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2024-10-29 19:42:56Alex struggled to his feet blindly as he tried to see where the voice came from, everyone around the scene had immediately become quiet, he struggled to his feet and turned around.
It was Bruce.Alex clenched his fist and gritted his teeth angrily. Bruce stood there, staring at him with a wry smile spread across his face, he looked like he was mocking him. Alex wondered if Bruce knew about him and Sarah all along.On one hand he was holding a phone, Alex could see that Bruce was truly filming a live video on Dukduk, everything was true. Sarah was truly leaving himHe was holding Sarah with his other hand, holding her romantically against his shoulders.She was wearing the dress he got for her,the new expensive dress she had cried to him about and he had gone ahead to spend his two months salary on the dress just to make her happy. He had gone by months without buying anything for himself all because she had said she wanted it and now here she was, this was the first time she was wearing it, or maybe the first time he was seeing her wearing it.He couldn't help feeling that she had been disturbing him for the dress all because she wanted to wear it here.She wanted to wear it to meet Bruce and everything was behind his back, he wondered when she was planning on telling him.He wondered how long she was planning on keeping it from him, he wondered if she even ever loved him."What are you doing here?" Bruce asked gruffly, as he eyed him suspiciously, he recognized him as one of his employees.Alex hadn't come here for Bruce, all he wanted was to see Sarah and here he was trying to look into her eye, she kept looking away, her eyes darting away from him, he knew she was avoiding his eyes."What are you doing here?" Bruce asked again, this time he was louder.Alex was doing his best holding his composure, all the years of them being together, all the investments and plans for the future were all thrown down the drain."Why?" Alex asked, he had finally found his voice, even though it was breaking and he was sure everyone could see the pain in it."Why are you leaving me? Why are you doing this?" He asked again, maybe he had done something wrong, maybe that was why she was leaving him.She looked embarrassed, from her face Alex could tell a lot of things, she had been hiding this from him, she didn't look at him with anger of him being a bad partner for all those years, she looked at him with guilt! she knew what she was all along.All those years they had been together, all the promises, memories and sacrifices were all a joke to her… Or maybe he was the one overreacting, maybe he was the one reading everything wrong, maybe she was being threatened, maybe this wasn't her wish."Did he threaten you, babe?" Alex asked, trying to soften his voice as much as he could.The look in Sarah's eyes changed immediately, she looked at him with anger,"You!" She screamed facing the people present."You have been the one threatening me!" She screamed again, pointing at Alex.She walked over to where she could be visible to the live video."You made my life hell! You treated me like trash. You took advantage of me every time. You abused me… you used me to get to this company. You have been using me all my life!" She screamed maniacally, the phone filming the live had shifted, videoing only she and Alex now."Dating you was hell, Alex. Yes, we dated in the past— I'm sure you heard I was getting married, and you came to use this to your advantage like you always do! you came to use me again!" She screamed again.Alex looked at her, hot tears streaming down his face. It all made sense to him now, she had never loved him, he was just a tool to her. One she had used for years, he had given her his all, he had made sure she never lacked as far as he had, he had given her his time, affection, money and soul.Yet this was what she was giving back in return.She knew he couldn't compete with Bruce in any way.Bruce was better by far and it killed him just by thinking of that.He knew Bruce didn't know about him and Sarah, all this while she had been seeing Bruce behind his back.Alex blamed himself for not noticing the obvious.Bruce had turned the phone towards him alone, he could see himself, his tear stricken and dirty face.He could see the comments on the live show, some of them were saying how they always knew he was a bad person, a few were saying they couldn't believe he could do something like that.Alex stared at them intensely, Sarah was standing behind Bruce using him as a shield while pretending to be scared, this was all an act and he knew it, she had no use for him again and now she was dumping him in the hardest way she could.Bruce turned around, holding Sarah protectively and whispering things in her ears while trying to calm her down.Alex lost all his composure, he knew he had nothing against Bruce, he was sure the man didn't even know about him and Sarah but he couldn't bear to see another man holding Sarah like that, he let his fist go to work.The first punch went hard and fast, knocking Bruce to the floor, the phone in his hands flying to the hard concrete, the second one made him stay down.On impulse the security guards immediately pounced on Alex before he could do more harm to Bruce, they took him to the hard ground and mercilessly pinned him down.
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Alex came back to consciousness with a thudding headache, eyes closed against the dull pain.The back of his skull throbbed causing him unexplainable pain; he bit out a curse and moved his hand to inspect the damage , except that it didn't move, he couldn't move his arms, Something was restraining his arms. His legs too were immobilized, they had been tied tightly, he had noticed just now as he tried to get upA steady dripping echoed all around him, but it seemed to come from a single source.A runny tap, or a leak in the roof.How long had he been out cold? He felt bruised all over his body. His lips were parched and hunger growls in his stomach. He cracked open his eyes to see better and perceive how deep in shit he was.The blackness continued to engulf him. A tremor of panic vibrated in his core.He could hear a loud sound coming from outside, it was the sound of other vehicles.Everything was coming back to him, the dark events of the last two weeks. He could remember everythin
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Alex was shoved from behind as he staggered to the huge gate. The officers who had brought him here immediately handed him over to the men at the huge gate and walked back to the huge black van.After going through the fingerprinting, photographing and strip searching procedures, he was finally led to his cell.Alex couldn't help but notice the stares he was getting from the other inmates. He was going to be an easy target for everyone, he was thin and frail looking with little experience in fighting. He had once played baseball back in highschool,he was very good at it, that was where he met Sarah.Why did everything remind him of her? The memory of her in court testifying against him had been plastered in his head, he was seeing it every time he closed his eyes.He looked around, horrified at what he saw, he couldn't survive twenty years in here, he had no one to turn to, no connections to even help him out of here.All through the night he kept on thinking about how his life had ta
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Thin rays of the Moonlight streaked into the tiny cell ,showing a visible part of the aged cracked face infront of Alex.The face looked ancient under the light of the moon, even though the cell was dark,Alex could still make out the image of the rest of the body.He slowly walked to the corner of the cell, opposite the man.The floor was moist from the lack of fresh air and sunlight, Alex held in a sigh of relief as he sat down on the floor.He could make out the man's face, turning to stare at him.The man looked at him with a crooked expression."I've not had a cellmate in two years." The man croaked, his voice was hoarse and weak."Why are you here?" The man continued.Alex was too stunned to speak, the man's voice didn't fit the face.He looked like he was around seventy years old but he sounded younger and like someone that had once lived sophisticatedly." Marshall." The man continued.Alex knew marshall, he was one of the nicest wardens if not the nicest."He usually has a lit
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The loud clanging of the gates made him sit up immediately, he had a swift dream, he could barely remember the details, it was something about a cliff, he could remember seeing sarah.oh yes! he could remember seeing sarah hanging off a cliff, he had attempted to save her and she had taken him down with her instead.The loud clanging on the prison cell made him open his eyes again, he looked at the opposite cell of the room, the old man sat there, bent over like he was a scribbling something on a piece of paper.Marshall stood at the gate, looking at them suspiciously."suspension time is up! we're returning you back to your cell.""hope you learn to be on your best behaviors boy!" Marshall grunted loudly as he watched Alex drag himself off the ground.The old man stood up and walked over to the gate, he whispered in Marshall's ears and handed the paper to him.Alex walked to the gate as he watched the old man scruffle back to his corner."Take care of yourself chap, good luck." The
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Alex looked at the darkened roof as it vibrated dangerously, debris pouring into his eyes, the building was falling apart.The smoke was too thick and it stung his eyes. He looked at the old man again, the flames were not near him yet, it would take a while for it to get near him, meaning he still had time to get a wet blanket or something to beat the flames and smoke with.Alex turned around, he had to run back through where he came from in search of a wet blanket, time wasn't on his side.He heard a loud rumble, a louder one following the first.The ceiling was collapsing already!He was halfway down the hall already, Alex rushed down the hallway back to the old man, the ground behind him giving way as the ceiling collapsed chasing him and he ran.He grabbed the old man's arm and pulled him into what appeared to be a hallway closet“Al—?” he couldn’t get another word out, as Alex's big hand clamped over his mouth. His muscular arms held him tight and the look in his eyes told him h
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In his life,Alex had done many crazy things but this was the craziest.The air was cold against his face as he leaped into the air, the building crumbling and going up in flames behind him. The hard ground came rushing at him. Unable to stop the momentum, he lifted his leg to take the brunt of the impact.A roar erupted from his chest as his whole body connected with the solid hard ground, pain splintered through his body, especially his leg. He had angled his body so his legs could take the fall and held his hands tight around his head as he crashed to the floor.Everything went dark.*****With every ounce of strength she had left Joanne tried to hold herself together, Marshall had called her late last night telling her about the fire at the prison, she had rushed here, driving all through the night and here she was, in Marshall's cramped up apartment, Marshall was lucky, he wasn't on shift last night but immediately he heard of the fire he had rushed straight to the prison.He had
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He had taken some of the drugs he found on the cabinet and he felt better.He watched her eyes blink several times.She didn't look worried but he knew he still had to put her at ease.“No one knows what happened to me. It’s all over the news that a lot of us were killed in that explosion." Alex said as he motioned towards the black couch. " Yeah, you guys don't have much time.I'll call them to set the record straight,” Marshall chipped in.Alex glanced over at him, he looked like he was prepared for whatever storm was coming“What—what would happen if they get hold of you? or if they know I'm with you?” She twisted her hands in her lap, starting to look very nervous.Alex shook his head firmly and she relaxed a little in her seat. “We shouldn't be worrying about that, we should be preparing to leave here before twelve.once it's twelve, every of the city's exits would be shut."“What did the police say?” She leaned closer to his chair as she asked Marshall,who stood across the room
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Joanne walked into the dark room and felt around for a light switch. When the room flooded with light, she gasped. It was full of tall shelves stocked with everything from flashlights to rubber hoses. She almost tripped over her backpack as she started walking the aisles. Why would Marshall have all this stuff? Who was he? How did Alex know him?Taking the bag, she started walking the aisles, grabbing a flashlight, grabbing a handful of batteries, a box of matches, and other basic items. When she reached the back, her bag was heavy with stuff she thought she’d need. She’d spent four years in the Brownies growing up and knew what it took to go camping.She spotted a small silver box on the top shelf and took it down. Inside was a silver .45. She reached in and felt its weight, knowing she had to make room in her bag. She grabbed a box of bullets and before placing the gun in the small side pocket of the bag, she made sure it was unloaded. Her father had forced her to take gun classes a
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Evelyn came awake slowly. Painfully. A sharp ache pulsed inside her head and made her wince as she tried to open her eyes. What? She was facedown over an animal, no saddle. The animal’s spine dug into her hips and stomach.Her hands were bound. The lack of blood flow and frigid temps meant they were like ice blocks on the ends of her arms. Dammit, what if she had frostbite and was too far gone to even know it? She wriggled her fingers, and the returning blood made her gasp. She kept moving, tried to wriggle her legs but they were also bound. The struggle shifted her center of gravity until she was in danger of toppling upside-down beneath the animal and being trampled. Hell. Who’d done this to her? What did they want?The smell of musty fur was overpowering, making her throat heave as her stomach rebelled.“I’m going to be sick.” The contents of her stomach splashed against the gray talus that the horse was working hard to cross. D
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They’d followed the spoor for two hours but ground sign was disappearing as dust swirled in the wind. Duke was torn. Did he keep following the unknown originator of these tracks or go back to base camp and regroup. Base camp was calling his name but he wasn’t sure whether that was because Evelyn had destroyed his objectivity or because it was the smartest thing to do.Hell, right now he was going in circles.“Let’s mark this GPS position and head back,” he said to Sri luc quietly. The sound of horses hooves drumming against solid earth made him glance in the direction of the biologists’ camp. The student—Ivan—came flying into view, coat open and flapping in time to the rhythm of the horse.“What the feck?” They’d all rendezvoused at the snare where the tracks had been spotted, but he’d sent Ivan and the local man back to camp on horseback an hour ago. He hadn’t liked the idea of Evelyn being alone, although she’d managed without hi
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He split them into three groups.“Can’t I go with the doc?” Lucas moaned. He might have the reputation of being the ladies’ man of the Mountain Troop, but after what Duke had been thinking five minutes earlier while trying not to kiss Evelyn Cox’s lips, legs, and everything in between, maybe he was a frickin’ ladies’ man too.He wanted her and he’d let his eyes tell her exactly how much he wanted her.What was he thinking? There was a time and a place for that sort of thing and this wasn’t it.“No.” He kept his voice light. None of them were here to get laid. “You’re with Sri luc. Jordan you go with the Great Dane. I’m with the doc.” He gave them a firm smile that told them this wasn’t up for debate. “We’ll get the biologists to give us a demo how to tranq and release the Polar bears before we head out. I want hourly radio checks.” He nodded to the men. “It might be a couple of days until the other guys get here. I’m
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When she woke she was staring straight into the startling cobalt eyes of Officer Robert Duke. He looked like he’d wait all day for her to wake up.“I must be dreaming,” she croaked.He held out a mug of black tea.“Definitely dreaming.” She sat up, took it, and sipped. The warm liquid eased her dry throat. “Thanks. What time is it?”“0600.” His voice rolled over her. She blinked groggily. There was enough of a burr in his accent to make his voice very sexy and she figured he was laying on the charm this morning.His face was scrubbed and clean-shaven. She found herself studying his features. The vivid eyes shaded by thick brows, the cheeks scraped smooth, the jaw firm and obstinate, his nose too flat to be conventionally handsome. Yet the combination stirred up her insides like hot coals. She fought the urge run her fingers through his short blond hair. He was tall and lean and he looked really, really g
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Evelyn shoved back the yurt flap. Mikado flung up his hands in surprise and gave a nervous laugh. “You’re back. You scared me.”“There’s a lot of that going around.”He smiled at her, brown eyes twinkling. “Ivan was worried when the horse came back without you, but I told him you be okay.”Mikado had more faith in her than she did. He returned to whatever he was doing with the cubs.She strode to the computer and opened her email and read the message. Christ, the Trust really had forbidden her to release the animals. She inhaled deeply and tried to calm the rage that continued to burn inside. They thought she was overreacting and had no proof, and in the next sentence they told her it was too dangerous for her and Ivan to go after a guy with a gun. Ivan came slowly into the tent. She didn’t know if he was scared or angry. He had a right to be both.“Did you reply to this email?” She was vibrating with em
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CHAPTER 176
For fuck’s sake. He spat in the dirt. Great. He’d spent his whole life fighting against scumbag terrorists and what happened? He ended up accused of being exactly the same sort of nutcase by someone he was trying to help. It stung. He wasn’t about to let her know that.“That’s right, love. That’s why they pay me the big bucks, so let’s move it.” He maneuvered her in front of him. “Step where the trooper steps if you want to keep your legs.” He let her walk a few paces ahead and spoke into his comms. “Jordan and Lucas, keep a low profile as we head back to the RV. See if this bastard’s hiding somewhere and decides to follow us.”They both acknowledged with radio clicks and he followed Evelyn through the bush and along the rocky path. The old guy must be damn good or damn lucky to have spotted them near that other collar. He must have night vision equipment to move so swiftly at night too. Or he had insider information.Duke moved cl
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CHAPTER 175
The midday sun beat harshly on this patch of barren rock, melting the inch of snow that had fallen during the morning. The woman beside him had finally stopped wriggling and fallen asleep a couple of hours ago. His team was in position and they’d been on stag duty while he caught a quick nap. Now he was wide awake and refreshed, but so far, nothing yet.What had made Vladimir jores turn his back on his former homeland? What made him defect to fight on the side of people who got their kicks out of brutalizing innocent civilians?Duke understood terrorists better than anyone this side of a suicide vest. He’d grown up with them, would probably have become one himself if not for the tragic death of his sister. That was the family business, right alongside farming. Being immersed in that indoctrinated shit from a young age meant he understood how people born into it found it hard to break free. It was so ingrained, so fecking normal. Talk about brainwashing. H
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CHAPTER 174
How many years had it been since she’d held hands with a guy? A soldier? A shiver brushed over her skin like a ghost from the past.It felt strange. As if she’d been transported back in time. And yet, here she was, relying on the strength of those long, strong, foreign fingers to guide her safely through the night. Adjusting her footing in response to subtle pressure changes, tuning her body to match his. Trusting a man she’d just met. Relying on a man, period.It wasn’t something she did.It wasn’t who she was.She believed in saving things, in using data to make her point, not violence. But data wasn’t going to save her Polar bears from their current predicament. Her fingers tightened involuntarily and he slowed to match her pace. The guy was fit, not even breathing heavily, despite everything they’d been through and how many miles they’d walked. She was fit too, she ran and worked out, but exhaustion was making her
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As Evelyn lay down, her mind kept wavering back to years ago when she was still a child.When her grandfather was still the minister of ammunition, their family had been good friends with the Connery family so they always stood by each other.Her grandfather had hated L.j corporation because they and Connery corporation were rivals.They each made weapons for governments and L.j corporation were beginning to outsell Connery corporation.She remembered the old Mr Connery coming to visit her grandfather and the two of them talking in hushtones about the issues.During that period, a heated rivalry had begun and it all came to its peak one cold night, years ago.she remembered it clearly.Her mind went back through the years, reliving the moment.“Come away from there, Evelyn. Quickly now.”Evelyn knew better than to argue with her mother, but sh
