Unexpected Rendezvous

TRIAL (part 3)

*Alistair's POV*

I stood alone in the glass-walled conference room of Alexander's office, the city sprawled beneath me in glittering shadows, its towers ghostly in the glow of the streetlights. The usual commanding energy that filled this space during the day was gone, replaced with a stillness that hummed with tension. It was past 8:00 PM—an ungodly hour for business, yet far too late for idleness.

Lucius and Bryan had just left twenty minutes ago, dispatched like hounds to track Alexander down. The silence left in their wake gnawed at my nerves.

I had tried to remain composed, but I knew my son. Knew that determined look in his eye when he'd made up his mind to shoulder the world alone. And if my hunch was right, he was planning to give himself up in Rowena's place. Damn his pride.

The glass table reflected the fluorescent lights above, scattered alongside open files and a digital blueprint of the dockyards. I paced slowly, glancing at my watch for the fifth time in two minutes.

The soft click of the door finally snapped my head up. Harry Knowles entered with three officers from Scotland Yard, including a tech specialist wheeling in a mobile command unit. His usual confidence seemed tinged with urgency.

"Alistair," he said briskly, shaking my hand.

"Harry. We're almost out of time."

We gathered around the table. The tech specialist plugged in a drive and the monitors came alive with satellite images, building schematics, and a pulsing red dot on the map.

"We tracked the last known signal from Rowena's phone," Harry began, pointing. "Right here—Dock 14, Lower Thames Industrial. It's a warehouse, rarely used, camera blind spot."

I squinted at the grainy image, jaw tightening. The area was isolated, difficult to surveil. A perfect place for someone like Rick Donatello to pull off something vile.

"And Vasilisa?" I asked.

"We confirmed she's in London. Surveillance caught her fueling up at a petrol station near the area."

I felt bile rise in my throat. That woman. Poison in silk. I should have had her blacklisted years ago.

"She has a history of obsession," I murmured. "And Rick has the ego of a god. Combine those, and they're capable of anything."

Harry nodded solemnly. "We've prepared a team for a coordinated extraction. Non-lethal force unless threatened. We move at first light."

"No. We move now," I snapped. "You don't know my son. He won't wait for dawn. He's already gone."

Harry exchanged a look with his officers. "We don't have confirmation of his location."

"You will," I said grimly. "Lucius and Bryan will find him. But we need to prepare for the worst."

Even as I said it, fear coiled tight around my chest. What if we were already too late?
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*Alexander's POV*

The fog clung to the Thames like a shroud as I stepped out of the car. Dock 14 loomed ahead, its rusted structure silhouetted in flickering halogen light. Everything inside me screamed that this was madness.

But love makes madmen of us all.

I had no backup. No father, no friends, no police. Only me, and the hope that maybe—just maybe—they'd honor their word and release Rowena.

The warehouse door creaked open with an eerie groan. I stepped inside. Cold air hit me like a wall. The stench of damp concrete, oil, and blood filled my lungs.

And there she was.

Rowena.

Tied to a metal chair, her head hanging low, dark hair a curtain over her bruised face. My heart plummeted.

"Rowena!" I lunged forward—

But the world spun.

Something slammed into the back of my head. Pain shot through my skull like a lightning bolt. I collapsed to the floor, stars bursting behind my eyes.

Everything faded to black.

My head throbbed as consciousness returned in waves. I was on the cold floor now, wrists bound behind me with thick rope, ankles shackled. My coat was gone, shirt ripped. Every muscle ached.

Beside me, Rowena stirred, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

"Alex..."

Her voice was a whisper, dry and cracked. Her eyes, bloodshot and panicked, met mine.

"You idiot," she choked, tears spilling down her cheeks.

I forced a weak smile. "You know me. Never could stay away."

The silence that followed was broken by deliberate footsteps. Slow. Measured. Arrogant.

Rick Donatello stepped into view, his slick coat pristine, scarf knotted with smug elegance. Vasilisa followed behind, looking every bit the predator in heels, her smile dripping with disdain.

"And so, the sacrificial lamb arrives," Rick mocked.

"Let her go, Rick. I came, as you asked. This ends here."

He laughed, low and cruel. "Oh, it's far from over, Alex. See, you embarrassed me. Made me bleed in front of my board. And she—" he gestured at Rowena—"was the catalyst. So now, you both get to suffer."

I pulled against the ropes, fury surging. "You coward. You want revenge, take it out on me. Leave her out of this."

"Oh, but you love her," Vasilisa cooed, stepping forward. "And isn't that the best kind of pain? Watching the one you love destroyed?"

She raised a syringe. My heart stopped.

"Don't you dare!"

But she didn't even flinch. She plunged the needle into Rowena's arm.

Rowena whimpered. Her body sagged.

I roared, thrashing violently. Rage. Powerless rage.

Rick knelt beside me, his voice now a venomous whisper. "You think love makes you strong? It makes you weak. And tonight, we break you."

The first punch came swift. Fist to jaw. My head snapped back.

The next—a kick to my ribs. Then another. And another.

Pain flooded me. Blinding. Burning.

I heard Rowena sobbing.

"Stop! Please!"

But they didn't stop.

Rick grabbed me by the collar. "No one's coming for you, Alexander. No daddy, no Yard. Just you and us—and a very long night."

I spit blood in his face.

"Then make it count, you bastard."

He did.

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I hope you enjoy the new chapter! I guess we're closing on the big Finale... Stay tuned for the next few chapters.

Please do let me know what you think of the story :)

xoxo