Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

HOPE

T he night was a blur of lights and shadows as the SUV hurtled down the narrow streets, the cityscape flashing by in a chaotic rush. Hope clung to the armrest, her heart pounding in her chest, the adrenaline pumping through her veins as they sped away from the Citadel. There was no time to talk, no time to process what had just happened. They were running for their lives, and every second counted.

Nigel's expression was a mask of fierce concentration, his hands gripping the steering wheel as he maneuvered the vehicle through the maze of streets with precision. In the back seat, Hope, Seth, and the woman they had rescued were huddled together. The woman was eerily quiet as she slumped against the door, her breathing shallow and labored, but she was awake. Somehow, despite everything she had been through, she was holding on, fighting to stay conscious.

Hope leaned over to check on her, her voice soft but urgent. "How are you doing?"

The woman's eyes fluttered open, her gaze unfocused but determined. "I'm... I'm okay," she whispered, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her. Her face was pale, bruised, and battered, but there was a spark of defiance in her eyes—a spark that told Hope she wasn't giving up.

"We'll get you to safety; we're almost there," Hope reassured her, though she wasn't sure how much farther they had to go.

The plan had been to meet Nigel and the SUV with Valente in tow and then head to a small, deserted airstrip on the outskirts of the city, where they would send Valente to be renditioned and forced to give them the answers they sought, while Seth and Hope were whisked away to safety. But as they raced through the darkened streets, Hope couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

The Citadel was supposed to be the heart of the Obsidian Cartel's operation, a fortress that no one was supposed to be able to penetrate. Yet they had done it—they had infiltrated the Citadel, rescued the woman, and escaped with their lives. But it had all happened so quickly, so smoothly, that it didn't seem real. And now, as they sped away from the scene of their victory, Hope couldn't help but wonder if it had all been too easy.

The SUV roared onto a deserted road leading out of the city, the headlights cutting through the darkness as they left the city behind. The night was still; the only sound was the hum of the engine and the occasional whimper from the woman in the back seat. Hope's mind raced, her thoughts tumbling over one another in a frantic attempt to make sense of what was happening.

They had done everything right. The plan had been meticulously crafted, every detail accounted for. But as they approached the airstrip, a knot of dread formed in the pit of Hope's stomach. Something wasn't right.

As they rounded the final bend and the airstrip came into view, Hope's worst fears were confirmed. The field was empty—no plane, no helicopter, no sign of their extraction team. Just an expanse of tall grass swaying gently in the breeze, illuminated by the SUV's headlights.

Nigel slammed on the brakes, bringing the vehicle to a screeching halt at the edge of the airstrip. For a moment, no one moved, the weight of the realization settling over them like a heavy shroud.

"Where the hell are they?" Seth's voice was tight with controlled fury as he stared out at the empty field, his jaw clenched so hard that Hope thought it might snap.

Seth was already pulling out his phone, his fingers moving swiftly as he dialed. The tension in the car was palpable, a living thing that clawed at Hope's insides as she scanned the area, searching for any sign of their extraction team.

"This doesn't make sense," Hope murmured, more to herself than anyone else. "They should be here, shouldn't they?"

The woman in the back seat whimpered softly, her strength finally beginning to give out. Hope turned to her, brushing a strand of hair from her face, her heart aching for the pain this woman had endured. "Hang in there," she whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of her own fear. "We're going to get you out of this. I promise."

Seth's voice cut through the silence, sharp and filled with urgency. "Sawyer, where the hell is our extraction? We're at the rendezvous point; there's no one here."

Hope strained to hear the conversation, but all she could make out were the faint sounds of chaos on the other end of the line—raised voices, the rapid tapping of keys, and something that sounded suspiciously like an argument.

Nigel's hands tightened on the steering wheel; his knuckles white with tension. "What's going on?" he demanded, his voice low but filled with barely restrained anger.

Seth held up a hand, trying to listen as Sawyer spoke, his brow furrowing deeper with each passing second. "They don't know," he finally said, his voice tight. "Something's wrong. The extraction was supposed to be here, but they're not sure what happened. Sawyer's sending Wyatt, but it'll take some time."

Seth's frustration boiled over, and he slammed his fist against the back of Nigel's seat, the sharp sound echoing in the stillness. "We don't have time for this! We're sitting ducks out here. If the cartel catches up to us?—"

"I know!" Nigel snapped, cutting him off. "But we don't have another option. We wait for Wyatt."

Hope could see the struggle in Seth's eyes, the battle between his need to protect them and the reality of their situation. She felt it too—the gnawing fear that they were running out of time, that any moment now, the cartel would descend on them, and they would be helpless to stop it.

Seth leaned closer to Nigel, his voice a low growl. "Forget what went wrong for now. We need to focus on getting out of here. Tell Sawyer to stop worrying about the details and get us out of this mess."

Nigel nodded, calling Sawyer and relaying the message, his voice tense as he explained their conundrum. Hope could hear the urgency in Sawyer's voice on the other end, though she couldn't make out his exact words. But it was clear that things were spiraling out of control back at Cerberus, and they were caught in the middle of it.

"We're not leaving her behind," Seth said firmly, his eyes flashing with determination. "She's either an American or a British citizen, and we're not handing her back to those monsters. Tell Sawyer that if he can't get us out of here, we're going to have a hell of a mess on our hands."

Nigel nodded, repeating Seth's words into the phone. The tension in the air was suffocating, the seconds dragging by like hours as they waited for some sign of their extraction team.

Hope's heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing as she considered their options. They were out here, exposed and vulnerable, with no backup and no way to defend themselves if the cartel showed up. Every instinct in her body screamed that they needed to move, to find cover, but there was nowhere to go. They were trapped, and the realization sent a cold shiver down her spine.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a distant sound reached their ears—the unmistakable whir of helicopter blades cutting through the night. Hope's heart leaped with relief, but it was short-lived. The sound of engines roaring in the distance signaled that they weren't alone.

"They're coming," Seth said, his voice tight with urgency. "We need to move, now."

The helicopter descended, its lights cutting through the darkness as it landed on the edge of the airstrip. The side door slid open, revealing the silhouette of Wyatt inside, motioning for them to hurry.

But as they rushed toward the helicopter, the night erupted in chaos. Headlights flared in the distance, and the roar of engines grew louder, closer. The cartel had found them.

"Go, go, go!" Seth yelled, pushing Hope and the woman toward the helicopter as gunfire erupted around them. The sound of bullets hitting the tarmac was deafening, the air filled with the acrid scent of gunpowder and fear.

Hope barely had time to react as she scrambled into the helicopter, pulling the woman with her. Seth was right behind them, his gun blazing as he provided cover for Nigel, who was the last to climb aboard.

"Get us out of here!" Seth yelled to Wyatt, who was already putting the helicopter into the air. The chopper lifted off, but the cartel wasn't done with them. More vehicles raced onto the airstrip, and more gunfire peppered the night as the chopper rose.

"Hold on!" Wyatt shouted from the cockpit as he maneuvered the helicopter away from the airstrip, but Seth's attention was locked on the ground below. Through the chaos, his sharp eyes caught sight of something that made his blood run cold.

Nero Valente.

The cartel leader was there, standing by one of the vehicles, barking orders at his men. It was a sight Seth hadn't expected, but it was also an opportunity he couldn't ignore.

"Drop me off!" Seth commanded, his voice cutting through the noise.

"What?" Hope gasped, her heart lurching as she realized what he was saying. "Seth, no!"

"I have to, Hope!" Seth insisted, his eyes blazing with determination. "Valente is down there. We can't let him get away. We need him if we have any hope of stopping the Cobra."

"No!" Hope's voice was filled with fear and desperation as she grabbed his arm, trying to pull him back. "We'll figure it out later, but not like this. Please, Seth!"

But Seth's mind was made up. He leaned in close, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke urgently. "I'll be back, baby. I promise. Just trust me."

Hope's heart broke as she looked into his eyes, knowing there was nothing she could say to change his mind. "I love you," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

"I love you, too," Seth replied, his voice soft but firm. Then he turned to Wyatt. "Now!"

Wyatt hesitated for only a moment before lowering the helicopter back toward the ground. The moment the chopper was low enough, Seth jumped, landing in a crouch in the shadows. Hope watched in horror as the helicopter began to ascend again, leaving Seth behind.

"Seth!" she screamed, but it was too late. The chopper lifted off, the distance between them growing with every second.

The gunfire intensified as the cartel thugs realized what had happened. Bullets slammed into the side of the helicopter, making it shudder in the air. Hope's heart pounded in her chest as she watched Seth disappear into the darkness, using the shadows for cover as he moved toward Valente.

"Wyatt, turn around!" Hope pleaded; her voice filled with panic. "We can't leave him!"

"We don't have a choice," Wyatt replied grimly, his hands steady on the controls. "If we stay, we'll all be killed. Seth knows what he's doing."

Hope felt tears sting her eyes as she clung to the edge of the helicopter, her gaze locked on the ground below. She could barely make out Seth's figure, moving like a wraith through the chaos. The helicopter was climbing higher, pulling them away from the danger, but every second that passed without seeing him again felt like an eternity, a knife twisting deeper into her heart.

The helicopter continued to ascend, the noise of the gunfire fading as they gained altitude. But the battle below was far from over, and the implications of Seth's decision weighed heavily on Hope. They had completed the mission—or at least part of it—but the cost was still unknown. They had left Valente behind, but they had saved a life.

Hope's mind screamed in protest, but she knew Wyatt was right. Seth had made his choice—one that left her heart in tatters. The helicopter climbed higher, pulling them away from the immediate danger, but every fiber of Hope's being screamed to go back, to fight, to get Seth out of there.

But as the helicopter gained altitude, the realization sank in like a cold knife in her heart. Seth was on his own now. And she could only pray that he would make it back to her alive.