When Zoey regained consciousness, she found herself bound hand and foot, lying in the dim, cramped interior of what she realized must be the van she had seen before blacking out. Her heart pounded in her chest as fragments of memory came flooding back — the van, the glint of metal, a cloth smelling sickly sweet pressed over her mouth and nose just in case the blow hadn’t knocked her out.She jerked violently against her restraints with a muffled shriek, panic clawing at her throat. This had to be a mistake, a horrible nightmare she would wake up from any second now back in Ellis's strong, safe embrace. But her bonds held firm, biting cruelly into her wrists and ankles, and there could be no mistaking the grim reality of her pitch-black, eerily silent prison. She was a bit claustrophobic, and it heightened her panic. She realised that she wasn’t gagged, so she began to scream. "Ellis!" she cried out desperately, tears streaking her cheeks. "Somebody, please! Help me!"Her captors' moc

Ellis's eyes remained open as the sound of the captor's footsteps faded away. He lay stock still, chest barely rising and falling, as he listened intently to make sure the coast was clear. After a few tense minutes of silence, he carefully turned his head to check on Zoey. She was out cold a few feet away, her face pale and her hair askew. Ellis felt a pang of guilt and concern wash over him - she had gotten caught up in this mess because of him. He had to get them out of here and to safety as soon as possible.Moving slowly and deliberately, Ellis pushed himself up into a seated position, wincing at the dull throbbing in his head that felt like he had been struck. He scooted over to Zoey and gently shook her shoulder."Zoey? Zoey, wake up," he whispered urgently. She didn't stir at first, so he shook her again a bit more firmly. "C'mon, darlin', rise and shine. Open your eyes for me so I can know that you’re okay."Zoey finally groaned and her eyes opened to slits. "E-Ellis?" she m

Later in the week, Ellis sat in stunned silence as Jerry and his goon friends laid out the evidence they had uncovered about Jaguar's true identity. It had been several dayss of painstaking research, dead ends, and frustrating mysteries since they took down the counterfeiting operation. But they finally had their answer."Your half-brother Marcus...he's been the one pulling Jaguar's strings this whole time," Jerry said solemnly. "We traced communications between Jaguar and an inmate at Citadel Penitentiary. That inmate's name, Marcus Royale."Ellis's head was spinning. Marcus, his estranged older half-brother who he had not seen or spoken to in over a year. The last Ellis knew, Marcus was serving a sentence for his many crimes that even Ellis had now forgotten. How could he possibly be mixed up in this from behind bars?"That...that can't be right," Ellis stammered. "Marcus is locked up in maximum security. How could he be giving orders to Jaguar?"Jerry shook his head grimly. "We're

Marcus could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins as he raced down the dimly lit corridors of the maximum security prison. He had been planning this escape for months, meticulously studying the guards' routines and weaknesses until he found his opening. Coupled with the man he had on the inside who was also a guard, he was finally able to have a chance at freedom.With the warden unconscious and stripped of his keys, Marcus was able to make his way undetected through the labyrinth of locked doors and checkpoints. He was a man possessed, driven by an all-consuming desire for vengeance against the man who had put him behind bars - his own father, Cyrus Royale. The man he paid was friends with the prison cook, and most of the guards were drugged with their last meal. That’s what made Marcus’ escape so easy. He only took some of the inmates who had been on his side as he escaped. The only problem they would face would be at the main gates, because those guards weren’t part of th

Ellis straightened his tie as he stood outside the doors leading into the boardroom of the Royale Company headquarters. Just a few months ago, he had been a fresh-faced college undergrad student starting an internship here. Now, he was being ushered in to be officially announced as the new CEO. He had passed the internship test set by the board members, and now they had no excuse to hinder him from the CEO seat. The door opened and Ellis stepped inside, greeted by the dozen board members seated around the large oval table. At the head sat Mr. Cyrus, the company's longtime CEO who was now preparing to step aside. Ellis took a deep breath as Mr. Cyrus stood up and gestured for him to come stand beside him."Good morning everyone," Mr. Cyrus's baritone voice rang out. "I've asked you all here today for a transition meeting. As you know, I'll be resigning officially from my position as CEO effective next month."A few murmurs went around the table. "I have given a lot of thought to my su