Chapter 4 The News

Jasmine's heart raced as the man walked out of the darkness, his face lit up by the flickering streetlights. It was David, Ethan's former business partner--the one guy she had prayed they wouldn't face. His appearance shot a spark of panic through her.

"David," Ethan whispered, his voice level, but Jasmine could see the tightness in his stance. "What are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too, Ethan," David answered, his tone dripping with disdain. "I figured you might need some help, given the trouble you've stirred up."

"What do you want?" Ethan snapped, his eyes sharpening.

David laughed, his black eyes shining with amusement. "I want to help, of course. You're in over your head, and I know how to get you out." He looked at Jasmine, an evil grin forming across his face. "But it seems you've brought along some unwanted baggage."

Jasmine stiffened, her hold tightening on Ethan's arm. "I'm not going anywhere with you," she said, her voice solid despite the panic tugging at her insides.

"Smart girl," David said, his lingering on her. "But you don't understand the situation. You're a liability now. You think they'll just let you walk away? They'll come for you, just like they'll come for Ethan."

Ethan stepped forward, sheltering Jasmine. "You're not helping us, David. We don't need your warped notion of help."

"Oh, but you do," David argued, his tone suddenly serious. "You have something they want. You think you can run away and hide? They'll chase you down. I can make this go gone, but you have to trust me."

"Trust you?" Jasmine echoed, incredulous. "You've been part of this mess from the start. Why would we trust you now?"

"Because I know things," David said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Things that could save your lives. If you're smart, you'll listen."

Ethan hesitated, his eyes flicking between Jasmine and David. She could see the conflict in his expression, the war between his want to protect her and the reality of their situation.

"Jasmine," Ethan said, his voice low and urgent. "We don't have many options right now. We need information, and he might have it."

"But at what cost?" Jasmine protested. "He's dangerous, Ethan. We can't trust him!"

David raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "I can see you're a smart woman. But the longer you resist, the more dangerous this becomes. You think hiding will solve your problems? You're mistaken."

Jasmine felt the weight of David's words hanging in the air. The fear chewed at her, an relentless reminder that they were in over their heads. "What do you know?" she asked cautiously, reluctantly willing to hear him out.

David leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "I know where the shipment is. I know why they're after you. And I know how to make it all go away."

Ethan tensed beside her. "What do you mean? You know where it is?"

"Of course," David replied, faking calmness. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't. But I can't just give you the information for free. You need to make a deal with me."

"What kind of deal?" Jasmine asked, her heart racing.

"Simple. I help you get what you need, and you help me in return. A little trade, if you will," he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

Ethan stepped forward, his voice low and firm. "What do you want?"

David smiled, clearly enjoying the moment. "There's a buyer waiting for the shipment. If you help me set up the deal, I'll get you the information and arrange a way for you to disappear."

"Disappearing isn't the solution," Jasmine suddenly said, her heart pounding. "We need to confront this, not run away from it."

"Confronts what?" David asked, his tone mocking. "The people who are hunting you down? You think they'll just let you walk away? This is the only way."

Ethan's expression hardened. "And what happens after? What do you gain from this?"

David shrugged. "A clean slate, a fresh start. You two are the perfect cover. I help you, and you help me get what I need. Everyone wins."

Jasmine felt a knot form in her stomach. "What if we refuse?"

"Then you'll have a lot more than just your art exhibit to worry about," David said, his tone chilling. "They'll come after you, and I can't guarantee your safety. You can't pretend this isn't happening."

Ethan looked at Jasmine, his eyes filled with doubt. "We need to think about this."

"No!" Jasmine exclaimed, shaking her head. "We can't trust him! This is exactly what got you into this mess in the first place."

"Jasmine, we're out of options," Ethan replied, frustration creeping into his voice. "We need a plan, and he has information we can't ignore."

The tension between them hung thick in the air. Jasmine felt trapped, torn between her instincts and the reality of their situation. "What do you say, Ethan?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Can we trust him?"

Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair as he weighed their choices. "We don't have a choice. Not right now."

David smirked, clearly pleased with their indecision. "Smart move, Sterling. You won't regret it."

But just as Ethan was about to respond, the sound of footsteps echoed in the distance. Jasmine's heart sank. "They're coming," she warned, her voice trembling.

"Time's up," David said, his expression

changing to urgency. "You need to decide. Are you in, or out?"

Ethan looked at Jasmine, a mix of strong determination and fear in his eyes. "We'll do it. We'll make the deal."

Before she could protest, David gestured for them to follow him. "This way. We need to move fast."

As they hurried down the dimly lit street, Jasmine felt a sense of fear wash over her. They were stepping deeper into a dangerous game, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into a trap.

"David, we need to know more about this buyer," Ethan said, keeping his voice low as they traveled safely through the darkened alleyways.

"Patience, my friend," David replied, quickly looking back at them. "You'll get all the details soon enough. Just keep your heads down."

Jasmine felt her heart race. The weight of their choices pressed heavily on her shoulders, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The shadows loomed around them, and as they turned a corner, her guts screamed that something wasn't right.

Suddenly, a tremendous smash echoed behind them, followed by rapid footsteps. Jasmine's pulse quickened. "What was that?"

"Keep moving!" David ordered, his voice urgent.

Ethan tightened his grip on Jasmine's hand as they launched into a run. The dark lanes twisted and turned, but they couldn't shake the feeling of being hunted. With every stride, the danger felt more real, and Jasmine could feel the walls closing in around them.

Just as they reached a dead-end alley, a figure came out from the shadows, blocking their path. Jasmine's heart sank as she recognized the face--one of the men from earlier, his eyes cold and dangerous and threatening.

"Going somewhere?" he taunted, stepping closer.

And in that moment, Jasmine realized that their escape was about to become a fight for survival.