolted, gripping the hard drive like his life depended on it. Alexander followed close behind, firing blindly toward the door as it burst open. Bullets whizzed past them, embedding into the walls. The gunfire was deafening.

They burst into the alley, only to find another set of men waiting for them.

"Down!" Alexander yelled, shoving Ethan behind a dumpster as bullets rained down.

He fired back, hitting one of the men in the shoulder. The others ducked for cover, giving them a precious few seconds.

A black sedan suddenly screeched to a stop at the alley entrance. The back door flew open.

"In! Now!" A familiar voice rang out.

Alexander didn't hesitate. He grabbed Ethan and dove into the car. The tires screeched as they sped away, leaving Sebastian's men behind in a cloud of dust.

Ethan panted, gripping the hard drive to his chest. "Who the hell—"

Alexander looked up, his eyes narrowing at the driver.

It was Claire.

She smirked through the rearview mirror. "Miss me?"

Shadows of the Past

The black sedan weaved through the midnight streets, the city lights flashing past in streaks of gold and crimson. The tension in the car was thick, an unspoken weight pressing down on all three of them.

Alexander's mind was racing. Claire. The woman he had loved, the woman he had lost. Now, she was here, rescuing him from certain death. But why? And more importantly—how did she even know where to find him?

Ethan finally broke the silence. "Okay, what the hell is going on?"

Claire glanced at him through the rearview mirror, a smirk playing at her lips. "Still the paranoid one, I see."

Ethan scoffed. "Paranoia keeps us alive."

Alexander leaned forward, his voice low and demanding. "Claire, you need to tell me what's going on. How did you know where we were?"

She sighed, keeping her eyes on the road. "Because I never stopped watching, Alex."

His jaw clenched. "That's not an answer."

She hesitated for just a fraction of a second before taking a sharp turn into an underground parking garage. The car came to a screeching halt, the tires skidding slightly. Claire killed the engine and turned to face them.

"I've been keeping tabs on Sebastian for months," she admitted. "And I knew the moment you stole that case, he'd come after you."

Ethan shook his head. "Wait, wait, wait—you've been spying on him? Since when?"

Claire's gaze darkened. "Since the day he tried to kill me."

The words hit Alexander like a punch to the gut. "What?"

Claire took a deep breath. "After I left, I thought I was free. But Sebastian had other plans. He sent men after me, tried to erase me completely. I barely made it out alive."

Alexander's hands curled into fists. He had thought she was gone by choice, that she had disappeared from his life without explanation. But now—now, everything was different.

She looked at him, her voice softer now. "Alex, I had to disappear. If I didn't, he would have used me against you."

He swallowed hard, emotions warring within him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Claire's expression was pained. "Because I didn't want you to come after me. You had enough to deal with."

Ethan interrupted, his tone urgent. "Alright, as much as I love this emotional reunion, we have bigger problems. Sebastian is not going to stop. He'll keep hunting us until he gets that hard drive."

Claire nodded. "Which is exactly why we need to use it against him."

Alexander narrowed his eyes. "You know what's on it, don't you?"

She hesitated before nodding. "It's not just a list of transactions or illegal dealings. It's evidence of something far worse—something that could bring down not just Sebastian, but an entire network of corrupt officials."

Ethan's fingers twitched. "We need to decrypt it."

Claire reached into her pocket and pulled out a small USB drive. "I already have the key."

Alexander stared at her. "You planned all of this, didn't you?"

She met his gaze, unwavering. "I wasn't going to let him win."

Before Alexander could respond, the sound of tires screeching above them echoed through the parking structure. Their moment of safety was gone.

Claire cursed. "They found us."

Ethan grabbed the hard drive, his voice sharp. "We need to move. Now."

Alexander reached for his gun. "Then let's finish this."

As the first set of footsteps pounded toward them, he realized—this wasn't just about survival anymore. This was about justice.

And he was ready to burn everything down to get it.

The Final Stand

The parking garage exploded into chaos as the first wave of Sebastian's men stormed in. The echo of gunfire bounced off the concrete walls, sending a tremor through the underground structure.

Alexander ducked behind a pillar, his grip tightening on his gun. Claire was crouched beside him, her breath steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Ethan, gripping the hard drive like a lifeline, scrambled to cover behind a parked SUV.

"We're outnumbered," Ethan muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Claire reloaded her weapon. "Doesn't mean we're outgunned."

Alexander peeked around the pillar, counting at least a dozen armed men moving in tactical formation. They weren't just street thugs—these were professionals. Sebastian had pulled out all the stops.

"We need to break through," he said. "They'll trap us if we stay here."

Claire nodded. "I have an idea."

Before Alexander could question her, she moved, rolling out of cover and firing two quick shots. Both hit their marks, dropping two of Sebastian's men instantly. The rest of them immediately turned their focus on her.

That was all the opening Alexander needed.

He sprinted toward Ethan, grabbing his arm and hauling him toward the exit ramp. Bullets ricocheted around them as they moved, but Alexander's only focus was getting out. Claire followed closely, covering their backs with precise shots.

"We're not going to make it to the car," Ethan gasped.

Alexander scanned their surroundings, his mind racing. Then he spotted it—a maintenance tunnel near the far wall.

"There!" he pointed. "We can lose them inside."

Claire didn't hesitate. She darted toward the tunnel entrance, kicking the door open as Alexander and Ethan followed. The moment they were inside, she slammed it shut behind them.

The tunnel was dark and narrow, the damp scent of underground cement filling their nostrils. It led to a winding staircase that seemed to spiral deeper beneath the city.

"Where does this go?" Ethan asked between gasps.

Claire took the lead. "It connects to the old subway lines. If we can reach the abandoned station, we might find another way out."

Behind them, the door rattled as Sebastian's men tried to force it open. They didn't have much time.

Alexander grabbed Ethan's shoulder. "Move. Now."

They descended into the darkness, their footsteps echoing through the tunnel. Every step took them deeper into the unknown—but there was no turning back now.

The final battle was just beginning.

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(TO BE CONTINUED...)