Shadowed desires- Adrian thorn

Chapter 9: The Art of War

Adrian's words hung in the air like a blade suspended by a thread. Eva could feel the tension coiling tighter with each second, her mind racing for a way out. Cara, standing a few feet away, kept her composure, but Eva could see the sharp glint of alertness in her eyes. They were both on edge, trapped in this small room with a man who played games with lives like a master puppeteer.

"Trust is indeed fragile," Eva replied, forcing her tone to stay light. "But I'd say it's more valuable when it's earned, wouldn't you agree?"

Adrian's eyes glimmered with a dangerous amusement as he slowly approached her. "Absolutely," he said. "And earning it can be such an... interesting process."

He moved closer, his presence overwhelming in the small space. Eva could feel the heat radiating off him, his scent a mix of expensive cologne and something darker, something primal. She couldn't afford to back down now, not when he was clearly testing her resolve.

"I'm glad we agree," she said, her voice steady. "So, what brings you by tonight, Adrian? Business or pleasure?"

A slow smile spread across his lips. "A bit of both, I suppose." His gaze shifted to Cara, who was still leaning casually against the counter. "I was just checking in on my new associate, making sure she's settling in well."

Eva could feel her pulse quickening, but she kept her face impassive. "As you can see, I'm doing just fine. But I appreciate the concern."

Adrian's smile remained, but his eyes flicked around the room, taking in every detail, every shadow. "You know, Eva," he said, his voice almost a whisper, "I've found that when people are too eager to appear comfortable, they're usually hiding something."

Eva's heart skipped a beat, but she met his gaze unflinchingly. "Or maybe they're just trying to be polite," she countered. "Would you prefer I throw you out?"

He chuckled, but the sound was devoid of warmth. "You've got spirit. I like that," he said, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary. "But let's cut to the chase, shall we?"

He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone. "Where is it?"

Eva's mind raced. He knew about the flash drive; there was no point denying it. But she needed to buy time, to figure out her next move. "Where's what?" she asked, feigning ignorance. "You'll have to be more specific."

His smile disappeared, replaced by a cold, calculating look. "The drive, Eva. The one Greg gave you. Hand it over, and maybe I'll forget this little incident."

Cara shifted slightly, her body tense, ready for anything. "And if she doesn't?" she asked, her voice steady.

Adrian's eyes flicked to Cara, then back to Eva. "Let's not make this more complicated than it needs to be. You have something that belongs to me. I suggest you return it."

Eva's mind was spinning. She needed a way out, a way to keep the drive and get Adrian off their backs—at least for now. "You seem awfully interested in a simple flash drive," she said, tilting her head. "What's on it that's so valuable?"

Adrian's expression didn't change, but she saw a flicker of something in his eyes—annoyance, perhaps. "You don't want to play this game with me, Eva," he warned. "You're in way over your head."

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, her eyes widening when she saw the message on the screen. It was from an unknown number: I can help you. Trust no one. Meet me at the old shipyard at midnight. Come alone.

Eva's blood ran cold. Who was this? Another one of Adrian's men? Or someone else entirely?

Adrian must have noticed the change in her expression because he took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "Who's that?" he demanded, his voice a low growl.

Eva quickly locked her phone and shoved it back into her pocket. "Nothing important," she lied. "Just spam."

He didn't look convinced, but he didn't press further. Instead, he turned his attention back to Cara. "And you," he said, his tone dripping with contempt, "you should know better than to get involved in things that don't concern you."

Cara didn't flinch. "Maybe I just don't like bullies," she shot back.

Adrian's eyes darkened, but he didn't respond. Instead, he turned back to Eva. "You have until tomorrow to return what's mine," he said, his voice cold and final. "If you don't, there will be consequences."

With that, he turned and walked out, the door closing behind him with a heavy thud. Eva exhaled slowly, her heart still racing. She exchanged a look with Cara, who seemed just as rattled.

"What the hell are we going to do?" Cara asked, her voice low but urgent.

Eva took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "We're going to find out what's on that drive," she said firmly. "And we're going to figure out who sent me that message."

Cara nodded, her expression resolute. "Then we'd better move fast. If Adrian finds out we're snooping around, we're as good as dead."

Eva nodded, her mind already formulating a plan. "First, let's see if we can crack this drive. I need to know what Greg was risking his life to get to me."

They went to work immediately. Cara was good with computers—better than Eva, at least—and within minutes, she had bypassed the initial encryption on the drive. A single folder popped up, labeled Project Inferno.

Eva's eyes widened. She had heard whispers of this in her research—rumors of a massive operation involving illegal arms, human trafficking, and political corruption. But no one had ever managed to find proof. Until now.

Cara clicked on the folder, and a series of documents and video files filled the screen. Eva's breath caught in her throat as she skimmed through them. There were detailed accounts of shipments, payoffs to government officials, and even lists of people who were being targeted for "recruitment" into Adrian's underground empire.

But it was a video file at the bottom that drew her attention. It was labeled with a date—two weeks ago—and a name that made her blood run cold: Mia Winters.

Eva's hands trembled as she clicked on the file. The screen filled with grainy footage of a dimly lit room. In the center, bound to a chair, was Mia. Her face was bruised, her clothes torn. A man—one of Adrian's men—stood over her, questioning her about someone named Victor.

"Where is he?" the man demanded, his voice distorted by the poor audio quality. "Tell me, and this can all end."

Mia's head lolled to the side, and Eva's heart clenched in her chest. Her sister was alive—but barely. The man slapped her across the face, hard, and she flinched but didn't answer.

Cara's face was pale as she turned to Eva. "We need to get her out of there," she whispered. "Whatever it takes."

Eva nodded, her eyes still fixed on the screen. "We will," she said, her voice hard. "But first, we need to figure out who Victor is and why he's so important."

She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already 11:30 PM. The message on her phone had said to meet at the old shipyard at midnight.

"I think our mystery messenger might have some answers," she said, grabbing her coat. "And I'm going to find out."

Cara grabbed her arm, her eyes wide with concern. "You're not seriously going alone, are you? What if it's a trap?"

Eva hesitated, then shook her head. "It might be, but I don't have a choice. Whoever this is, they know something. And I'm not leaving Mia to die in some hellhole because I was too scared to take a risk."

Cara's grip tightened for a moment, then she nodded, releasing her. "Be careful," she said. "I'll keep working on decrypting the rest of these files. Maybe we can find something that gives us an edge."

Eva nodded, then turned and headed for the door. As she stepped out into the cold night air, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was walking straight into a trap. But if there was even a chance it could lead her to Mia, she had to take it.

The old shipyard loomed in the distance, dark and abandoned, a perfect place for secrets to be kept—and for traps to be sprung.

As she made her way through the shadows, she could only hope she wasn't about to make the biggest mistake of her life.