Carlos stared out the window, his thoughts still swirling from the conversation they’d just had. The tension between him and Olivia was thick, the weight of everything that had been left unsaid hanging in the air like a heavy cloud. Outside, the abandoned parking lot stretched out in all directions, desolate and empty, a reflection of the emptiness that seemed to have settled between them. He shifted in his seat, glancing over at Olivia, who had her hands still gripping the steering wheel, her knuckles white. She hadn’t spoken since pulling over, and the silence between them was becoming unbearable.Finally, Carlos broke the silence.“This where we’re staying tonight?” he asked, his voice cutting through the stillness like a sharp knife. His eyes scanned the lot outside again, taking in the overgrown grass, the cracked pavement, the distant silhouette of a rundown building. It looked like a place where no one had set foot in years.Olivia didn’t respond immediately. She exhaled slowl
Carlos shifted in his seat, feeling the tension still lingering between them. He didn’t say anything for a while, just stared out of the window as the trees zipped by in the darkness. His mind was racing, filled with questions he wasn’t sure he wanted the answers to.After what felt like an eternity, he spoke again. “Olivia,” he began, his voice low and hesitant, “what exactly are we running from? Is it just Edgar, or is there more to this than you’re telling me?”Olivia’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, her knuckles going white again. She kept her eyes on the road, her jaw clenched in that same determined set that Carlos had seen earlier. He could tell she was trying to think of the right thing to say, the right way to answer his question without giving too much away.“It’s complicated,” she finally said, her voice quiet but firm.Carlos scoffed, shaking his head in frustration. “Complicated? Everything with you is complicated, Olivia. I need to know what’s going on. I deserve
“Abby, huh?” Olivia’s voice sliced through the heavy silence of the car, startling Carlos slightly. Her eyes were still fixed on the road ahead, but there was a sharp edge to her tone, a curiosity that Carlos hadn’t expected. The quiet hum of the car’s engine and the dark expanse of highway that stretched before them suddenly felt more oppressive.Carlos shifted in his seat, his eyes narrowing. He hadn’t sensed this kind of curiosity Olivia before. Why now? His fingers drummed lightly against the armrest, his mind racing. “What about her?” Carlos asked cautiously, his voice low and guarded.Olivia glanced at him, her expression unreadable. “Tell me about her,” she said softly, turning her attention back to the road. “I want to know what she was like.”Carlos frowned, suspicion flashing in his eyes. “Why do you want to know about Abby?” His voice had a hint of challenge in it, as if daring her to push this conversation further. “Why are you asking about my dead fiancée?”There was a m
Carlos could barely keep his eyes on the road ahead as they drove the last few miles. The towering trees thickened on both sides of the narrow path, casting long shadows in the evening light. The further they went, the quieter it got, and Carlos noticed the change in Olivia's demeanor as she gripped the wheel, her lips pressed together in a tight line.“You sure this is the right way?” Carlos asked, casting a suspicious glance at the GPS on the dashboard, which had lost signal a while back. “I know where I’m going,” Olivia replied, her voice steady but tense. She leaned forward slightly, focusing on the winding road as it began to narrow. “It’s just up ahead.”Carlos remained silent after that, but his mind was racing. The silence between them stretched, thick with unspoken worries. They had both seen too much, done too much, and now they were on the run together. He wasn’t sure if this was the best idea, but it was the only one they had.As they rounded the final bend, the house cam
Olivia stood in the doorway of Carlos's guestroom, her hand lingering on the doorknob. The early morning light had not yet broken through the windows, and the room was dimly lit by the pale moonlight filtering through the blinds. She took a deep breath, steeling herself before stepping inside.Quietly, she padded across the floor and sat gently on the edge of the bed. Carlos lay there, his breathing slow and steady, his chest rising and falling rhythmically as he slept. His face, usually marked by tension and stress, looked peaceful for once, his features soft in the stillness of sleep. His thick black hair was tousled, resting across his forehead in a way that made him look almost boyish. Olivia couldn’t help but marvel at the sight of him.How did they end up here? She thought as her gaze softened. The long journey they had made, the obstacles they had faced, and the lives they had both lost to the common enemy they shared— Edgar and the woman he worked for. Fate, it seemed, had twi
Carlos sat in the dimly lit living room, the silence only broken by the occasional clatter of keys as Jon worked on his laptop. The weight of the situation settled on him, pressing heavily against his chest. He’d been through a lot, but this… this was different. Tomorrow, they’d be facing Edgar, a man who seemed untouchable, a man with power, money, and the ruthlessness to destroy anyone who crossed him. But they had no choice. It was either strike first or be hunted.He glanced across the room at Jon, who was entirely focused on the glowing screen in front of him. Whatever he was working on, it had to do with tomorrow’s mission. He was double checking everything— the coordinates, the intel, the logistics. Making sure there were no mistakes. Carlos pushed himself off the couch, his mind racing. He couldn’t just sit there any longer, not with all that was hanging over them. He needed to talk to Jon. They hadn’t really had a proper introduction, and Jon was risking just as much as he w
As the heavy door to the living room closed behind Olivia and Jon, Carlos stood for a moment, staring at the empty space they left behind. His thoughts churned, the weight of the plan pressing on his shoulders. Everything they’d talked about had led to this— no more waiting, no more failed missions. They were going after Edgar, and there was no turning back.Carlos paced the room, his mind racing with possibilities. Every step felt like a countdown, every thought a reminder of how much they stood to lose. He couldn't afford to make a mistake. Not with Jon, Olivia, or himself.Determined, Carlos walked toward the kitchen. He needed something to clear his head. The tension between them had built up so thick he could almost taste it. A glass of water might help, even if just for a moment. As he poured the water and stared at it, he couldn't help but replay Jon’s words in his head.Jon had been right: This wasn’t just a simple mission. Edgar wasn’t someone they could easily bring down. He
The early light of dawn broke through the thin curtains of their small rented cabin in Hawaii, casting soft shadows on the walls. The quiet of the morning was pierced by the low hum of Jon’s alarm. He slapped it off with a groggy hand, glancing over at Carlos and Olivia who were already stirring. It was time. The tension in the room was palpable, none of them needing to say a word to feel the weight of what lay ahead. Today was the day they’d leave for New York, and the only thing on everyone’s mind was Edgar.Olivia was the first to move, slipping out of bed and heading to the kitchen to start coffee. She was the most prepared, the one who seemed to keep it all together, even when the walls felt like they were closing in. Carlos sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor. His mind was miles away, already in New York, already thinking about the dangerous mission they were about to undertake.“Everyone ready?” Olivia asked, her voice cutting through the silence. She poured coffee