Crowded by Fire

The next morning, Annalise woke to the sound of a distant siren wailing through the city streets. She lay still in the unfamiliar safehouse bed, her body aching from the chaos of the previous night.

Cole was already awake, sitting by the window with his laptop open, his face illuminated by the pale light of dawn. He glanced over as she stirred.

"You slept like the dead," he said, offering her a steaming cup of coffee.

"I feel like the dead," she muttered, sitting up and taking the cup gratefully. The bitter warmth steadied her, but her mind remained restless.

"You should know," Cole said, nodding toward his screen, "Victor made good on his word. Ethan's name is already being erased from every corner of the business world. He's not just gone—he's a ghost."

Annalise stared into her coffee. "Good. That's what we wanted."

But the weight in her chest didn't lift. She should feel victorious. Ethan was out of the picture, her company was safe, and Victor was, for now, placated. Yet a gnawing unease twisted in her gut.

Cole must have noticed the shadow in her eyes. "What's bothering you?"

"Victor doesn't forgive," she said quietly. "He said I earned my way out, but how long before he decides I know too much?"

Cole's jaw tightened. "Then we stay ahead of him. You've already proven you're a survivor."

Annalise set the coffee cup down and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Surviving isn't the same as winning. If I don't figure out what Victor's next move is, I'll never be free of this."

The Ghost of Ethan Donovan

Later that day, Annalise stood in the elevator of her company's downtown headquarters, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she tapped her foot nervously. The office had been quiet since Ethan's disappearance, his absence leaving a noticeable void in the air.

When the elevator doors slid open, Annalise stepped into her office, her assistant Kayla rushing to greet her.

"Ms. Crane! You're back," Kayla said, her voice tinged with relief.

"Back for now," Annalise said, brushing past her. "Has anyone asked questions about Ethan?"

Kayla hesitated. "A few of the board members, but they've accepted the statement you issued about his 'resignation.' They're more concerned about the company's stability moving forward."

"Let them know we're stronger than ever," Annalise said. "I'll address the board myself tomorrow. For now, keep everything running as smoothly as possible."

"Yes, ma'am," Kayla said, but there was an unease in her expression that Annalise couldn't ignore.

"What is it?" Annalise asked, her voice sharp.

Kayla hesitated again before answering. "I don't know if it's relevant, but someone's been asking questions about you. A man called earlier—he didn't leave his name, but he said he needed to speak with you urgently."

A chill ran down Annalise's spine. "Did he say what it was about?"

"No," Kayla said. "But he sounded… threatening."

Annalise's mind raced. Victor? No, this didn't feel like his style. Ethan? That was impossible—he was in Victor's custody. Wasn't he?

"Let me know if he calls again," Annalise said firmly. "And don't give out any information about me. To anyone."

The Warning

That evening, Annalise met Cole in a dimly lit diner on the outskirts of the city. She slid into the booth across from him, her expression grave.

"I think someone's watching me," she said without preamble.

Cole frowned. "What happened?"

She explained the mysterious phone call to her office and the unease that had been following her all day.

"It could be Victor," Cole said. "Maybe he's testing your loyalty."

"Or it could be Ethan's people," Annalise said. "If he still has allies out there, they might be looking for revenge."

Cole leaned back, his jaw tightening. "We need to find out who's behind this. Until then, you're not safe."

Annalise folded her arms, her caramel skin glowing faintly under the diner's fluorescent lights. "When am I ever safe?"

Before Cole could respond, his phone buzzed on the table. He picked it up, his face darkening as he read the screen.

"What is it?" Annalise asked.

"It's a message," Cole said. "From someone claiming to have information about Ethan."

Annalise leaned forward, her heart pounding. "What kind of information?"

"They didn't say," Cole replied. "But they want to meet. Tonight."

The Setup

The meeting was set for midnight at an abandoned parking garage in the industrial district. Annalise and Cole arrived early, scoping out the area for any signs of trouble.

"This has trap written all over it," Cole muttered as they stepped out of the car.

"I know," Annalise said, slipping a small pistol into her coat pocket. "But we don't have a choice. If Ethan's still pulling strings from the shadows, we need to know."

The parking garage was eerily silent, the faint hum of the city muffled by its concrete walls. Annalise's heels echoed as they walked, the sound unnervingly loud in the stillness.

In the center of the garage stood a lone figure, their face obscured by the shadow of a hood.

"You're late," the figure said, their voice distorted by a voice modulator.

"Who are you?" Annalise demanded.

The figure chuckled. "A friend. Or maybe an enemy. That depends on what you do with what I'm about to tell you."

Annalise and Cole exchanged a glance, both tensing as the figure stepped closer.

"Ethan Donovan isn't gone," the figure said. "Victor made you think he was, but he's still out there, pulling strings from behind the scenes."

"That's impossible," Annalise said. "Victor wouldn't let Ethan walk away after what he did."

The figure laughed again, a low, menacing sound. "You think Victor is your ally? He's been playing you, Annalise. You're just another pawn in his game."

The Chase

Before Annalise could respond, the sound of screeching tires echoed through the garage. Floodlights blazed, and a convoy of black SUVs sped in, surrounding them.

"Run!" Cole shouted, grabbing Annalise's arm as the hooded figure disappeared into the shadows.

Gunfire erupted, bullets ricocheting off concrete as Annalise and Cole sprinted for cover. The SUVs' occupants poured out, armed men spreading out to block every exit.

"We're boxed in!" Annalise yelled, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Not yet," Cole said, leading her toward a maintenance staircase.

They burst through the door and raced up the stairs, the sound of footsteps and shouting echoing behind them. Annalise's heart pounded as they reached the rooftop, the cold night air biting at her skin.

"What now?" she gasped, looking around desperately.

Cole pointed to a fire escape on the far side of the building. "That way!"

They sprinted across the rooftop, bullets whizzing past them. Annalise stumbled but caught herself, adrenaline pushing her forward.

As they climbed down the fire escape, Annalise couldn't shake the figure's words from her mind.

Ethan wasn't gone. And Victor wasn't her ally.

Her nightmare was far from over.