Maya’s breath caught in her throat. “Nico? He’s here?” She glanced around the street like the shadows might suddenly lunge at her. “Is he watching me right now? What if Carlos is in danger?” Her hands trembled as she looked down. She quickly clenched the piece of paper tighter in her fist, folding it into her palm as if she could squeeze the fear out of her veins. Then she saw Carlos walking toward the car. Her entire body tensed. She forced herself to breathe. He slid into the driver’s seat, eyes flicking to her with his usual calm. He didn’t ask questions. Just turned the key and started driving. They said nothing on the ride. The safe house sat far from the city center, tucked behind steel gates and thick trees. The perimeter was lined with concrete walls, twice as high as a man, reinforced with steel rods buried deep. Barbed wire crowned the top like a spiked halo. Security cameras blinked silently at the corners, tracking every inch of movement. Carlos drove strai
Maya’s hands trembled as she gripped the collar of Carlos' shirt, her voice low and cracked with despair. “Carlos… she wasn’t there. Star wasn’t there. I searched everywhere. My sister… I failed her.....” Carlos made her sit, and knelt beside her, his eyes soft, voice even softer. He wrapped an arm around her, gently stroking her back. “I know,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry, Maya. But listen to me...I’ll find her. I promise you, I won’t stop until we bring her home.” She pulled away just enough to look at him, eyes swollen with tears. “Nico Vargas. He’s the one who has her.” Carlos’s expression changed. Maya noticed. “You know him?” He gave a slow nod. “Yeah. I know him. He's extremely dangerous." Something passed between them, unspoken, tense. She wiped her cheeks, her voice suddenly hollow. “Then I don’t care anymore.” Carlos frowned. “What do you mean?” “I mean… I don’t care what happens to me.” Her voice had no fear, just fire. “If I die doing this, so be it.
The first thing Maya felt was the cold. Not on her skin, but inside her. Then came the ache. A dull, throbbing weight behind her eyes. She blinked slowly, and as her vision cleared, the ceiling above her came into focus....white, unfamiliar, sterile. She sat up with a gasp. Where was she? Her eyes darted around the room. Clean walls. A bed too stiff. A small tray with a half-empty glass of water. Nothing she recognized. Nothing that told her where Star was. Her breathing grew rapid. Then it all came rushing back like a blow to the chest...the Institute. The screaming. The gunshots. The bodies. Lady B’s wild eyes. Sungirl’s sacrifice. Blood. Not finding Star. And Carlos. Her hands flew to her face as tears spilled freely. “Oh Carlos…” she whispered, her voice breaking. She curled in on herself, sobbing into her palms. She had seen too much...done too much. And now the only person who had risked everything to help her was probably gone. Dead. Because
Earlier, Carlos’s fingers trembled as he pressed the red button on his phone, ending the call with Manuel. His vision was blurring—colors bleeding into each other, his breath thinning with every passing second. One hand was already numb. The other barely obeyed him. Gritting his teeth, he reached up with the one arm that still worked and slung his bag off his shoulder, wincing as pain shot up his spine. The sharp rat-tat-tat of gunfire echoed from outside, growing closer. Boots pounded against concrete. Metal clanged. They were coming inside. Carlos dug through the bag, his breathing ragged. His fingers brushed against the oxygen mask. Without wasting a second, he grabbed it and yanked the straps over his head, just as a boot collided with the door and sent it flying open. He didn’t flinch. Not this time. Instead, with the last ounce of strength in his weakening grip, Carlos pulled out a small, sleek, silver canister—a military-grade dispersal unit with a cylindrical body
Sungirl's body felt unbearably light in Maya’s trembling arms — light, like life was already slipping away from her. She lowered her carefully to the floor, her hands sticky with blood. It was hot and thick, and Maya could feel it soaking through her sleeves. Sungirl’s breathing was shallow. Each inhale rattled like a dying engine. Her mouth quivered, and red trickled from the corner of her lips. “Why?” Maya’s voice cracked as tears blurred her vision. “Why would you do this? You don’t even know me. You didn’t have to…” Sungirl blinked slowly, her eyes already starting to lose focus. “Because…” she rasped, “this isn’t life, Maya.” Maya leaned in, holding her face with both hands. “I don’t want to live like this anymore,” She whispered. “You’re… strong, Maya. Not like me.” “No, don’t say that.” Maya’s voice shook. “You’re stronger than me, Sungirl. You’re brave.” “I’m not going to make it,” Sungirl said, her breath growing thinner. “But… my mom. Help my mom.” “Your mo
Moans filled the room, low and muffled, but not from the woman underneath Manuel. Her lips were parted, breath shallow, but silent—just the way he liked it. A rule he had made clear. He didn’t like noise when he was fucking. No talking either. Just the sound of his deep, controlled grunts as he moved inside her with raw purpose. He pinned her wrists to the bed, and went deeper, his hips pumping in slow, powerful thrusts. The air was filled with tension and power, sweat beading on his chest, eyes shut in complete immersion, jaw clenched. Every grunt that rumbled from his throat was primal. He was close— after all, he wasn't here for intimacy, rather, chasing a release only he was allowed to vocalize. Then his phone rang. The shrill ringtone sliced through the air, loud, insistent, jarring. Manuel's eyes snapped open, jaw clenched in annoyance. "Fuck." He yanked himself free, ignoring the way the woman flinched slightly, and reached for the phone on the nightstand. He was read