CHAPTER 62

The underground tunnels stretched beneath the island like a hidden labyrinth, carved deep into the rock to serve as William’s final escape route. The air was damp and thick with the scent of saltwater, the walls lined with flickering emergency lights.

Fiona, Darwin, and Marcus moved fast, their footsteps echoing in the confined space. The map on Marcus’s tablet displayed a direct path to William’s exit point—an underground dock where a speedboat waited to whisk him away.

“We have less than five minutes before he’s out of our reach,” Marcus warned.

Fiona gritted her teeth, her pulse hammering. She wasn’t about to let William slip away again.

Not this time.

She pushed forward, leading the charge through the dimly lit tunnel. Every muscle in her body was tense, ready for the inevitable ambush. William wouldn’t make it easy for them.

And he didn’t.

A hail of gunfire erupted from the corridor ahead.

“Down!” Darwin shouted, grabbing Fiona’s arm and pulling her behind cover. Bullets ricocheted off the stone walls, sparks flying.

Marcus ducked behind a support beam, quickly assessing the situation. “They’re blocking the exit—at least six of them.”

Fiona exhaled sharply, gripping her weapon. “We take them out fast.”

Darwin gave a short nod. “Go low, I’ll go high.”

Without hesitation, Fiona sprinted forward, sliding on one knee as she fired. Her shots were precise—one guard went down instantly, the second barely had time to react before her bullet found his chest.

Darwin moved with brutal efficiency, taking out another two before they even had a chance to return fire. Marcus flanked the last pair, silencing them with quick, well-placed shots.

The corridor was quiet again.

Fiona didn’t waste a second. She sprinted down the passageway, heart pounding.

“We’re running out of time,” Marcus reminded her.

She knew.

She could feel it.

William was right there—one step away from escaping.

Not today.

---

The Underground Dock

The tunnel opened up into a cavernous underground dock, the dark waters shimmering under the dim overhead lights. A sleek, black speedboat bobbed in the waves, engine already running.

William stood at the edge of the dock, his hand gripping Bella’s wrist. She looked pale, her expression unreadable.

He turned as Fiona and her team emerged.

A slow smile crossed his lips. “You just don’t give up, do you?”

Fiona leveled her gun at him. “Get away from the boat.”

William exhaled, almost amused. “You’re too late.” He gestured toward the speedboat. “This isn’t the only escape I planned for.”

Fiona’s eyes flicked to Bella, searching her face.

Something wasn’t right.

Bella wasn’t struggling.

She was hesitating.

Darwin stepped forward, his voice low. “Bella. Don’t do this.”

Her fingers twitched at her side.

A single moment of hesitation.

And then she pulled away from William.

“Go to hell,” she spat.

William’s expression flickered—annoyance, perhaps a sliver of disappointment—but he recovered quickly. He yanked a concealed pistol from his coat and aimed it at Bella’s chest.

Fiona fired first.

The shot echoed through the cavern, striking William’s shoulder and sending him stumbling backward. His gun clattered to the floor.

Bella gasped, stepping away as he fell to one knee.

“You—” William started, but Fiona was already moving.

She kicked his weapon into the water and grabbed him by the collar, yanking him up so their faces were inches apart.

“This is where it ends,” she whispered.

William chuckled, blood staining his teeth. “You think you’ve won?”

Fiona’s grip tightened. “No more escapes.”

And then—

An explosion rocked the cavern.

---

The Final Betrayal

The shockwave sent Fiona crashing backward. The entire underground dock shuddered, debris raining from the ceiling. Smoke filled the air.

Marcus coughed, shielding his eyes. “What the hell was that?”

William laughed weakly, blood dripping from his lips. “A contingency plan.”

Fiona’s head snapped toward the water. The speedboat was gone.

She turned back to William, rage burning through her veins. “Who did you send ahead?”

William’s laughter didn’t stop. “You’re so focused on me that you never considered the real threat.”

Bella’s eyes widened. “No—”

Before Fiona could react, William’s hand slipped inside his jacket.

A detonator.

Fiona lunged—

Too late.

He pressed the button.

The ceiling above them cracked, another explosion sending a violent tremor through the underground chamber. The cavern was collapsing.

“Move!” Darwin shouted, grabbing Fiona’s arm.

The tunnel behind them was caving in, rock and debris tumbling into the water. Marcus pulled Bella away as the structure groaned under the strain.

William stumbled, coughing up blood. “Looks like we all go down together.”

Fiona shoved him back, adrenaline surging.

No.

Not like this.

Not today.

She grabbed Darwin’s hand and ran.

---

Escape and Aftermath

They barely made it out in time.

The tunnels shook violently, dust choking the air as they sprinted through the collapsing passage. Every step felt like a gamble—one wrong move, and they’d be buried alive.

The light of the main exit was just ahead.

Marcus reached it first, shoving Bella through. Darwin followed, dragging Fiona behind him.

The moment they cleared the exit, the underground tunnels gave one final, deafening roar—

And then they were gone.

The ground beneath them rumbled, but the island held. Fiona staggered, catching her breath.

She turned, searching.

No sign of William.

Nothing but the rubble of his last refuge.

Marcus ran a shaking hand through his hair. “Is he—?”

Fiona’s jaw clenched. “We can’t assume anything.”

Darwin exhaled sharply. “If he survived that, he’s a damn ghost.”

Bella, pale and trembling, whispered, “He had another escape route.”

Fiona’s heart pounded. “The boat…”

Marcus cursed under his breath. “If he’s out there, we’re not done.”

Fiona’s fists clenched.

She’d hunted William before.

She thought she had him cornered.

But this time—

This time, she wouldn’t stop until she watched him fall.