The rain hadn’t stopped. It beat against the windows in violent waves, drowning out the last echoes of sirens that had taken Adrian Vale away.

Lena stood frozen in the doorway, her soaked clothes clinging to her skin, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Her palms were empty. The silver drive was gone.

Someone had taken it.

Her mind spun through the chaos of the last few minutes. Evelyn had vanished into the night. The police had come out of nowhere. And Adrian… Adrian was gone again, dragged away like a criminal.

She stumbled back into the living room. Blood still stained the floor. The overturned furniture, the shattered lamp, the broken glass—it looked like a war zone. Her stomach turned as she remembered Adrian’s last words.

Trust no one.

Her phone buzzed, jolting her. Unknown number.

She hesitated before answering. “Hello?”

Static filled the line, then a low voice. “Miss Hart. If you want to see him alive, don’t go to the police.”

Her heart froze. “Who is this?”

The line went dead.

Lena’s pulse raced. She glanced toward the window—through the curtain of rain, a shadow moved. Someone was watching her.

She grabbed her coat and the first set of car keys she could find on the table—Adrian’s—and bolted outside. The wind tore at her hair, and the cold rain stung her face as she ran toward the garage.

Adrian’s black sedan waited there, sleek and silent. She jumped inside, started the engine, and sped into the storm.

Every part of her screamed to stop—to go to the police, to tell them the truth—but she couldn’t. They had called Adrian by his real name. Adrian Voss. That meant someone inside the force knew who he really was.

And if they knew that, they weren’t planning to help him.

The city lights blurred through the rain. She tried to calm her breathing, to think. The last time she’d seen the drive, it was in her hand—until the officer grabbed her. That meant whoever took it was one of them.

Her phone buzzed again. A message this time.

Unknown Number: “Turn left at the next street. Don’t stop.”

Her grip on the wheel tightened. She hesitated—but something inside her whispered that whoever this was knew more than she did. She made the turn.

The road narrowed into an alley, lined with flickering lights and puddles deep enough to hide secrets.

At the end of the alley stood a figure in a dark coat.

Lena slowed, heart hammering. The figure didn’t move.

Then a hand lifted, signaling her to roll down the window.

She did, just enough to speak. “Who are you?”

The figure stepped closer. The hood fell back—and Lena’s breath caught.

It wasn’t Evelyn. It was a man. Mid-thirties. Sharp eyes, rain dripping down his stubble. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

“I’m Detective Cole Rivers,” he said quietly. “And if you want to survive the night, you’ll come with me.”

Lena frowned. “I don’t trust detectives anymore.”

He gave a humorless smile. “Good. That means you might live.”

Before she could respond, headlights flashed behind her. Two black SUVs turned into the alley, engines roaring.

Cole’s expression hardened. “Drive.”

She didn’t ask twice. Tires screeched as she reversed, spun the car, and tore back into the street. Bullets shattered her rear window.

Cole ducked, shouting over the chaos. “They’re not cops! Evelyn’s people—she must’ve intercepted the arrest order.”

Lena swerved hard, nearly hitting a parked car. “Where are we going?”

“Out of the city!” he shouted. “There’s a safehouse near the river.”

She gritted her teeth. “You’re sure this isn’t another trap?”

“If it was, you’d already be dead.”

The chase tore through the night. Rain blurred the world into streaks of light and shadow. The SUVs stayed close behind, their beams slicing through the darkness.

Lena’s knuckles turned white around the wheel. “Why are they after me?”

“Because of the drive,” Cole said. “It wasn’t just data—it was leverage. Names, accounts, bribes. Evelyn and Marcus were laundering money through Vale Enterprises. Adrian found out.”

Lena’s chest tightened. “He said it could destroy half the city.”

Cole nodded grimly. “He wasn’t exaggerating.”

A bullet hit the tire. The car lurched. Lena fought the wheel, swerving into an underpass. Sparks flew as the rim scraped the road.

Cole shouted, “Take the next turn!”

She did—straight into a dead end.

“Perfect,” she muttered.

Cole got out, pulling a gun from inside his coat. “Come on!”

Lena followed, ducking behind a concrete barrier. The SUVs stopped at the mouth of the alley. Men spilled out, guns raised.

Cole fired first, sharp and precise. One went down. Another ducked.

Lena’s pulse roared in her ears. “We’re outnumbered!”

“Not for long,” he said—and tossed her a small flash drive.

“What’s this?”

“The backup. He gave it to me before he was taken.”

Her heart skipped. “You knew Adrian?”

“I owed him,” Cole said. “He saved my life once. Told me if anything happened, find you.”

The words hit her like thunder. “Then you knew he was alive all this time.”

Cole’s jaw tightened. “You think that was my choice?”

Before she could answer, a car exploded nearby. The blast threw her back, the sound deafening. Smoke filled the alley.

Cole grabbed her arm. “We have to move!”

They ran through the chaos, ducking bullets and debris, until they reached a narrow fire escape. Cole climbed first, pulling her up after him. They reached the rooftop just as another explosion ripped through the lower floor.

Lena looked down. Flames reflected in her eyes. “They’ll kill him, won’t they?”

Cole didn’t answer. He looked toward the horizon, where faint lights flickered through the storm. “If they haven’t already.”

Lena turned on him. “Then we’re going after him.”

He shook his head. “That’s suicide.”

“I don’t care!” she shouted, tears mixing with rain. “He trusted me. He told me not to trust anyone—and I didn’t. But I’m not leaving him to die.”

Cole studied her for a moment, then sighed. “You sound just like him.”

“Then help me.”

He finally nodded. “Fine. But we’ll need to disappear first. Evelyn’s watching every road and camera in the city.”

“Where do we go?”

“There’s an old safehouse Adrian used near the docks. If he’s still breathing, that’s where he’ll try to reach.”

Lena swallowed hard, gripping the flash drive. “Then that’s where we’ll start.”

They climbed down the far side of the building and disappeared into the rain-soaked streets.

But as they reached the next block, Lena’s phone buzzed again. Another message.

Unknown Number: You shouldn’t have trusted him.

She froze, looking around the dark street. No one in sight—yet her stomach dropped.

Cole noticed her expression. “What is it?”

She showed him the screen.

His face went pale. “That number… it’s Evelyn’s.”

The phone buzzed again.

Another message appeared.

Unknown Number: Adrian’s already dead.

Lena’s breath caught. “No… she’s lying.”

Cole looked grim. “She’s trying to break you.”

The third message came instantly.

Unknown Number: Come to the pier if you want to see for yourself.

Lena’s heart pounded. Her fingers shook as she typed back, If you hurt him, I’ll—

But the reply came before she could finish.

Unknown Number: I already have.

The screen went dark.

Thunder rolled across the sky. Lena stared at the message, her reflection trembling in the cracked glass.

She didn’t know if it was a trap, or the truth. But one thing was certain—Evelyn wanted her there.

And Lena was going.

“Where now?” Cole asked.

She turned toward the storm. “The pier.”

Cole hesitated. “That’s suicide.”

Her eyes were cold now. “Then I’ll die trying.”

Lightning flashed behind her, outlining her figure in silver light as she walked into the rain, every step pulling her deeper into the darkness Adrian had tried to protect her from.