BLOOD & BETRAYAL

The road to Seattle stretched on endlessly, the headlights slicing through the darkness. The engine hummed, but Alex's mind was elsewhere, racing through a thousand thoughts.

Luis had made it personal, and the stakes were higher now. Every mile they drove only seemed to bring them closer to something much worse than a simple confrontation.

Alex glanced in the rear-view mirror, catching glimpses of the burning wreckage they had left behind. It was still too fresh in his mind, the sound of the explosion ringing in his ears. Luis wasn't just a cartel enforcer; he was a damn ghost, and ghosts never stayed down for long.

Maya sat next to him, her eyes distant, lost in thought. He knew she was still processing everything—especially her ex's sudden reappearance. She'd been quiet since the shootout, not offering much in terms of conversation.

Ellie, in the backseat, was examining her weapon, methodically checking each part as if the world was on pause. She never seemed to be fazed by anything.

"Keep your head on straight," Alex said, his voice low. "We're not out of the woods yet."

Maya snapped out of her daze and met his eyes. "I'm fine."

Ellie snorted. "No, you're not. You've been quiet ever since we left. Something's eating at you."

Maya looked out the window, the city lights of a distant town flickering in the distance. "I don't like that Luis is still hunting me. I thought I was done with this life."

"You don't get to be done with it," Ellie said bluntly. "Once you're in, you're in."

Alex shot Ellie a look, but she just shrugged.

"I didn't ask for any of this," Maya muttered. "I didn't ask to be a target, to have people after me."

"None of us did," Alex said. "But here we are."

Ellie added, "Exactly. So, we adapt. We survive."

There was a long silence in the car, only the hum of the engine filling the void. Maya seemed lost in thought, but Alex could tell she was still calculating her next move—her survival instincts kicking in. He respected that.

They passed through several towns, each one more desolate than the last. But the quiet only made Alex more paranoid. Every shadow, every flicker of movement, had him reaching for his gun. Luis wasn't going to let them slip away unnoticed.

The further they drove, the more Alex realized just how much danger they were in. He was starting to feel it in his bones—the constant threat, the tightening noose. There was no way Luis had pulled back for good.

"You know," Ellie said, breaking the silence, "we don't have to go to Seattle. I know some places in Portland that can help us lay low."

Alex shook his head. "No. We're not running."

"I didn't say we were running," Ellie retorted, "but we're being hunted. We need a plan."

"We have a plan," Alex said. "We get to Jordan. He's the only shot we have at getting out of this alive."

Maya turned to him, her gaze intense. "What if Jordan's not there? What if he doesn't help us?"

"He will," Alex replied firmly. "If he doesn't, we find someone who will."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly are you going to make that happen?"

Alex met her eyes through the rear-view mirror. "I don't know yet. But we're not stopping. We can't afford to stop."

Ellie grinned. "Fair enough. Just make sure you don't get us killed in the process."

Alex didn't respond right away. Instead, he took a deep breath, steadying his thoughts. He had been in worse situations before—much worse. But this? This felt different. Luis was just one part of the equation. There were bigger, more dangerous players involved in this game.

A chill ran down his spine as he remembered the way Luis had looked at him—almost as if they were old enemies, old partners who had crossed paths too many times. But that didn't matter now. The Disciples weren't the only threat they had to worry about.

The shadows of the past were closing in, and Alex knew he couldn't outrun them forever.

"Don't worry," he said, breaking the silence again. "We'll get through this. All of us."

Maya glanced at him. "I hope you're right."

The tension in the car thickened.

They hit a stretch of road that seemed to go on forever. Empty. Desolate.

"That's a bad sign," Ellie muttered, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "We should've passed a town by now."

Alex's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Keep your eyes open."

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He wasn't sure why, but something felt off.

And then, as if on cue, a set of headlights appeared in the distance—too many for a regular car.

Alex swore under his breath, speeding up. "We've got company."

"Shit," Ellie muttered.

Maya's hand reached for her gun. "How many?"

"Can't tell," Alex replied, his eyes narrowing. "But they're moving fast."

The headlights grew larger, and before Alex could make another decision, a vehicle sped up alongside them, blocking their way.

"Don't let them surround us," Alex ordered. "Ellie, take the left."

Ellie didn't hesitate. She leaned out of the window, her gun raised, ready for whatever came next.

The vehicle to their left swerved, trying to force them off the road. Alex slammed his foot on the gas, swerving to the right, but the other car mirrored his move, cutting off his path.

"We're outnumbered," Maya said, her voice tight with fear.

"We've always been outnumbered," Alex replied.

Then, the shooting began.

The air erupted with gunfire, and the car shook as bullets pierced the metal. Alex ducked instinctively, trying to get low while keeping the vehicle moving. Ellie fired back, her aim deadly accurate as she hit the side mirror of their pursuer.

"Hold on!" Alex shouted, slamming the car into overdrive.

The vehicle behind them bumped against their rear, trying to push them off the road.

Alex's mind raced. There was no way out of this without a fight.

He slammed the wheel to the right, driving onto the dirt shoulder of the highway. The car jolted as it hit the uneven ground, but it held steady.

"Left side!" Ellie yelled, firing again.

Alex jerked the wheel just as a bullet flew through the passenger window.

"Shit!" Maya gasped, ducking.

"Stay down!" Alex barked.

The world outside the car was chaos—screeching tires, bullets flying, the roar of engines in a deadly symphony. But Alex didn't flinch. He wasn't going to die tonight.

Not like this.

The car behind them got closer. Too close. Alex could hear the tires grinding against the dirt as the enemy pushed harder.

And that's when it happened.

With a sickening crunch, the vehicle rear-ended them with full force.

Everything went black.