Lena

Chapter 9: The Race Against Time

The cool night air swept through the deserted street as Lena, Julien, and Samuel hurried out of the newsroom. Claire's message had left no doubt: she was in danger, and time was running out. Lena felt adrenaline surge through her, but this time it was accompanied by a cold determination. Claire was their only chance to bring down the network, and if those men found her before they did, everything would be lost.

"Where are we going?" Samuel asked, trying to keep calm.

Julien, always pragmatic, responded without hesitation. "She has an apartment in the west district. Not a safe place, but she doesn't have many options right now. We need to get there now."

Without wasting a second, they jumped into the car that Samuel had parked nearby. Julien took the wheel, his movements precise, but Lena could see the tension in his clenched jaw. Even he, who seemed used to situations like this, knew that the slightest mistake could cost them dearly.

The car sped off, weaving through the streets of the sleeping city. Lena, sitting in the back, stared at her phone, Claire's message still open. She replayed every detail in her mind, trying to understand how they had discovered so quickly that Claire was going to talk. Somewhere, there was a leak—someone was watching them, maybe even someone close to their team. The thought of a traitor terrified her, but she couldn't afford to panic.

"How could they have known?" she murmured, almost to herself.

Julien kept his eyes on the road, but his voice was tense when he responded. "This network has ears everywhere. If Claire left any trace, they followed her. And with her history, she's been on their radar for a long time."

"I thought she was more discreet than that," Samuel added, turning slightly toward Lena. "She knew what she was getting into."

Lena nodded. "She is. But maybe she underestimated their reach. We've all underestimated just how deep their infiltration goes."

Silence fell in the car, a tense silence broken only by the hum of the engine and the squeak of tires on the asphalt. They all knew that this night could change the course of their investigation. If they arrived too late, Claire would be taken, and everything she had promised to reveal would vanish with her.

The streets flew by, gradually turning into darker, less-traveled avenues as they approached the west district. The buildings here seemed abandoned, silent shadows under the dim streetlights. Julien finally stopped the car about a hundred meters from the building where Claire lived.

"We're here," he murmured, cutting the engine. "We go in together, but stay on your guard."

Lena nodded, opening the door cautiously. Once outside, she scanned the street, searching for any sign of movement. Nothing. But the absence of life around them wasn't reassuring. There was something eerily oppressive about the silence in this neighborhood.

Julien turned to them, his expression grave. "Claire's apartment is on the fourth floor, number 23. I'll go in first, scout the area. If everything seems normal, I'll signal you."

Lena and Samuel nodded. Lena knew Julien was more experienced in these situations. She stayed back, her senses on high alert. All of this felt surreal. She had never imagined that a journalistic investigation would lead her into such dangerous situations.

Julien moved silently, disappearing into the shadows of the buildings like an invisible figure. Lena and Samuel waited, the minutes dragging on endlessly until a subtle signal from Julien indicated the coast was clear.

They crossed the street quickly, slipping into the dark hallway of the building. The smell of mold and dampness filled their noses. The flickering light from the neon bulb overhead offered little comfort, and the claustrophobic atmosphere did nothing to calm their nerves.

As they climbed the stairs, Lena focused on her breathing, trying to steady the frantic beating of her heart. Samuel followed behind her, his silence as heavy as her own anxiety.

When they reached the fourth floor, Julien was waiting for them outside apartment 23. He gestured for Lena to approach quietly.

"The door wasn't locked," he whispered, his expression grim. "That's a bad sign."

Lena felt a wave of panic rise within her, but she clenched her teeth. She couldn't afford to give in to fear. Not now.

Julien pushed the door open carefully. The inside of the apartment was shrouded in semi-darkness, but that wasn't what worried them. What immediately caught their attention was the mess. Papers were scattered across the floor, chairs overturned, objects broken. The apartment had been ransacked, and quickly.

Lena entered cautiously, her eyes desperately searching for any sign of Claire.

"Claire?" she called softly.

No answer.

"She's not here," Samuel murmured as he checked another room. "They've already taken her."

A cold shiver ran down Lena's spine. "There has to be something... a clue, a message... She knew she was in danger. Maybe she left something behind."

Julien moved toward an overturned desk, rifling through the scattered papers. "If she left anything, they probably took it. But let's search anyway."

Lena began frantically searching the room, looking for any trace, any clue. But as the minutes passed, her hope dwindled. Claire was gone, and they had no idea where or how to find her.

Then, suddenly, Samuel called to her from across the room. "Lena, come here."

She hurried over. Samuel was standing near a photo frame that had been knocked over on a small table. He lifted it and revealed a small folded piece of paper hidden beneath the frame. He handed it to Lena, who carefully unfolded it.

The hastily scrawled words made her heart race.

"The cave. Midnight. Don't come alone."

Lena exchanged a glance with Samuel, then with Julien. "The cave?"

Julien thought for a moment before replying. "There's a place known by that name. It's an abandoned warehouse south of the city. They call it 'the cave' because it's dark, isolated, used for secret meetings."

"Midnight," Lena repeated, checking the time on her phone. It was almost eleven. "That's in less than an hour."

"Then we have to go," Samuel said, his voice full of determination. "This might be our only chance."

Julien straightened up, taking the lead. "Alright. But we're not going in without a plan."

They quickly left the apartment, heading toward the designated location. Time was working against them, and the thought that Claire might be in imminent danger weighed heavily on their shoulders. The road to the warehouse was even darker than the streets they had passed earlier. Few cars were out at this late hour, and the dilapidated buildings gave the city an almost ghostly atmosphere.

Julien had taken charge, devising a strategy on the way. "We go in separately. If it's a trap, we need to be able to get out fast. Lena, you stay back until we're sure Claire's there. Samuel, stay close to me."

Lena nodded, though she hated the idea of staying behind. But she knew it was the only smart move.