NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 10: Hunted
First-Person POV – Evelyn
📍 9:55 AM – Apartment Hallway
The door burst open.
And there he was.
Jason Cross.
Dressed in black tactical gear, standing in my doorway like some unstoppable force
Gun raised. No hesitation.
I moved instinctively.
There was no thinking, no planning—only action.
Third-Person POV – Jason Cross
Jason had been hunting for hours.
And now?
His target was right in front of him.
Evelyn Reyes.
She was young. Inexperienced. Should've been an easy job.
Instead—
She closed the distance.
Fast.
Too fast.
Jason barely had time to adjust before—
Her knee slammed into his wrist.
The gun tilted, the shot going wide.
She wasn't just lucky.
She was trained.
Or learning fast.
First-Person POV – Evelyn
I didn't hesitate.
The moment the gun shifted, I grabbed his arm, twisting it hard.
Not perfect, but enough to throw him off balance.
Jason recovered immediately.
He was stronger. Faster. More experienced.
His counterattack came quick. Brutal. Precise.
An elbow to my ribs.
I gasped, pain exploding in my side, but I kept my grip.
I couldn't let him regain control.
Not here. Not now.
Third-Person POV – Claire Lawson
Claire had no idea what to do.
One second, she was following Evelyn out of the apartment.
The next—
Some military-looking guy was trying to kill them.
And Evelyn?
Evelyn was fighting back.
Not like a normal person.
Not like someone just trying to survive.
Like someone learning how to kill.
And Claire?
She was standing there. Frozen.
Then she saw the gun.
It had landed three feet away.
Her stomach twisted.
She could grab it.
She could help.
But should she?
Her hands shook.
Her world was normal. Safe.
Until now.
Then her eyes flicked to Evelyn.
The girl who had saved her life.
And Claire made her choice.
First-Person POV – Evelyn
Jason pivoted toward his gun—
Only to freeze.
Because Claire had beaten him to it.
She held the gun in both hands, arms locked, aimed directly at him.
"Back off," she said.
Her hands trembled, but her voice was steady.
Jason's expression shifted.
Not fear.
Not anger.
But amusement.
I felt it coming before he moved.
"Don't," I warned.
Too late.
Jason stepped forward.
Fast. Deliberate.
Claire flinched.
Jason's hand shot out—a blur of motion—
He grabbed the gun and twisted.
Claire yelped, her finger jerking the trigger—
BANG!
The shot went wide, hitting the ceiling.
Jason ripped the gun from her grip.
Then turned back to me.
Third-Person POV – Detective Marcus Reed
📍 10:05 AM – Outside Evelyn's Apartment
Detective Marcus Reed had seen a lot of crazy shit.
But when his sources tipped him off that an active bounty target was at this location—
He didn't hesitate.
Now, standing outside the apartment building, he heard the one thing he didn't want to hear.
Gunfire.
"Shit."
Reed drew his weapon.
Then kicked the door open.
First-Person POV – Evelyn
📍 10:06 AM – Apartment Hallway
Jason was closing in.
I was out of options.
Then—
A gunshot.
Not Jason's.
From the front door.
Jason froze.
We all turned.
Standing in the doorway—gun raised—
Was a cop.
Oh, shit.
Third-Person POV – Detective Marcus Reed
Reed took in the scene fast.
1. An armed mercenary.
2. Two young women—one clearly the bounty target.
3. Signs of a struggle.
Then his eyes locked onto Evelyn.
And froze.
He had seen her face before.
On underground networks.
On security footage.
And yet—
He had never seen a file on her.
It didn't make sense.
Then Jason moved.
Too fast.
Reed barely had time to react before Jason tackled him.
The gun skidded across the floor.
Suddenly—
The bounty hunter and the detective were in a full-on brawl.
Evelyn and Claire?
They had a chance to escape.
But would they take it?
First-Person POV – Evelyn
I could run.
I should run.
But—
That man.
He had come here for me.
And now, he was in a fight that wasn't his.
I clenched my fists.
Damn it.
"Claire," I said. "Get out of here."
Her eyes widened. "Wait—what about you?"
I didn't answer.
Instead—
I turned and charged straight into the fight.