Chapter 3: Into the Lion’s Den
Elara couldn't wait for the slow grind of the judicial system. She knew where Julian was—the coordinates from the watch led to a remote industrial facility in the Pine Barrens.
She didn't call the police. She called the only person she could trust: her father’s former head of security, a man who owed her family a debt of blood. They moved under the cover of a moonless night, breaching the perimeter of the facility.
It was a black site, disguised as a logistics hub. Inside, they found a holding cell that looked more like a corporate boardroom than a prison. And there was Julian. He was gaunt, unshaven, and exhausted, but he was alive.
"Elara?" he croaked as she picked the lock.
May you like
"I found your watch, Julian," she said, her voice shaking with relief. "And I’m bringing you home."
But Marcus wasn't a fool. As they stepped out into the parking lot, the facility’s floodlights blazed to life. Marcus stood there, flanked by the same bikers who had threatened Elara in the rain. He had been tracking the watch’s signal, waiting for Elara to lead him to Julian so he could finish the job properly.
