His Identity

Those eyes... God, those eyes...

Evelyn's POV

I was praying to God when the ground gradually became steady and the caves stopped quivering. Alec got off me and quickly helped me to my feet. I tripped and slumped heavily against him, my head on Alec's chest. I saw him wince from the pain. Even his breathing was shallow and rigid. 

We couldn't stay like that for long because the caves started to fill with the echoes of heavy thumps of boots and the firing of guns.

"Just great," Alec muttered under his breath. He asked me, "How fast can you run?"

"You ought to know that better than anyone."

Alec smiled and took a rattling breath as he pushed himself forward for a run. I tagged along taking the same turns he took. Alec was careful enough to stop at every corner and peek to see whether the coast is clear.

His steps made absolutely no noise but I couldn't say the same for his breathing. He coughed a lot and stopped often to catch his breath.

"Alec, do you have a plan?" I asked him.

"First, we need to get to Trevor Steel's office," he explained. "Do you remember the key we found in our first mission? We need to get it before it falls into the wrong hands."

I nodded but it's the least of my concerns right now. So I kept on interrogating him, "How did you know they were coming?"

"I was on night patrol when the first bomb exploded. One at the main market and the other near Crypto Wonder Park-"

I stopped running.

"But that's not far from our home! Oh my God... What about Grace? And mom? Please tell me it's not true!" My voice and body were trembling as a sudden wave of fear engulfed me.

Alec took two long strides toward me and made me look at him. But all I could see was blood.

She was not worth it.

Abbe... Mom... Grace... 

"TELL ME YOU ARE LYING!" 

"I know, Evelyn. I know! And that's why I went there in search of them. I could only find your sister. They already had your mom." He added, "I'm sorry."

"Where's Grace?"

"Don't worry. She's safe with someone we can trust."

I nodded with a heavy heart. My sister is safe at least, thanks to Alec. He's truly the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.

But mom...

"Your mom is alive," Alec continued to talk as if reading my thoughts. "Before the bomb went off, five city guards broke into your house. Your mother made Grace escape through the back door. My conclusion is that The Masked Murderer wants your mom alive. That's why he got to her before the explosion."

"But why does he want her at all?"

"Your mom has connections with The USA, Evelyn! The Masked Murderer has only one enemy and that's us. Your mom is his only source of information to end us once and for all."

"But my mom would never... Trevor is her friend, Alec. She would never do such a thing!"

I shook my head, not believing a word of it. My eyes welled up with tears. My mom would never expose our secrets! Especially not to a cold-blooded serial killer like him. Kerrin Carson despised The Masked Murderer. She was a feisty woman but definitely not a traitor.

"Evelyn! Look at me!" Alec gently wiped my tears with his thumb. "Your mom is a brave woman. But there are times when we are left with no other choice. We are desperate and helpless during those situations. I don't believe your mom wanted to expose our location unless she was forced to do so."