Zane’s POV

The drive to the site is the longest drive of my life.

Nobody talks muc because every single person in the convoy is thinking the exact same thing.

Elaine.

The convoy cuts through the darkness of the night, headlights illuminating stretches of abandoned roads and overgrown brush.

My fingers tap restlessly against my thigh, I haven’t stopped thinking about her. Not for a second, not since I found out she was gone.

Every horrible possibility keeps forcing its way into my head and every single thought makes me grip my gun a little tighter.

I stare out the window as the site finally comes into view.

The moment I see it, a strange feeling settles in my stomach. This place, even after all these years it still feels wrong.

The convoy comes to a stop a safe distance away, engines shutting off one after another.

I step out of the vehicle, the cool night air hits my face.

Lucas joins me.....Noah and Caleb aren’t far behind.

Around us, security teams begin preparing, everyone moving with purpose as I study the factory again.

The place is massive, far bigger than I remembered. If Thomas is inside with Elaine...finding them won’t be easy.

"What’s the plan?" Lucas asks.

I turn toward him.

"You’re staying outside."

His eyebrows immediately pull together.

"What?"

"You’re staying outside."

His expression darkens.

"The hell I am."

"Yes, you are."

"Zane....."

I step closer.

"If this goes wrong, somebody has to be outside."

He opens his mouth to argue but I don’t let him.

"If Thomas realizes we’re here, he might move her."

Lucas’ jaw tightens.

I continue.

"If something happens inside, somebody has to be ready to get Elaine out."

His eyes narrow.

"You think I’m letting you walk in there alone?"

"I’m not alone."

I glance toward the security teams.

"I’ll take a few men."

"No."

"Lucas."

The single word comes out harder than intended and for a moment neither of us speaks.

Then finally he exhales sharply.

He doesn’t like it and I don’t blame him but he knows I’m right.

"Fine," he mutters.

I nod.

"If things go sideways, you move immediately."

His eyes meet mine.

"And if things go sideways for you?"

I force a small smile.

"They won’t."

Neither of us believes that...not really but we’re both choosing not to say it.

I turn toward the gathered security teams.

"Listen up."

Immediately every eye turns toward me and I pull out a rough layout of the property.

"The site’s too large to search as one unit."

I point at different sections.

"Warehouse."

"Administration block."

"Storage facilities."

"Basement entrances."

I assign teams quickly.

Each group gets a section, each team gets communication frequencies, emergency protocols and fallback positions.

Nobody interrupts, noobody asks questions.

By the time I’m done, everyone knows exactly where they’re going.

I look around one last time.

"Find my wife."

A chorus of nods follows.

Then everyone moves...the operation begins.

——

The factory feels different once you’re inside, it’s worse, so much worse.

The darkness swallows everything as my flashlight cuts through dust-filled air.

Every step echoes and every creak sounds too loud.

I keep my gun raised as I move through a long corridor with two men following behind me both armed and alert.

Broken machinery litters the floor, rust stains the walls.....somewhere water drips steadily.

The sound echoing through the building.

I pause briefly...listening but there’s Nothing, just silence. The kind of silence that makes your skin crawl.

I move forward again but my radio crackles.

"Sector three clear."

Another voice.

"Nothing in the eastern warehouse."

Then silence returns as I continue searching.

Room after room, haallway after hallway.

Nothing.

No signs of Elaine, no signs of Thomas.

My frustration grows with every passing minute. Where the hell are they? My phone feels heavier in my pocket.

The memory of Elaine’s last smile flashes through my mind. The way she looked at me, the way she rolled her eyes whenever I fussed over her.

A sharp ache settles in my chest.

God.

I should’ve protected her better, I should’ve seen Thomas sooner, I should’ve...

No. Not now, the self-hatred can come later.

First I find her.

Then I can hate myself all I want.

A shout suddenly comes through the radio.

"Movement."

Every muscle in my body tightens.

"What kind of movement?" I bark.

Silence.

Then.....

"Negative."

A pause.

"False alarm."

I curse under my breath, my pulse slowly settlingg.

Barely.

We continue deeper into the factory, the building seems endless, like a maze built by someone who hated people.

Every corridor leads to three more and every room opens into another.

The deeper we go, the more uneasy I become, soomething isn’t right.

Thomas is smart.

Too smart.

If he brought Elaine here...Would he really make it this easy?

No.

My instincts scream at me, something about this feels wrong.

A trap, a distraction or maybe.....My thoughts are interrupted by another radio call.

"Sir."

I immediately grab the radio.

"What?"

"We found signs of recent activity."

My pulse jumps.

"Where?"

"South wing."

I start moving immediately....so fast the men behind me struggle to keep up as my boots pound against concrete floors.

The radio continues crackling.

"Fresh footprints."

My heart starts hammering.

"Keep talking."

"Vehicle tracks too."

For the first time tonight, hope hits me...reall hope. Maybe we’re finally getting somewhere.

Mayb.....Then another voice cuts in, sounding urgent and tense. .

"Sir."

I stop.

Every instinct immediately on high alert.

"What?"

A pause.

Then:

"You need to see this."

I exchange a look with the men beside me and suddenly every nerve in my body is screami.

Because whatever they found...i already know I’m not going to like it.

Elaine’s POV

The moment Aria finishes checking that Thomas is really gone, she turns to me..

"Move your hands," she whispers.

I blink.

"What?"

"Your wrists."

Within seconds she’s working at the ropes with surprising confidence.

"Since when do you know how to untie knots like tha?" I ask.

She gives me a look.

"Since I spent years trying to escape."

She works abit then a few moments later the rope falls away completely and relief floods through me.

"Oh thank God."

I rub my aching wrists immediately. The skin there is red and irritated from being tied up for so long.

Aria helps me to my feet.

The sudden movement makjing the room tilt slightly.

I place a hand on my stomach instinctively, please be okay.Please.

"Easy," Aria says quietly.

I nod.

"I’m okay."

That is a complete lie, i feel exhausted, hungry and terrified but right now none of that matters.

We need to get out.

"What’s the plan?" I ask.

"We escape through a window a few doors from here..issue is we are in the third floor."

"Are you insane?"

"What?"

"We’re on the third floor!."

"Oh."

"Oh?" I repeat.

She winces.

"Right."

"Right?"

The drop is enormous, absolutely not.

"Nope."

"Elaine....."

"I am pregnant."

I turn toward her.

"I know it’s only been a few weeks but there is absolutely no way I’m jumping from a third-floor window and risking my baby."

The moment the words leave my mouth, guilt washes across Aria’s face.

"I’m sorry."

Her voice softens.

"That was inconsiderate of me."

"No." I shake my head. "You’re just trying to get us out."

Still, she looks upset.

For a moment neither of us speaks, then suddenly her expression brightens.

"The back door."

I blink.

"What?"

"We’ll use the back door."

"There’s a back door?"

She nods.

"Thomas uses it sometimes."

Hope immediately sparks inside me.

"Okay."

We don’t waste another second....luckily Thomas left the door we were locked in open in his anger. So we quietly leave the room, the hallway outside is eerily quiet.

Every creak makes me jump as Aria leads while I stay close behind her. My heart pounds so loudly I’m convinced everyone can hear it.

We reach the back staircase, then descend carefully one step at a time.

The old wooden stairs groan beneath our feet and I hold my breath with every sound.

Finally we reach the lower floor, the back door comes into view.

Freedom.....actual freedom.

I nearly cry from relief.

Then Aria grabs the handle and frowns, it’s Locked.

My stomach immediately sinks.

"Tell me you’re joking."

"I wish."

She jiggles it again....still nothing.

"Great," I mutter.

"It’s okay."

I stare at her.

"How is this okay?"

A small smile appears on her face.

"Because I know how to pick locks."

My eyes widen.

"You what?"

She shrugs.

"Years of captivity. You learn useful skills."

Before I can respond she pulls a small metal piece from her pocket. I don’t even ask where she got it, at this point I don’t want to know.

She kneels before the lock and begins working. The seconds feel endless, every tiny sound makes me look over my shoulder.

Every passing moment feels like Thomas might walk around the corner.

Then...

Click.

The lock releases.....both of us freeze then stare at each other, for one beautiful second all we can do is smile.

The door slowly swings open, cool night air immediately rushes inside.

Freedom.

Aria looks at me and I look at her.

Then together we step outside.