“Paul was the leak,” Ethan said, his hands tight on the wheel.

“He’s been selling the company’s assets to Vance for years.”

“And now he has Lauren.”

“He won’t hurt her, Ethan,” Mary said, her voice shaking.

“He needs her to get the authorization.”

“I won’t let him near her,” Ethan said, his eyes fixed on the dark road ahead.

We drove in silence, the windshield wipers struggling to clear the heavy snow.

The city skyline appeared in the distance, a wall of grey lights cutting through the storm.

We were going back to where it all began.

To the empty streets and the old buildings.

And the promise we had made so long ago was the only thing we had left to fight for.

Ethan turned the car onto Tenth Street, the abandoned warehouses standing like dark ruins against the sky.

He parked the car in the shadow of an old brick wall and turned off the engine.

The silence of the street was heavy, the only sound the wind whistling through the broken windows.

“Stay here,” Ethan said, reaching into his pocket.