THE BETRAYER'S GAME

Echoes of the Past

We slipped out of the room, leaving Dante behind as we run out of the room, each searching for a place to hide.

We were all running through the villa, adrenaline coursing through my veins. The mansion was a maze of cracked floors and dark corners,and we knew Marco's men were closing in. Scarlett, Zane, Blade, Leo, Eli, Vinny, Steffano, and I were all together , sticking close, our feet pounding on the old wooden floors as we sprinted through the halls.We were all breathing heavily, our minds focused only on one thing: escape. The sound of boots on the floor echoed through the narrow hallways, our only clue that Marco's forces weren't far behind.

Suddenly, as we rounded a corner something felt off.

"Where's Leo?" I said, looking back toward the others, but Leo had disappeared.I glanced to Zane, who had been just behind him.

"He was right there.." Zane muttered under his breath, his eyes darting around. The panic in his voice wasn't like him. 

Normally, Zane was the calm, collected one. But now, it was clear it was clear that something was wrong. Too much silence. Too many spaces. Blade's voice cracked as he scanned the hall.

"And Eli? Vinny? Stef? Where are the others?"

I whipped around to check behind me, but the others were gone, just shadows in the distance. It was as if the villa had swallowed them whole. 

We had been a group just moments ago, but now, it was just-me, Zane, and Blade.

"Shit," Blade growled, his sharp eyes scanning the area."We've been split up. Damn it. We need to find a place to hide. Now."I nodded, swallowing the lump that formed in my throat.

"We can't waste time. Marco's men are close."

We sprinted down the hallway, looking for somewhere to hide, but every turn seemed to bring us to more empty rooms. No one else in sight. The air felt suffocating as the fear began to sink in. 

Where were the others?

Finally, Blade found a narrow storage room tucked corner of the mansion. It was cramped, filled with old crates and dust. It wasn't much but it would have to do. We slipped inside , the door creaking as we closed it behind us.

As we settled in the dim light, the silence was overwhelming.Zane was still breathing hard, his chest rising and falling quickly. His eyes flickered to the corner of the room, his usual calm demeanor slipping. I could tell he was trying to fight it, but the uncertainty was gnawing at him.

"We need to find the others,"Zane muttered, his hand running through his hair. His voice was strained now, desperate."We can't be the only ones left."

I looked at Blade, who was standing a few paces away, his first clenched at his sides. His jaw was tight with anger, but I could see something else in his eyes too-worry. For Leo.

"We'll find them,"I said quietly."But we need to stay put for now. If we go looking for them, we'll be walking straight into Marco's men."

Blade's lips curled into a tight sneer."I don't care. Leo has always been scared of that psycho. If Marco touches my brother, I'll tear him apart."

Zane shot him a glance. "If you rush in, you'll get us all killed. We have to think this through. Don't let your anger cloud your judgment."

Blade's gaze narrowed, but he didn't reply. Instead, his focus seemed to turn inwards, like he was imagining what Marco would be doing to Leo and started saying words in Spanish. It was clear that Blade wasn't going to wait much longer.

Zane shot him a glance."If you rush in you'll get us killed. We have to think this through. Don't let your anger cloud your judgment.

Suddenly, we heard a voice echo through the halls, sharp and taunting.