Home: Book 1

Chapter 5

Alex

As Ciara's voice crackled through the comm, my heart raced with a mixture of anticipation and dread. "So, here's the thing, the agency had caught Julia Smith but she somehow managed to escape. Keep your eyes out for anything strange and if you see her tell everybody. Don't pretend that you don't know how she looks. I know all of you have seen her photos on my bedside table."

There was radio silence for a while. Until, Ciara started ordering.

"Steph, get the drone and scan the building for body heat," she instructed, her voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "Rest of you, just keep guard. Be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary."

I listened intently, my mind racing with thoughts of what Julia might do next. But before I could voice my concerns, a sudden cry of pain echoed through the comm.

"Zach, you okay?" I called out, my worry evident in my voice.

"That wasn't me!" Zach's response came quickly, followed by Ciara's frustrated grunt.

"It was me. Not me, but Jonah. That little guy followed me out here," she explained, her frustration evident.

I sighed, realizing that my actions had inadvertently increased the tension on Ciara's end. But there was no time to dwell on it as Stephanie's voice cut through the silence.

"The drone spotted body heat on the north side. Near the fire escape ladder," she reported, her words sending a jolt of adrenaline coursing through me.

Without hesitation, I sprinted towards the North entrance, my heart pounding in my chest. As I arrived, I saw Ciara, gun raised and ready, her voice echoing through the empty space.

"Come down! There's nowhere to go," she shouted, her tone firm and unwavering.

Pulling Jonah, who had followed Ciara, I warned him to stay back, knowing all too well the dangers of confronting Julia Smith. Ciara's next words only confirmed my fears.

"If you don't come out in three, I'm pulling the trigger," she declared, her voice filled with determination.

"And she never jokes about stuff like this," I added, my own voice echoing Ciara's seriousness.

As the figure slowly descended from the fire escape ladder, my heart sank. It wasn't Julia. It was a man.

As Jonah's voice rang out in recognition, calling out the name "Noah," Ciara froze, her entire being seemingly paralyzed by the sudden appearance of the man who had abandoned her in her time of need. I instinctively moved closer to her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder and tightening my grip with every passing moment.

"Cici, you okay?" I asked, my voice laced with concern as I searched her eyes for any sign of distress.

Her response was strained, her hazel eyes widening in disbelief. "This... this is a decoy. She's on the south side," she declared, her tone betraying the tension that boiled beneath the surface.

Without hesitation, Ciara sprang into action, issuing commands through her comm with a cold precision that sent shivers down my spine. "Zach, head to the south side. Steph, send agents to the south side," she ordered, her voice empty of emotion.

But before her directives could be carried out, a deafening sound cut them short, followed by Steph's urgent report. "Wild Card, she bombed the south entrance," she conveyed, her voice tense with urgency.

The tension in the air was intense as Ciara's muscles tensed, a sharp exhale escaping her lips. With a hard firmness, she commanded, "Zach, Steph, abandon task. Everyone, meet in my room in five."

As she began to walk away, I couldn't help but feel a surge of protectiveness wash over me. I grabbed her hand, pulling her close as I looked into her eyes, my voice soft but firm. "Calm down, sweetheart."

Rolling her eyes at my endearment, she instructed, "Get those two and come inside," before walking away. I quickly retrieved Noah and Jonah, the urgency of the situation propelling us forward.

But as we made our way to catch up with Ciara, I overheard Jonah's question to Noah, his words heavy with unspoken consequences. "Bro, what will you do if Ciara is still alive?"

Noah's response caught me off guard, his words filled with a depth of feeling I hadn't anticipated. "I'd marry her."

Before their conversation could continue, I intervened, urging them to focus on the task at hand. "Come on! Let's go!" I urged, leading the way as we ran to catch up with Ciara.

In the elevator, I couldn't resist the urge to reach for Ciara's hand once more, feeling her grip tighten around mine. As she looked at me and smiled, "Thank you!" She said in a low whisper. A warmth spread through me, and my stomach did somersaults as her sparkling eyes met mine.