7. Alec

Chapter 7

Alec

A lec moved through the dense underbrush with practiced ease, his eyes scanning the surrounding forest for any signs of movement. The air was thick with the scent of saltwater, a clear indication that they were getting closer to the coast. The distant sound of waves crashing against rocks reached his ears, offering a brief moment of solace in the otherwise tense journey. But despite the progress they were making, Alec's mind was far from at ease.

He stole a glance at Grier, who was a few paces behind him, her expression focused as she navigated the uneven terrain. She hadn't complained once since they set out, despite the grueling pace he'd set. Her resilience impressed him, as did her sharp mind—always working, always piecing together the fragments of the puzzle they were tangled in. But it was more than just respect for her abilities that had Alec on edge. It was the growing attraction he felt toward her, an attraction that was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

It was wrong, and he knew it. There was no room for personal feelings in a situation like this, where every decision could mean the difference between life and death. And yet, the more time he spent with Grier, the more those feelings took root. He admired her strength, her determination, and the way she handled herself under pressure. But it was more than that—he found himself drawn to her in a way he hadn't expected, in a way that threatened to cloud his judgment.

Alec shook his head, trying to push those thoughts aside. He couldn't afford to let his emotions interfere with the mission. They were being hunted by both the CIA and the FSB, and one wrong move could get them both killed. His priority had to be their survival, nothing else.

As they reached a small clearing, Alec held up a hand to signal a stop. "We'll take a break here," he said, his voice low but firm. "Just a few minutes, then we keep moving."

Grier nodded, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. She dropped her pack and immediately reached for her laptop, the familiar routine of checking her data giving her a sense of control in a situation where they had so little.

Alec watched her as she powered on the device, her fingers flying over the keys with a practiced precision. He felt a pang of something—worry, affection, he wasn't sure what—but he shoved it down. This was no time for distractions.

"Anything?" Alec asked, trying to keep his tone neutral.

Grier frowned, her eyes narrowing at the screen. "I just received a message. It's from Levi Mendelson."

Alec stiffened. Levi Mendelson was the CIA Deputy Director and Grier's mentor, a man she trusted implicitly. But trust was a dangerous thing in their current situation. "What does it say?"

Grier's brow furrowed as she decrypted the message. "It's short. He says we can't trust anyone and that we should head for a specific location—a safe house near the coast. He's urging us to go there as soon as possible."

Alec's instincts immediately went on high alert. Every fiber of his being screamed that this was wrong, that they were walking into a trap. "Grier, we can't trust that. It could be a setup."

Grier looked up from her screen, her eyes wide with concern but also with determination. "Alec, Levi wouldn't betray us. He's the only one who knows the full scope of what's happening. He's the one who convinced me I was needed in the field. If he says we need to go to this location, then we should listen."

Alec felt a surge of frustration. She was smart, no doubt about it, but this was too risky. "I get that you trust him, but we're in a situation where trust can get us killed. We don't know who's compromised and who isn't. For all we know, Mendelson's been turned, or someone's using his credentials to lure us in."

Grier shook her head, her expression resolute. "Levi wouldn't do that. He's always been straight with me, and he knows what's at stake. If he says this location is safe, then I believe him."

Alec clenched his fists, his mind racing. He could see the logic in her argument, but his gut told him otherwise. It wasn't just about the mission anymore—he couldn't stand the thought of leading her into a trap, of losing her because he didn't fight harder to keep her safe.

"Grier," he said, his voice lowering as he took a step closer to her. "I'm asking you to trust me on this. My instincts are telling me something's wrong. We can find another way, another place to regroup. We don't have to take this risk."

Grier's eyes softened as she looked up at him, the tension between them palpable. "Alec, I do trust you. But I also trust Levi. He's been like a father to me, guiding me through my career. I can't just dismiss what he's saying."

Alec felt a sharp pang in his chest, a mixture of anger, fear, and something he couldn't quite name. This was more than just a mentor's advice to her—this was personal, and it made her vulnerable in a way that scared him.

And then it hit him. He realized with startling clarity that his concern wasn't just about the mission. He cared about Grier, cared about her safety more than he cared about anything else, including the success of the operation. The revelation shook him to his core. He was trained to prioritize the mission above all else, to keep emotions at bay, but here he was, willing to risk everything to protect her.

The realization made his resolve even stronger. "I'm not letting you walk into a trap," Alec said, his voice firm but tinged with something deeper, something protective. "We're not going to that location. We'll find another way."

Grier's eyes flashed with frustration, but there was something else there too—a flicker of understanding, of something unspoken passing between them. She opened her mouth to argue, but the words seemed to catch in her throat. Instead, she sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"Okay," she said quietly, her tone tinged with reluctant acceptance. "We'll do it your way."

Alec felt a rush of relief, but it was tempered by the weight of his newfound realization. He had just made a decision based on his feelings for her, and that terrified him. He had let his emotions dictate his actions, something he had always been trained to avoid.

She nodded. As he finished redistributing the items in their packs—ensuring she had food and water with her—Alec couldn't bring himself to regret the decision. Protecting Grier felt right, even if it went against everything he had been taught. He just hoped that, in doing so, he wouldn't be leading them into even greater danger.

The coastline loomed ahead, the scent of saltwater growing stronger with each step. Alec's mind remained focused on the task at hand, but his heart—a heart he had long thought hardened by years of battle and betrayal—was beating for something, someone, he hadn't expected.

And that, more than anything, made him feel vulnerable in a way he hadn't felt in years.

GRIER

Grier followed Alec cautiously through the dense foliage, her heart pounding in her chest as the small fishing village came into view. The scent of the sea was strong in the air, and the distant sound of waves crashing against the rocky shore provided a deceptive sense of calm. But Grier's mind was anything but calm. It was a swirling storm of conflicting emotions and loyalties, each one tugging at her in different directions.

She had always been loyal to Deputy Director Mendelson, the man who had recruited her into the CIA and shaped her into the analyst she had become. Mendelson had been a mentor, a guiding force in her life, and she owed much of her career to him. But now, in the midst of this deadly game of cat and mouse, she found herself questioning everything. Alec had saved her life and kept her safe, and as more time passed, her trust in him had grown stronger. He was a man of action, of instincts honed by years in the field, and she had come to rely on him in ways she had never expected.

But that reliance came with a price. Alec's distrust of Mendelson and the CIA weighed heavily on her. She knew he had his reasons—valid reasons, given the situation—but it didn't make it any easier to reconcile with her own loyalties. She felt torn, caught between the world she had known and the new, terrifying reality in which she was now living.

As they approached the outskirts of the village, Grier glanced at Alec, his expression grim and focused. They had agreed to approach carefully, aware that the FSB or the CIA could be lurking anywhere. But the closer they got, the more Grier's nerves frayed. She was an analyst; she hadn't been in any dangerous situations until Moscow. This wasn't what she'd signed up for.

Just as they reached the edge of the village, the world around them erupted into chaos. The crack of gunfire, coupled with shouting Russians, shattered the stillness, and Grier's instincts kicked in, driving her to the ground as bullets whizzed past her. Alec was already moving, his weapon up and firing as he barked orders she couldn't fully hear over the deafening roar of the ambush.

"Get down!" Alec shouted, his voice cutting through the noise as he grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a stack of wooden crates. The FSB had found them, and they were outnumbered.

Grier's breath came in short, panicked bursts as she made sure her laptop wouldn't be lost. She'd taken the mandatory courses in self-defense and the ones she'd endured before being sent into the field, but nothing could have prepared her for the sheer terror of being under fire, for the gut-wrenching realization that their lives were hanging by a thread.

Alec fired off a few more rounds, his expression set in a grim mask of determination. "We need to move," he said, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "Stay close to me." He began moving at a fast clip.

But before Grier could respond, another volley of bullets slammed into the crates, sending splinters flying in all directions. The force of the impact knocked her off balance, and before she knew it, she was tumbling backward, her vision spinning as she hit the ground hard and her knapsack was ripped away. Dazed, she struggled to regain her bearings, reaching for the laptop, committed to ensuring its safety. The world around her was a blur of movement and noise.

When she finally managed to sit up, Alec was gone. The realization hit her like a punch to the gut—she was alone, separated from the one person she had come to rely on in this nightmare. Panic surged through her, threatening to overwhelm her senses, but she forced it down, knowing that giving in to fear would only get her killed.

She scanned her surroundings, her mind racing. The village was a maze of narrow alleys and crumbling buildings, the perfect place for an ambush. The FSB agents were closing in, their shouts growing louder as they swept through the area, searching for her. She couldn't stay here—she had to move, had to find cover and regroup.

Grier pushed herself to her feet, every muscle in her body protesting as she darted toward the nearest building, clutching the knapsack to her chest. Her mind raced as she ducked into a narrow alley, her heart pounding. She had no idea where Alec was, no way of knowing if he was even still alive. The thought made her stomach churn, but she couldn't afford to dwell on it. She had to survive, had to rely on her own skills and instincts.

As she moved deeper into the village, Grier's training kicked in—the lessons she'd assumed she would never need coming back to her in flashes. Stay low, keep moving, don't let them pin you down. She remembered the hours spent in simulations and drills, thinking she would never need any of it. But this was real, and the stakes were higher than they had ever been.

She slipped into a small, dilapidated building, her breathing ragged as she pressed herself against the wall. The gunfire had lessened, but she knew it was only a matter of time before the FSB agents found her. She needed to think, needed a plan. But all she could think about was Alec—where he was, if he was safe.

No. She couldn't afford to be distracted, not now. Grier forced herself to focus, to push down the fear and worry gnawing at her insides. She had made it this far, and she wasn't about to give up now.

She scanned the room, her eyes landing on a rickety wooden ladder leading up to a small loft. It wasn't much, but it would give her a vantage point, a place to hide and assess the situation. Grier climbed the ladder, wincing as the wood creaked under her weight and discovering that doing so holding onto the knapsack wasn't as easy as they made it look in the action films. The loft was small, barely more than a crawl space, but it was better than nothing.

As she crouched in the shadows, Grier's mind raced. She had no idea how many FSB agents were out there or what their strategy was. But she knew one thing—they wouldn't stop until they found her. She had to be ready, had to be smart.

The minutes stretched into what felt like hours, the tension in the air so thick it was almost suffocating. Grier strained to hear any sign of movement below, her grip on her computer so tight her knuckles were white. She could feel the sweat trickling down her back, the adrenaline coursing through her veins like fire.

And then she heard it—the faint sound of footsteps, cautious and deliberate, moving through the building below. Grier's heart pounded in her chest as she held her breath, listening intently. The footsteps grew closer, and she knew they were about to find her.

She shifted her position, her muscles tense and ready. The moment of truth was here, and she had no choice but to face it. The door below creaked open, and Grier caught a glimpse of a shadow moving through the room. She couldn't see the agent's face, but she could feel the threat, the danger lurking just below the surface.

The agent moved closer, his footsteps slow and measured as he scanned the room. Grier waited, her breath shallow, her mind racing through her options. She couldn't stay hidden forever. Sooner or later, they would find her. She had to act, had to make a move before it was too late.

With a silent prayer, Grier adjusted her grip on her computer and prepared herself. The agent was directly below her now, his back to the ladder. She had the advantage, the element of surprise. It was now or never.

Grier took a deep breath, then leaped from the loft, her body crashing down on the agent below. They hit the ground with a thud, the force of the impact knocking the wind out of both of them. The agent struggled, but Grier was ready. She swung the knapsack containing her computer into his temple, sending him crumpling to the ground, unconscious.

Grier rolled off him, her breathing ragged as she scrambled to her feet. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, but one thing was clear—she had done it. She had survived. The realization sent a surge of adrenaline through her, a mixture of relief and triumph.

But there was no time to celebrate. She needed to find Alec, to get out of this village before more agents arrived. Grier took a moment to steady herself, picked up the FSB agent's gun, then turned to bolt out of the building, her instincts guiding her through the maze of alleys and streets.