Chapter 21 - The Shadow Outside the Gates
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The pale golden dawn flooded through the shattered basement windows, but the warmth of the rising sun did not reach the cold dread pooling in my stomach.
I stared at the glowing phone screen in my hand. The words burned into my retinas: I'm outside the gates, Ava. The police won't hold me forever. See you soon.
Ethan’s hand was still resting gently on my cheek, but he felt the sudden, violent tremor that ran through my body. His dark grey eyes narrowed instantly, his protective instincts flaring back to life.
"Ava?" Ethan asked softly, his thumb brushing away a stray tear. "What is it?"
Without a word, I turned the phone toward him.
Ethan’s gaze dropped to the screen. I watched the tenderness in his expression evaporate, replaced in a split second by a lethal, icy calm. His knuckles, bruised and bloody from striking Andrew, turned stark white as his hands clenched into fists.
"Lucas!" Ethan snapped, his voice ringing through the quiet server room like a gunshot.
Lucas, who had been leaning against a shattered terminal while Lena tended to a deep scrape on his forearm, straightened up immediately. He stroAction-striding across the debris-strewn floor, his tactical vest splattered with dust and drying blood.
"What do you need, boss?" Lucas asked, his eyes scanning the room for new threats.
"Track this signal right now," Ethan ordered, handing him my phone. "Dr. Vaughn just texted Ava from an encrypted satellite line. He’s somewhere on the perimeter of the estate."
Lucas swore under his breath, taking the phone and pulling an encrypted tablet from his belt. "The tactical teams secured the main gates, but the estate spans fifty acres along the river. If Andrew knew about the old drainage tunnels, he could be in the woods by now."
Lena stepped up beside Lucas, her suppressed pistol still gripped in her gloved hand. "The FBI thinks they have the area on lockdown, but Andrew helped design the server room's underground schematics. He knows the blind spots."
"Then we don't rely on the FBI," Ethan said coldly. He turned back to me, taking both of my hands in his. His touch was firm, grounding me amidst the rising panic. "He’s not getting near you again, Ava. I promise you."
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"Ethan, he’s desperate," I whispered, my voice raspy from the lingering pressure of Andrew's hands on my throat. "A desperate man with nothing left to lose is dangerous."
"So am I," Ethan replied, his dark eyes burning with fierce determination. "And I have everything to lose."
