Crowded by Fire

The missile closed in, a streak of fiery destruction hurtling through the night. Annalise's chest tightened as the jet shuddered violently, alarms blaring in the cockpit.

"Hold on!" Ethan shouted, gripping the back of the pilot's seat.

The pilot banked hard, tilting the plane at a steep angle. The missile narrowly missed, whistling past the right wing and exploding in a blinding burst of light. The shockwave rattled the cabin, sending Annalise sprawling onto the floor.

"What the hell was that?" Cole yelled, pulling her back to her feet.

"Missile lock," Ethan replied, his voice grim. "They're not trying to capture us anymore. They're trying to kill us."

The plane steadied momentarily, but the helicopters were relentless, circling like vultures. Another missile locked onto the jet, its targeting system blaring.

"This plane isn't built for this!" the pilot shouted.

"Then make it work," Ethan barked. "Take evasive action."

The pilot cursed under his breath but obeyed, diving the plane sharply. The missile overshot again, detonating in the air above them, but the helicopters weren't giving up. Their machine guns roared to life, bullets ripping through the night and striking the fuselage.

"Do something!" Annalise screamed, clutching the armrest as sparks flew.

"I am," Ethan growled, yanking open a compartment and pulling out a parachute.

"You can't be serious!" Cole shouted.

"I'm always serious." Ethan tossed the parachute at Cole and grabbed another one for himself. "We're sitting ducks in this thing. We have to bail."

"What about the pilot?" Annalise demanded.

"He knows the risks," Ethan said coldly.

"Like hell I do!" the pilot snapped.

Ethan grabbed his arm. "If you stay, you'll die. Jump now, and you might live. Your choice."

The pilot hesitated, then swore and followed Ethan's lead, strapping on a parachute.

Ethan turned to Annalise, thrusting the last chute into her hands. "You need to trust me."

"You're the reason we're in this mess!" she spat.

"And I'm the reason you're going to survive it," Ethan shot back. "Now jump!"

Freefall

Annalise's heart pounded as she stood at the open hatch, the wind roaring in her ears. Below, the ground was a dizzying blur of darkness, broken only by scattered lights.

"I can't," she whispered.

"Yes, you can," Ethan said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "You're stronger than you think."

Before she could argue, he grabbed her hand and jumped, pulling her with him.

The rush of freefall stole the breath from her lungs as they plummeted through the night. The cold air stung her face, and her mind raced in terror.

"Pull the cord!" Ethan yelled over the wind.

Her hands fumbled, but she managed to find the ripcord and yanked it hard. The parachute deployed with a jolt, yanking her upward. She gasped for air, clutching the straps as she descended slowly, her heart hammering in her chest.

Ethan's parachute blossomed nearby, and Cole's followed moments later. The three of them drifted toward a dense forest, the helicopters still circling above.

"Stay quiet," Ethan called out. "They'll be looking for us."

The Forest's Secrets

They landed in a clearing, the forest thick and shadowed around them. Annalise collapsed onto the ground, her knees weak from adrenaline.

"We need to move," Cole said, scanning the sky.

"No," Ethan countered. "We need to hide."

"And then what?" Annalise snapped. "Wait for them to pick us off one by one?"

Ethan crouched beside her, his expression serious. "You don't understand who we're up against. These people aren't just Victor's allies—they're part of a network that operates above the law. If we don't think carefully, we're dead."

"Then start talking," Annalise said, glaring at him. "What aren't you telling me?"

Ethan hesitated, his jaw tightening. "Victor isn't the mastermind. He's a puppet, just like the rest of us. The real power lies with an organization called Apex. They control everything—politics, corporations, even law enforcement. Your father found out about them, and that's why he was killed."

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"Because I needed you to focus on Victor," Ethan said. "He's the key to exposing Apex. Without him, we don't stand a chance."

"And what about the flash drive?" Cole interjected.

"It's encrypted," Ethan admitted. "But it contains Apex's entire playbook—names, accounts, operations. If we can unlock it, we can bring them down."

"Can Mina decrypt it?" Annalise asked.

Ethan shook his head. "Not in time. Apex has their own hackers—they'll track us before we can crack it."

The Unseen Enemy

A rustling in the bushes silenced them. Cole drew his pistol, his stance tense.

"Who's there?" he called out.

No response.

Ethan signaled for silence, pulling a knife from his belt. The group stayed frozen as the sound grew closer.

Suddenly, a figure burst through the trees—a young woman, her clothes torn and her face streaked with dirt.

"Help me!" she cried, stumbling toward them.

Cole grabbed her arm, steadying her. "Who are you? What happened?"

"They're coming," she gasped, her eyes wide with terror. "They're hunting me."

"Who?" Annalise asked, her voice shaking.

"The same people hunting you," the woman said, her gaze locking onto Annalise. "They call themselves Apex. And if you don't run, they'll kill us all."

Before anyone could respond, the distant sound of barking dogs and shouting voices reached their ears.

"They're here," Ethan said, his tone grim.

"Move!" Cole barked, shoving Annalise forward.

The group bolted into the forest, the woman stumbling alongside them. The sound of pursuit grew louder, the beams of flashlights cutting through the trees.

The Cliffhanger

As they ran, Annalise's mind raced. Who was this woman? How did she know about Apex? And why did it feel like every step deeper into the forest was leading them closer to a trap?

Suddenly, Ethan grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop.

"Listen to me," he said, his voice urgent. "No matter what happens, you have to keep moving. Don't look back. Don't wait for me."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"I'll hold them off," Ethan said, pulling a small device from his pocket. "This will buy you time."

"Ethan—"

"No arguments," he snapped. "Go."

Before she could protest, he pushed her toward Cole and turned back toward the approaching lights.

Annalise stumbled forward, Cole dragging her along. The woman followed close behind, her breaths ragged.

And then, behind them, a deafening explosion lit up the night.

Annalise turned just in time to see a plume of fire and smoke rising above the trees—and Ethan, silhouetted against the flames, standing still as the shadows closed in around him.