2022-10-29 00:24:06Alex tapped on the screen of his phone, as he gently massaged his temples with the tip of his fingers,he could feel the stress weighing down on him heavily, he and his team had been working non-stop all week trying to finish off their project for the company.
The screen of the phone came to life at his touch,he heaved a sigh of relief, even though his team was short of a member they had managed to come this far in such quick notice,it was already late at night but he didn't care, he would have to take the long late night walk back home, even though he lived only a few blocks from the company, he had a lot to do, he hadn't heard from sarah for a week now,he barely saw her at work,he wondered if it was all because he was always busy and he never had time for the relationship.The office door flew open, startling him as Jim ,his co-worker, ran inside excitedly."It's happening!" Jim screamed excitedly,he held his phone to his face as he screamed at the screen excitedly."What's happening?" Alex asked sullenly. Jim was always excited about any new entertainment update, he knew all the music stars, movie stars and always knew about any new buzz in their lives."Are you that off, Alex? How don't you know about Bruce's proposal?" Jim asked as he stared at Alex with a queer look on his face.Bruce was the Ceo's son, and Alex had never liked him from the start, he was always a pompous asshole who was protected by his father's wealth and could get away with anything."I didn't know about Bruce's planned proposal…" Alex trailed off, he was already losing interest in knowing about the proposal, especially since it involved Bruce."Damn. He's so lucky, he and Sarah would make a beautiful couple." Jim continued as he did a little dance to his chair.Alex felt a sinking feeling in his heart as he heard the name, his heart beat got louder and faster. Maybe he heard wrong, maybe it was someone else."S-Sarah?" He stuttered as he looked at Jim, hoping it would be another Sarah he was talking about."Yeah. Sarah… the one that joined our company a while ago," Jim continued, giving him the queer look again as he dusted his pants.Alex sank back into his chair, his face was getting hot, cold sweat broke all over his body, his head was pounding, he could feel his heart slowing down. He was suffocating, what he just heard was suffocating him.Their company was a large company. There must be at least two or more Sarahs, maybe Jim was mixing them up.He gathered strength into his trembling legs as he slowly walked over to where Jim stood, watching the Live video excitedly.Alex caught a glimpse of the screen and his heart stopped beating, his legs failed him and he saw himself falling to the ground, a million things running through his mind.It was Sarah—And he had caught a glimpse of her kissing Bruce.He hit the ground hard.Sarah was his girlfriend, she was his first girlfriend! They had been dating since college, they had been in the same department and after graduation when he got a job with the company, she had complained about not liking the separation and about wanting them to be together again so she had asked him to help her work her way into the company too.They had agreed to keep their relationship a secret and to take things slow so as to focus and work well in the company and be open to bigger job opportunities.Sarah had taken the 'keeping the relationship a secret' serious so he had to follow suit. But none of these had stopped Alex from loving her, he had loved her from day one and he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.He had been saving and preparing to propose to her at the end of the year."It cost sixty thousand bucks to stay there for a night!" Jim exclaimed, he had been so absorbed in his phone that he hadn't noticed what happened to Alex behind him."And an additional twenty thousand bucks for a nice meal..." Jim trailed off as he typed excitedly.Alex mind raced back and forth, he felt cold sweat break out in his forehead and trickle down his neck.How long has it been going on? How could Sarah do this to him? Why didn't he notice anything? Why didn't she tell him anything?Maybe she was being forced! She was definitely being forced! Sarah would never do this to him.Alex slowly propped himself back up, using the chair beside him as leverage, he had hit his head hard and now his vision was a little blurred, his head hurt from when he had hit the floor hard.Sarah would never do this to him.He had to go and meet her. He had to see her.A new wave of strength flowed through his body, as he staggered to the door."I knew they would end up together! I mean… who dates for two months and breaks off everything?" Jim commented.Alex had not noticed anything going on around him and was rather focused on the live streamed video he was watching. He tried to push everything he had heard out of his head as he stumbled out of the building, he could feel a range of emotions and he was beginning to lose control of each of them.The air was chilly, it was already quite late and the cars on the streets had reduced, it was like any other night, only that this time he was not himself.Alex flagged down a taxi and called out the hotel's name to the driver, saying the name almost choked him. He quickly touched his pocket in a mad frenzy, he had left his phone on his office desk. Luckily, his second phone was always in his pocket, he searched out the live stream on dukduk, it popped up immediately,the number of current views made his chest tighten, thousands of people knew about the proposal except him, if Jim hadn't come to the office,he wouldn't have known about it.The hotel's restaurant was flashy, it screamed luxury, everything was out of his class but none of that could rip his attention as he stared straight into the screen, staring hard at Sarah, she didn't look like someone who was forced, she looked like she was enjoying herself well,He hated to say it but she looked happy, she looked happy breaking his heart into a million pieces, she looked happy throwing everything they had! everything they built! into the trash.His grip around the phone tightened,he couldn't bear to look away, no matter how much he tried to deny it, he knew deep in him that this was Sarah.She was holding him romantically, he held her tight as he placed a kiss on her forehead and she returned it to his lip with the people present there cheering them on.Alex could feel his stomach churning, his face was hot, tears rolled down his cheeks as he looked on, he wanted to see Sarah, he wanted to talk to her,even if it was for a minute, he wanted to just ask her why. Why was she doing this to him, why was she betraying him! why she was betraying everything they had.None of this had to be true! he was probably dreaming! he had probably fallen asleep at work and was now dreaming!This couldn't be real.Alex looked at the screen and saw Bruce kneel down and bring out the ring. He stared hard at Sarah, hot tears streaming down his face.He couldn't believe his beloved girl would cheat on him..
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Risen To The Top CHAPTER 2
Sarah looked beautiful.Alex could see her from where he stood, concealed by the well trimmed bushes, she was moving slowly, with a particular beautiful rhythm, even from where he stood he could still make out her eyes, they looked dreamy, she had always been beautiful, he couldn't deny that, that was one of the things that always blew his mind about her, she always looked beautiful and innocent.He moved closer to the building trying to avoid the security guards, who had been patrolling round the entrance to the pool building.He looked through the small crowd of people in the hall again trying to locate her.There she was, dancing in his arms. They looked like they had known each other forever.Alex felt his chest tighten, he was finding it harder to breathe, his face was hot and steamy from the stream of hot tears.Nothing ever made him cry but he couldn't control himself now.She looked at him with a different kind of passion burning in her eyes and he did the same.Alex's heart s
Risen To The Top CHAPTER 3
Alex 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 weari
Risen To The Top CHAPTER 4
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
Risen To The Top CHAPTER 5
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
Risen To The Top CHAPTER 6
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
Risen To The Top CHAPTER 7
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
Risen To The Top CHAPTER 8
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
Risen To The Top CHAPTER 9
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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CHAPTER 181
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
CHAPTER 180
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
CHAPTER 179
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
CHAPTER 178
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
CHAPTER 177
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
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
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
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
CHAPTER 173
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
