Hanna paced back and forth in her living room, her mind racing as she tried to calm the panic surging through her. She had just barely gotten through to Emily, and the worst part was that she still didn’t know where she was. The unknown number had made it clear they were playing with her—playing with all of them.
You’re running out of time. Choose wisely, or you’ll lose everything.
Hanna could feel the weight of that message pressing on her chest, suffocating her. She glanced nervously out the window, expecting to see something move in the darkness. She checked her phone again. No new messages. No word from Emily.
Her fingers hovered over the screen. Should she call Elordi? He had been the one to give her the information that had helped them fight Ciara. But now, with everything escalating, she wasn’t sure who to trust anymore. She’d been so close to unraveling everything, and now, it felt like the whole plan was falling apart.
What if we’re too late?
Hanna tried to shake the thought from her mind. She couldn’t afford to waste time. She needed Emily to get to safety.
The front door creaked open, and Hanna’s heart leapt into her throat as she turned, expecting Emily. Instead, it was Finn.
“I couldn’t stay away,” he said quietly, his eyes filled with concern and something else—something that looked like fear. His hand was still on the doorframe, his posture tense. “Hanna, what’s going on? What’s really happening?”
Hanna opened her mouth to speak, but the words didn’t come. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to drag him deeper into this chaos, but he had to know.
“There’s someone watching us, Finn. It’s not just Ciara anymore. Someone else is pulling the strings. They sent me a photo of Emily—she’s in danger, and I don’t know how to stop it.” Her voice cracked at the end, the weight of the situation making her feel small.
Finn stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. “We’ll figure this out. Together.”
His voice was firm, but there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes—he could see that Hanna was already overwhelmed, and the fear of losing her was just as real for him as the fear she was feeling now.
“Have you heard from her?” Finn asked, his voice tight.
“No,” Hanna said, her chest tightening. “She’s supposed to be coming here, but she hasn’t texted me yet.”
“I’ll go after her,” Finn said, moving toward the door. “You stay here, and I’ll get her.”
“No, Finn,” Hanna’s voice was sharp, panic flooding her veins. “I can’t lose anyone else. Please—please stay with me. If we separate, we won’t stand a chance.”
Finn hesitated at the door, his hand still on the handle. He turned back to her, his face a mixture of concern and determination. “Okay. I’ll stay.”
They both sat on the couch, waiting. The tension between them felt heavy, but Hanna could feel the connection between them, stronger than ever. She knew, without a doubt, that they were in this together, even as the world outside threatened to swallow them whole.
Minutes felt like hours. Her phone remained silent.
Finally, a text came through. It was from Emily.
I’m almost there. Don’t let them get to me, Hanna. Please.
Hanna exhaled in relief, but the fear didn’t fade. She clutched the phone tightly, staring at the screen. She couldn’t let her guard down, not for a second.
Minutes passed, and Hanna’s mind kept racing, thoughts scattered with every shadow that passed by the window. She couldn’t sit still any longer.
Just as she stood to pace again, the doorbell rang.
Her heart skipped a beat. She rushed to the door, opening it slowly, her breath held.
Emily stood there, breathless, her eyes wide with fear.
“Emily!” Hanna exclaimed, pulling her inside quickly. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“I don’t know, Hanna,” Emily gasped, still trying to catch her breath. “I—someone’s been following me, watching me. I thought I lost them, but I don’t know.”
Hanna turned to Finn, who was already moving to lock the door behind them. His gaze flickered from Emily to Hanna, a silent understanding passing between them.
“We need to be smart about this,” Finn said quietly, his hand still resting on the doorknob. “If they’re watching, we can’t give them another reason to strike.”
Hanna nodded, her head spinning. They had made it this far, but the worst was still ahead. They weren’t just fighting for their future anymore. They were fighting to stay alive.