Chapter 14: Running Out of Time

**Julia**

My heart pounded in my chest as Ethan and I ran down the dark, narrow hallway. Behind us, I could hear the sound of footsteps—fast and heavy, growing closer with every second. We had knocked out two of Benny’s men, but that wouldn’t be enough. Benny would send more. He always had more.

“We need to get out of this house,” I whispered urgently as we rounded a corner, my breath coming in short, sharp bursts.

Ethan glanced back, his face tight with focus. “I know, but we can’t just run out the front door. They’ll be waiting for us.”

I scanned the hallway, searching for another exit, but the walls were solid stone, and the doors we passed were locked tight. My mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. We were trapped in a house filled with Benny’s men, and every second we spent inside brought us closer to being caught—or worse.

As we rounded another corner, Ethan suddenly stopped, grabbing my arm. “There,” he said, pointing to a narrow door at the end of the hallway.

I followed his gaze, my heart leaping with hope. The door looked old, almost hidden among the shadows, like it hadn’t been used in years. If it led outside, it could be our only way out.

We sprinted toward it, the sound of footsteps closing in behind us. Ethan reached the door first, yanking it open just as I heard voices shouting from down the hall. I didn’t wait. I rushed inside, pulling the door shut behind us as quietly as I could.

We found ourselves in a dark, narrow passage, the air damp and stale. It smelled like it hadn’t been touched in years. Ethan pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight, casting a dim glow on the walls. The passage was tight, barely wide enough for the two of us to stand side by side.

“Where does this lead?” I asked, my voice a whisper.

“I don’t know,” Ethan said, glancing down the narrow tunnel. “But it’s better than staying here. Let’s go.”

We moved quickly, the sound of our footsteps muffled by the thick, damp air. My heart raced, and I couldn’t stop the flood of thoughts running through my mind. Were we really going to make it out of this? Was there even a way out?

After what felt like an eternity of winding through the dark passage, we came to a dead end. My heart sank. The only thing in front of us was a rusty metal ladder, leading upward into the darkness.

“Looks like we’re going up,” Ethan said, his voice calm but tense.

I swallowed hard, nodding as I stepped forward and grabbed onto the ladder. The metal was cold and rough beneath my hands as I started to climb, the rungs creaking under my weight. Ethan followed close behind, his flashlight illuminating the way as we climbed higher and higher.

Finally, we reached a small, round hatch at the top. My hands trembled as I reached for the latch, hoping—praying—that it would lead us outside. With a grunt, I pushed it open, and to my relief, fresh air hit my face.

I pulled myself up through the hatch and found myself in the backyard of the house. The grass was overgrown, the fences tall and covered in vines. It was dark, but the moonlight gave just enough light to see our surroundings.

Ethan climbed out after me, quickly shutting the hatch behind us. We both stood there for a moment, catching our breath, the cool night air a welcome relief after the suffocating tunnel.

“We need to keep moving,” Ethan said, his voice low as he scanned the area. “Benny’s men will figure out we’re gone soon.”

I nodded, my pulse still racing as I followed him toward the back of the property. My mind was racing too, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. We had the documents. We had what we needed to bring Benny down. But now it was just a matter of getting out alive.

As we reached the fence, Ethan stopped, pulling out his phone again. “We need a way out of here,” he said, scrolling through his contacts. “I’ll call Collins, tell him to get the team ready. We need backup, fast.”

He dialed the number, pressing the phone to his ear, but after a moment, his expression darkened. “Damn it. No signal.”

I felt a chill run down my spine. No signal. That meant no backup. We were on our own.

“What now?” I asked, my voice tight with fear.

Ethan looked around, scanning the fence and the trees beyond it. “We get to the road. If we can make it there, we might be able to find a car, or at least get far enough away from here to call for help.”

I nodded, my hands trembling slightly as I grabbed the top of the fence and started to climb. It wasn’t high, but my muscles ached from the tension and adrenaline, and it took all my strength to pull myself over. Ethan followed quickly, and we dropped down on the other side, our feet hitting the dirt with a soft thud.

We were in the woods now, the tall trees casting long shadows across the ground. The air was thick with the scent of pine, and the only sounds were the rustle of leaves in the wind. For a moment, it felt like we were safe, like we had escaped. But I knew better. Benny wouldn’t stop until he found us.

Ethan grabbed my hand, pulling me forward. “Come on. We have to keep moving.”

We ran through the woods, dodging branches and jumping over fallen logs as we headed toward the road. My heart was pounding, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. Every step felt like a race against time, every rustle of leaves behind us a reminder that Benny’s men could be close.

After what felt like miles, we finally broke through the trees and stumbled onto a narrow road. It was dark and empty, the headlights of cars nowhere to be seen. My heart sank. We needed a vehicle, something to get us far away from here, but there was nothing in sight.

Ethan pulled out his phone again, trying once more to get a signal. He held it up, moving it around in the air, but the screen stayed blank.

“No luck,” he muttered, frustration lacing his voice.

I swallowed hard, trying to fight back the rising panic. “What now? We can’t just stay here.”

Ethan didn’t answer right away. He was staring down the road, his expression tense, as if he were waiting for something. I followed his gaze, my heart skipping a beat when I saw a pair of headlights in the distance, slowly approaching.

“Get down,” Ethan whispered, pulling me toward the ditch on the side of the road.

We crouched behind the tall grass, my breath coming in short gasps as the car came closer. I didn’t know if it was friend or foe. It could be anyone—Benny’s men, or someone who could help us. My pulse pounded in my ears, and I gripped Ethan’s arm, praying for a miracle.

The car slowed as it approached, its headlights sweeping over the road. I held my breath, every muscle in my body tensing as it came to a stop right where we were hiding. My heart raced as the driver’s door opened, and a figure stepped out.

For a moment, the world stood still.

And then I heard a familiar voice.

“Julia? Ethan?”

My heart leaped into my throat as Collins stepped into the light, his face lined with concern. Relief flooded through me so fast I almost collapsed. He had found us. We weren’t alone anymore.

“Thank God,” I whispered, standing up from the ditch.

But as I stepped forward, my relief turned to dread. Behind Collins, two more figures emerged from the car. I recognized them instantly—Benny’s men.

Collins saw the look on my face and raised his hands in surrender, his eyes filled with regret.

“I’m sorry, Julia,” he said quietly. “I had no choice.”

Before I could react, Benny’s men grabbed me, shoving me back toward the car. My mind raced, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggled against their grip.

But it was too late.

We were caught.

Again.