Their footsteps did not slow down.
That narrow alley was like an endless corridor dark, humid, filled with the smell of metal and leftover rain. Breaths were heavy, steps chasing each other, while the sound of gunfire still echoed from a distance.
Richard Blackwood was at the front.
His movements remained steady.
Calculated.
As if all of this was merely part of a routine he had memorized perfectly.
But his eyes.
Were sharper than usual.
Colder.
Because this was not just a mission.
This.
Touched something much deeper.
"Turn left!" shouted Daniel while looking at his device.
The small map flickered.
The signal was unstable.
But it was enough.
They turned.
Entering an even narrower alley.
Almost like a dead end.
"Seriously?" muttered Leonard Graves.
"Just trust me," replied Daniel quickly.
The boy behind them.
Was no longer speaking.
But his steps grew faster.
As if he knew something.
As if there was something pulling him.
Or.
Chasing him.
Suddenly.
The roar of an engine came from the end of the alley.
Car lights shone brightly.
Blinding.
Dazzling.
Leonard cursed.
"They cut us off!"
Richard did not stop.
"Keep moving forward."
The car sped up.
Fast.
Straight toward them.
Giving no room.
Giving no time.
Daniel froze for a split second.
But that was enough.
To change everything.
The boy.
Stopped.
His eyes widened.
As if seeing something others could not.
"Now..." he whispered.
And in one second.
Everything happened at once.
Richard leaped.
Pulling Daniel.
Leonard shot at the car's tires.
And the boy.
Stood in the middle.
Alone.
The car was about to hit him.
But.
It stopped.
Right in front of him.
As if crashing into something invisible.
The air around him vibrated.
The cables on the boy's body lit up.
Bright.
Brighter than ever before.
Daniel stared in shock.
"What is he do..."
Ethan.
Who still remained within the system.
Whispered softly.
"...he is blocking it..."
The car shook.
Its engine died.
The lights went out.
And in one second.
Everything went silent.
Silence fell.
But it did not last long.
Because the car doors opened.
And from inside.
People stepped out.
More of them.
More prepared.
More dangerous.
Richard was already moving again.
Pulling the boy behind him.
"Enough."
But the boy did not follow immediately.
His eyes were still fixed ahead.
"I can hold them off..."
"No," Richard cut in.
His tone was firm.
Leaving no room for argument.
"We get out."
Leonard was already firing again.
Holding them back.
"If you guys are done discussing, we are still being chased!"
Daniel pulled the boy.
This time.
He followed.
They ran again.
Faster.
Deeper into the alley.
But the boy's body was starting to weaken.
His steps were unsteady.
His breathing heavy.
Daniel noticed.
"He won't last much longer..."
Richard did not turn around.
But he slowed down slightly.
Just enough to ensure they stayed together.
Leonard at the back.
Kept resisting.
Shot after shot.
But the bullets were starting to run low.
"We need an exit now!"
Daniel looked at his device.
The signal.
Was almost gone.
"We are close... but..."
He stopped.
His expression changed.
"There is something ahead..."
Richard immediately sped up.
And in a few seconds.
They emerged from the alley.
Into a more open road.
Wider.
However.
Not safer.
Because over there.
Someone was already waiting.
A black car.
Doors open.
And a figure they knew.
Standing beside it.
Marcus Sterling.
Calm.
As if all of this was already according to plan.
Leonard stopped.
Raised his weapon.
"Him again."
Daniel gritted his teeth.
"He was never really far away."
Richard stepped forward.
Slowly.
Positioning himself in front.
Protecting the others.
Marcus looked at them.
His smile was thin.
"An interesting journey."
No one answered.
Because everyone knew.
This was not a conversation.
This.
Was the end of this phase.
Or the beginning of something worse.
Marcus took one step.
"Hand over the boy."
The silence instantly turned frozen.
Daniel immediately stood in front of the boy.
"That is not going to happen."
Leonard raised his weapon higher.
"Come and try to take him."
Marcus was not offended.
Not angry.
He just... sighed softly.
"It always has to be like this."
He raised his hand.
And with one movement.
The troops behind him got ready.
Dozens of weapons.
Aimed directly at them.
A deadlock situation.
No space.
No gap.
The boy stepped forward.
Slowly.
Daniel tried to stop him.
But he shook his head.
"I..."
He took a breath.
"...am the one they want."
Richard spoke immediately.
"You are not going."
His voice was cold.
Firm.
Non-negotiable.
The boy looked at him.
There was something like... emotion.
"I don't want to..."
He whispered.
"...but if I don't..."
"There is no 'if'," Richard cut in.
Leonard smirked slightly.
"I hate heroic moments. So we are not doing that."
Daniel nodded quickly.
"We will find another way."
Marcus observed them.
Silent.
But his eyes.
Were sharp.
Assessing.
"Your time is up."
He raised his hand slightly.
A small signal.
But enough.
The troops.
Prepared to fire.
That second felt long.
As if the world had stopped.
As if time was holding its breath.
And then.
Another sound was heard.
Sirens.
Distant.
But approaching.
Marcus stopped.
Glanced slightly.
Not for long.
But enough.
To make him think.
Leonard smiled widely.
"Finally someone is coming."
Daniel turned his head.
"Who is..."
But there was no answer.
Because attention returned to Marcus.
He looked at them.
One by one.
Then.
Smiled again.
Thinner.
Colder.
"We will meet again."
He turned around.
Got into the car.
His troops began to retreat.
In order.
Quickly.
Without panic.
As if this was indeed part of the plan.
Richard did not chase.
He just stood there.
Watching.
Until the car disappeared at the end of the road.
Silence fell again.
But this time.
It was different.
Heavier.
Deeper.
Daniel panted.
"We... survived..."
Leonard let out a long breath.
"For now."
The boy stood still.
His eyes staring in the direction where Marcus had vanished.
"I... am still connected..."
He whispered.
Richard turned.
"How strong?"
The boy did not answer immediately.
But his face.
Was enough to explain.
"Strong enough... for him to find us again."
The final silence of the night fell.
And this time.
No one felt safe.
Because they knew.
This was not over.
In fact.
It had only just begun.
And behind all of this.
Time kept moving forward.
Toward something they could not stop.
Toward.
The seconds that would change everything.