Chapter 48: The Arrest of Pablo and Damian

Chapter 48: The Arrest of Pablo and Damian
Elijah frowned, turning his gaze back to her. “What did you just say?”
“It might be Interpol.”
“How on earth would Interpol know this exact location?”
Vanya paused for a second, catching her breath before answering quietly, “I sent them the coordinates.”
Elijah stared at her for a long, agonizing moment, as if attempting to digest her words one by one. “When?”
“Before we went inside.”
“You sent the live coordinates of this base to federal agents?!”
“I didn't even know if the message actually sent! The signal was practically dead!”
“And you’re only telling me this vital piece of information now?!”
“I wasn't sure it was them either until I heard the breaching charges!”
Elijah dragged a hand roughly across his face, his expression a chaotic mix of sheer exasperation and utter disbelief, clearly holding back from saying more. “You’re completely out of your mind. You’re utterly reckless.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
“No, it isn't!”
Vanya was about to snap back, but another massive explosion resonated from the front entrance, powerful enough to make the floor beneath their feet vibrate violently. Dust and plaster rained down from the high ceiling, and Vanya instinctively ducked, covering her head with both hands.
“Elijah!”
The man straightened up immediately, his eyes flashing with a sudden, renewed sense of purpose.
“If that really is the police pushing inside, we have an opening.”
“An opening to escape?”
Elijah turned to her, and for the first time since they had met that night, there was something in his eyes that no longer looked like hesitation or refusal.
“An opening to go back.”
Vanya’s gaze changed instantly, the fear evaporating to make room for resolve. “Damian.”
Elijah gave a sharp, firm nod.
However, just as they stepped out from behind the pillar, two heavily armed guards rounded the end of the hall, their assault rifles already raised.
“Freeze! Don't move!”
Vanya recoiled in shock. Elijah moved faster than her eyes could register, grabbing Vanya's jacket and pulling her behind his body just as one of the guards opened fire.
A gunshot shattered the air with a deafening crack, followed immediately by Elijah firing back with precise accuracy. Vanya clamped her hand over her mouth, stifling a scream that almost escaped her throat. Everything happened in a terrifying blur—one guard crumpled heavily to the floor while the other scrambled backward to take cover behind an adjacent pillar.
“Run! Go, go, go!” Elijah yelled over the ringing in her ears.
This time, Vanya didn't need to be told twice.
They sprinted in the opposite direction, retracing their steps back down the chaotic hallway they had just fled. Vanya no longer cared whether they were heading down the right path or entering a dead end. She knew only one thing—they had to get back to that room. They had to find Damian before Pablo’s men moved him or worse.
Yet as they drew closer to the glass chamber, the surrounding chaos only intensified. Guards were scattering in every direction like panicked insects—some wielding automatic rifles, others screaming frantically into walkie-talkies that were barely audible over the continuous exchange of gunfire echoing through the compound.
“Mr. Pablo ordered everyone to fall back to the front gate!”
“Nobody leaves the inner sanctuary!”
“The police have breached the primary perimeter!”
Vanya and Elijah exchanged a rapid, breathless glance as they ran. The police were truly inside the facility. Whether someone else had tipped them off or whether Vanya’s desperate message was the true cause—for the first time since stepping foot into this nightmarish estate, Vanya felt something she thought she had completely lost: hope.
And that sudden surge of hope made her legs move faster than ever before.
When they finally reached the heavy double doors leading to the chamber where Damian was being held, Vanya halted briefly—the doors were wide open, swaying on their hinges. From inside came the sounds of aggressive shouting, the harsh noise of crashing furniture, and then the one voice she recognized above all others in the world.
“Get your hands off me!”
Vanya didn't hesitate for a single second. She broke into the room.
“Damian!”
The man turned his head sharply, and for a second, Vanya almost didn't recognize the person standing before her. His face was drawn and pale, one of his shirt buttons was torn off completely, his hair was disheveled, and his breathing was heavy—as if he had just survived an ordeal he never wanted to speak of again. The three women were still nearby, cowering against the far wall, their attention finally splintered by the terrifying sound of gunfire ringing ever closer.
When his dark eyes met Vanya’s, Damian froze completely—and then his expression shifted drastically, like someone waking up from a horrific nightmare only to find another unexpected reality waiting for him.
“What on earth are you doing back here?!” he barked, his voice raw and demanding.
Vanya completely ignored his harsh, protective tone. She ran across the room directly toward him. “We came back for you!”
Damian locked eyes with Elijah, who appeared right behind Vanya, his weapon drawn and scanning the room. For a fleeting second, none of the three said a single word—as if time itself stood completely still amidst the surrounding destruction and chaos.
Then Elijah broke the silence with his characteristic dryness. “Save your heartfelt thanks for later. We need to move right now.”
In the distance, another heavy volley of gunfire echoed through the structural walls, far closer than it had been just moments ago.
And this time, all three of them knew without a doubt—the real battle for their survival was only just beginning.