Chapter 9 The Escape

Alex's heart skipped a beat as the two men walked up to him. Every muscle in his body tensed, and adrenaline sharpened his mind. The skyscraper, once a grand display of wealth, now looked like a tunnel-every exit was a shallow tunnel, every corner a potential bump. He quickly scanned the room, looking for anything he could use to its advantage.

The first man headbutted him, aiming to overpower him with brute force. Alex moved to the side, his mind working faster than his body. He seized an enormous window glass ashtray and swang it with full might, connecting it to the man's temple. The man slapped himself in disbelief before dropping dead.

But there was no time for celebration. The second man, who was quick and calculating, was already on top of him. Alex barely had time to block the punches aimed at her face. The force of the blow caused her to twist, but she used its strength to pull away, keeping them far apart.

The man laughed, clearly underestimating Alex's determination. "You should have stayed out of this, Reynolds," he whispered, his voice low and menacing.

Alex's eyes darted to the door, calculating the distance. He couldn't take them down, not without serious injury, and he knew he had to leave before more reinforcements arrived and the man advanced again. This time, Alex maneuvered to the left and took it; his shoulders rested on the man's chest, knocking him off balance.

Alex ran for the door with a burst of energy. His hand gripped the doorknob as he pressed a hand to her shoulder. He pulled over, freed himself, and closed the door as he made his way down the hallway. The heavy steps behind him told him that it would not be easy not to give up.

The elevator was very slow.

He ran up the staircase, burst through the door, and took two steps at once. Her lungs were on fire, but she continued to push on regardless of everything; it was purely because of adrenaline. He could perceive how fast the men behind him were descending towards earth.

Bursting through a door on the lower level, Alex found it unlit and nervous in the service hallway. He could still hear the men shouting above him, but now he had less lead. He had to think fast. His car was parked in an underground garage, but the road there was lined with strange roads and service buildings.

He rounded a corner and nearly met a service worker pushing a cart. "Sorry!" Alex shouted, dodging around him, not slowing down. He saw the garage sign in front of him and pushed harder, ignoring the pain in his side.

The garage door appeared in front of him. He shrugged, blasting a vast concrete area full of parked cars. The sound of his footsteps bounced off the walls, momentarily distracting her. But his car was there, just a few rows down.

He fumbled with the keys, his hands shaking as he opened the doors. Once inside, he closed the doors, the sound of the doors slamming like a small victory. He threw the keys in the ignition, but before he could turn, the passenger-side window shattered.

The second man had caught him. He was trying to open the inner door through the broken glass. Panic rolled through Alex as he turned the key, and the engine roared to life. Without thinking, he threw the car to the ground, his sudden movement knocking the man over. The tires screeched as Alex hit the gas and sped back out of the parking lot.

The man would not give up. He ran to the side of the car, trying to hold on again. But now Alex had an advantage. He whipped the car, the tires squealing and the propeller slamming into the ground. Alex sped towards the exit and had to move out of the man's way as his heart pounded in his chest.

When he ran up the ramp, he saw the man in the rear-view mirror pulling out a phone-no doubt to alert Jameson. But Alex was already on Main Street, weaving through traffic and keeping as much distance from his penthouse as possible.

The city blurred around him, his mind racing even faster. Jameson's words echoed in his head: *You've been in the hornbill's nest. Now he knew how deep the conspiracy had run and how cruel Jameson wanted to be in protecting any secrets he kept.

Alex had to regroup. He could not return to his room. It was obvious. And he couldn't risk going into the office-James was watching. He needed a safe place to plan his next move-somewhere Jameson wouldn't think to look.

One name came to mind: Ethan. He could count on his friend, and Ethan knew what to do next. Alex picked up his phone and dialed Ethan's number, nervously peering into the rear-view mirror as he did so.

Ethan replied on the second ring. "Alex, where are they? I'm trying to find you."

"I'm in trouble," Alex said, his voice thick with tension. "Jameson sent people after me. I almost gave up."

There was a moment of silence on the other side as Ethan processed the material. "Where are you now?"

"I walk in your way." Alex didn't want to say much on the phone. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

"I got it," he told Ethan, his voice quiet but urgent. "I'm ready. Be careful, Alex."

Alex ended the call and concentrated on driving, every muscle more alert. The lights of the city flashed as he walked through the streets, and he took to the sidewalk to avoid being followed. He didn't rest until he saw Ethan's apartment, a nondescript mansion on the edge of town.

Ethan was waiting for her outside with a sad look on his face. Alex pulled into the hallway, and Ethan quickly ushered him inside. The safety of the building was like a lifeline, but Alex knew it was temporary. They were in the middle of a storm, their eyes closing fast.

Just as the door closed behind them, Ethan turned to Alex. "What the hell happened?" he asked.

Alex quickly explained the situation, from meeting Jameson to hitting the penthouse. Ethan listened intently, his face darkening over everything.

"We need to figure out our next move," Alex concluded. "Jameson won't stop until he neutralizes every threat to him-and that includes us."

Ethan nodded, already thinking ahead. "First, we need to make sure you're safe. I have some connections that can help us stay on the radar for a while, giving us time to plan our next steps."

"And what about Olivia?" he asked. he asked. Alex asked, worried that he was saying it. "If Jameson finds himself involved-"

"I'll be in touch," Etan assured her. "We'll make sure he's protected, too. But now, we need to focus on you. Jameson made his move, and we need to get ahead of him."

As they sat down to plan their next move, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that things could go much worse. Jameson had shown his hand, but he still had all his papers. And unless they found a way to turn the doors, they would run out of time.