Chapter 64: Failed Sugarcode?

Mysa's heart pounded in her chest as she glanced at Diva in the rearview mirror, her surprise quickly turning to a mix of fear and confusion.

"Diva, what are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady despite the panic rising within her.

Diva's grin widened, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I wanted to surprise you!" she exclaimed, leaning forward between the front seats. "I thought I could accompany you home on your last day of being single. You've been so sentimental today, and I thought you could use some company."

Mysa's grip tightened on the steering wheel, her mind racing. This wasn’t part of the plan. Clave's words echoed in her head, and she knew she needed to get Diva out of the car as soon as possible.

"But how did you get in the car?" she asked, her voice a bit shaky.

Diva's grin turned into a mischievous smirk. "I used one of Dad's gadgets," she said proudly. "You know how he's always tinkering with stuff. I borrowed a little device that unlocks car doors. Don't worry, Mom knows I'm here. I asked for her permission."

Mysa forced a smile, trying to keep her growing fear hidden. "You shouldn't have done that, Diva," she said softly. "I really need to be alone right now."

Diva's face fell slightly, her playful grin fading into a frown. "But Mys—"

"No, Diva," Mysa cut her off. "I'm dropping you home. No ifs and buts."

Diva pouted, trying to cajole her sister. "Come on, Mysa. It's your last day as a single woman! Can't we just spend a little time together? Have some fun?"

Mysa shook her head, her expression resolute. "I'm sorry, Diva. I can't. I need to be alone right now."

Diva's shoulders slumped in defeat, but she tried one last time. "Fine, but can we at least eat dessert together as a celebration? Just a quick one?"

Mysa hesitated, seeing the disappointment in her eyes. She knew Diva just wanted to share this special time with her.

Relenting slightly, she nodded. "Alright, we can have dessert together. But then I'm taking you home."

Diva's face brightened instantly. "Deal!" she exclaimed, her earlier disappointment forgotten.

As they drove to a nearby café, Mysa quickly texted Clave: "Abort the plan for now. I will do this in the evening."

Clave's response was almost immediate. "Okay, but don't delay much."

Mysa put her phone away, her heart heavy with the weight of what lay ahead.

For now, she would focus on enjoying this moment with Diva, savoring the fleeting normalcy before everything changed.

At the café, they ordered their favorite desserts and sat at a corner table.

Diva chattered happily, her usual exuberance on full display. Mysa smiled and laughed along, trying to absorb every bit of this precious time with her.

As Diva spooned a bite of chocolate mousse into her mouth, she glanced at Mysa with a mischievous glint in her eye. "So, are you excited for tomorrow?"

Mysa nodded, her smile genuine but tinged with sadness. "Yeah, I am. It's a big day."

Diva reached across the table, squeezing Mysa's hand. "Don't be nervous. Everything will be perfect. And Draven is going to be the happiest guy in the world."

Mysa squeezed her sister's hand back, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Thanks, Diva. I needed that."

They finished their desserts, chatting and laughing, the world outside momentarily forgotten.

As they left the café, Mysa felt a bittersweet pang, knowing that this might be one of their last carefree moments together.

Once they were done, they got into the car again.

As Mysa drove, she tried to keep her mind on the road, but her thoughts were heavy with the plan and its implications.

After a few minutes, she noticed a car in the rearview mirror. It had been behind them for a while now.

A sinking feeling settled in her stomach.

"Shit," she thought, her heart pounding. "Why is this happening now? I was supposed to follow the plan during the evening. Did it get too late now? Oh, fuck."

Her anxiety spiked, but she tried to maintain her composure. She pressed her foot on the gas, the car speeding up slightly.

Diva, noticing the change in speed, glanced over at Mysa, her brow furrowing with concern.

"Mysa, why are you driving so fast?" Diva asked, her voice laced with worry. She looked back and saw the car following them. "Are they following us?"

Mysa's grip tightened on the steering wheel. She forced a calm tone into her voice, though her heart was racing. "Don't get scared, Diva. It's okay."

But Mysa herself was scared. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins, her mind racing with possibilities. She took a sharp turn onto a different route, hoping to lose the car behind them. But it followed, matching her every move.

Diva's fear was palpable. "Mysa, what's going on? Who are they? Why are they following us?"

Mysa glanced at her, trying to muster a reassuring smile. "It's probably just a coincidence," she lied. "But I need to make sure. Just hold on, okay?"

Diva nodded, her eyes wide with fear. She trusted Mysa, but the situation was terrifying. Mysa's heart ached seeing her so scared. She had to protect her.

As the car behind them drew closer, Mysa's mind raced. She needed to think fast.

"Diva," Mysa said urgently, glancing at Diva. "Dial Clave's number fast."

With trembling hands, Diva fumbled for her phone, her fear evident. She found Clave's contact and pressed the call button, her voice shaky as she spoke. "Dad?"

"Hey, Princess. What’s up?" Clave's warm voice came through, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere in the car.

"Dad..." Diva's voice broke as tears streamed down her face, the fear overwhelming her.

Clave's tone shifted immediately. "What's wrong?"

"Put it on speaker, Diva. Hurry!" Mysa instructed, her eyes darting between the road and the rearview mirror.

Diva obeyed, putting the call on speaker and holding the phone out. "It's on speaker," she managed to say through her tears.

"Clave," Mysa said urgently.

"Mysa?" Clave's voice held a note of confusion and worry.

"Clave, they are here, following us. Implement 'Sugarcode' at our fixed location," Mysa instructed, her words coming out in a rush.

"What?" Clave's shock was evident, his voice rising.

"Right now! We don’t have much time," Mysa insisted, her knuckles white as she gripped the steering wheel tighter, taking another sharp turn to try and lose their pursuers.

"Okay..." Clave replied, the line going dead as he cut the call to take immediate action.

In his office, Clave's mind whirled as he processed Mysa's urgent words. He stood quickly, knocking his chair over in his haste. His heart pounded as he moved towards the control panel hidden behind a bookcase.

"Goddammit," he muttered, his hands trembling slightly as he input the activation code for 'Sugarcode'.

The panel lit up, the display confirming the sequence was in motion. The team would start working on the plan now.

But a sudden realization hit him like a punch to the gut: Diva was with Mysa. The plan was prepared to save one person, not two.

Clave's breath hitched, panic creeping into his usually calm demeanor. He had never anticipated this scenario. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing the room as he tried to think of a solution.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," he repeated under his breath, his voice growing louder with each word. He grabbed his phone and dialed a secure line, his fingers shaking.

"Agent Rodriguez," a voice answered on the other end.

"It's Clave. We have a situation," Clave said. "Implement 'Sugarcode' immediately. There are two targets now. Repeat: two targets. Mysa and Diva."

"Understood, sir," Agent Rodriguez replied, but Clave could hear the hesitation in his voice.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" Clave barked, his patience fraying. "They are both in danger. We didn't plan for this. Adjust the parameters and get additional support if you need to. Just make sure they’re both safe."

"Yes, sir," Rodriguez responded more firmly. "We will handle it."

Clave ended the call, his mind racing. He felt a lump in his throat, the fear for his daughters clawing at him.

He had always been in control, always the calm one, but now his hands shook, and his heart raced with the terror of a father whose children were in danger.

He tried to think logically.

What could he do? How could he adjust the plan on the fly?

He moved to his desk, pulling out maps and blueprints of the city, his eyes scanning for potential safe routes and hideouts.

"Come on, Clave. Concentrate," he muttered to himself, forcing his mind to focus. "You can do this."

Meanwhile, Mysa's heart pounded in her chest as she focused on the road ahead, her mind a whirl of thoughts.

She had to stay calm, for Diva's sake. The plan was in motion now; they just had to reach the fixed location.

Diva's sobs had quieted to soft sniffles as she clung to the phone, her eyes wide with fear. "Mysa, are we going to be okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mysa reached over and squeezed her sister's hand, forcing a reassuring smile. "We will be, Diva. Just stay calm. Clave has everything under control."

The car sped through the streets, the distance between them and their pursuers fluctuating. Mysa took another sharp turn, heading towards their safe location, her heart pounding with the urgency of the situation.

"We are almost there," Mysa said, more to herself than to Diva. "Just a little longer."

Diva nodded, wiping her tears and trying to steady her breathing. "I trust you, Mysa," she said, her voice stronger now.

Mysa's determination only grew stronger with her words. She couldn't let anything happen to Diva. At any cost.

As they neared the fixed location, Mysa's eyes scanned the area, looking for any sign of Clave or his team. The car behind them was still in pursuit, but Mysa's resolve was unwavering.

Her heart pounded as she desperately searched for the signal.

Then, she spotted it — a green-colored flag fluttering in the breeze. It was the hint she needed, the signal that the team was in position and ready to rescue her. But there was one problem.

The plan was designed for one person. Only one person could jump and get saved. This was the crux of 'Sugarcode.'

Mysa was supposed to jump, making her pursuers think she had died, and with a new identity, she would live happily ever after with Draven. But now, there was Diva.

Mysa glanced at Diva, her eyes filling with tears. Diva was again now sobbing uncontrollably beside her.

"Diva..." Mysa's voice was choked with emotion.

"Yes, Mysa?" Diva's voice trembled, her face streaked with tears.

Mysa swallowed hard, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. "Can you please take care of Draven? Tell him I loved him ever since I knew what love meant."

Diva looked at her in confusion and fear. "Why are you saying all these, Mysa?"

Mysa's eyes flicked back to the road, seeing that they were nearing the flag.

She took a deep breath, her mind made up. "I am sorry, Diva."

Without warning, Mysa opened Diva’s car door and, with all her strength, pushed her out.

Diva screamed as she tumbled onto the road, rolling to a stop as the car sped away.

Mysa's heart shattered as she watched Diva in the rearview mirror, her form growing smaller and smaller. But there was no time to hesitate. She turned her attention back to the road, her mind racing with the implications of what she had just done.

As her thoughts churned, she struggled to regain full control of the car, her hands trembling on the steering wheel.

The car behind her screeched to a halt near Diva, and Mysa saw Clave’s team rushing to her aid. Relief washed over her briefly, but it was short-lived. In her distracted state, she misjudged a sharp turn.

"Oh, no!" she gasped, desperately trying to correct her path.

But it was too late.

The car veered off the road, skidding on the gravel before plummeting towards the river.

Mysa screamed, her hands gripping the wheel as the vehicle hurtled down the embankment. The impact with the water was jarring, and within seconds, water rushed in from all sides as the car sank.

Panic set in as Mysa struggled to unbuckle her seatbelt, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

She thought of Draven, of the life they were supposed to have, and of the family she was leaving behind. The water was rising quickly, making it harder to breathe.

"I love you," she whispered, her voice swallowed by the rushing water.

And then, everything went black.