The situation was dire. Blair’s mind raced as Leo and his heavily armed men surrounded their car. The fiery explosion they’d left behind now felt like a distant memory. Calder sat bound and fuming in the backseat, while Maya and Jax exchanged worried glances.
Leo stood at the forefront of the convoy, a rifle slung over his shoulder and a look of cold determination in his eyes. Blair barely recognized the man she once called an ally. Vincent had done his work well—Leo’s hatred burned brightly, and his sights were set on her.
“Blair Whales,” Leo called out, his voice sharp and commanding. “Step out. Alone. Now.”
Blair took a deep breath, glancing at Maya and Jax. “No matter what happens, you both stick to the plan,” she whispered.
Maya’s jaw tightened. “We’re not leaving you.”
Blair shot her a stern look. “That’s an order. If things go south, get Calder out of here.”
Reluctantly, Maya nodded, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Blair stepped out of the car, raising her hands slowly to show she wasn’t armed. She needed to buy time, to find a way out of this mess.
Leo’s gaze locked onto her, his lips curling into a bitter smile. “I knew you’d come running, Blair. You’re predictable like that.”
She smirked, her tone defiant. “Funny, I don’t recall inviting you to the party.”
Leo’s men fanned out, their weapons trained on Blair and the team’s car. Blair stood her ground, her heart pounding but her face calm.
“What do you want, Leo?” she asked, her voice steady.
Leo’s smile faded, replaced by cold anger. “I want justice. You think you’re some kind of hero, don’t you? But all you do is destroy lives—Kai’s, my father’s, mine.”
Blair’s chest tightened at the mention of Kai, but she didn’t let it show. “Your father’s the one who destroyed lives, Leo. Including yours.”
“You’re lying!” Leo shouted, his voice cracking. “My father told me everything. How you’ve been hunting him down, trying to ruin him. How you killed Kai to send a message. You’re a monster, Blair.”
The words stung, but Blair refused to let them shake her. “You’re smarter than this, Leo. Deep down, you know the truth. Your father’s using you, just like he uses everyone.”
Leo’s expression flickered for a moment, but the doubt was quickly replaced by fury. “Enough! Surrender Calder, or I’ll end this right here.”
Inside the car, Maya and Jax were already formulating a plan. Maya whispered, “We need a diversion.”
Jax nodded, pulling out a small device from his bag—a smoke grenade. “Give me the signal, and I’ll give Blair the cover she needs.”
Maya hesitated. “Are you sure you can time it right?”
Jax grinned. “Trust me.”
Outside, Blair was still trying to reason with Leo. She could see the pain in his eyes, the internal struggle he was trying to hide. But there was no time to break through to him—not here, not now.
“Leo, listen to me—”
Before she could finish, Leo raised his hand, signaling his men to prepare for an attack. Blair’s stomach dropped.
But then, a loud pop shattered the tense silence.
Thick smoke erupted from Jax’s grenade, quickly enveloping the area in a blinding cloud. Blair reacted instantly, ducking low and sprinting back toward the car.
Leo’s men shouted in confusion, their visibility completely cut off. Gunfire erupted, the sound deafening as bullets ricocheted off the pavement.
Maya floored the gas pedal, the car lurching forward as Jax leaned out the window, providing cover fire. Blair dove into the backseat just as the car sped off, Calder groaning in frustration as he was jostled around.
“Nice timing,” Blair said, her breathing ragged.
Jax smirked. “Told you I had it.”
But the relief was short-lived.
Leo’s convoy quickly regrouped, their headlights cutting through the dissipating smoke as they gave chase.
The streets were a blur of neon lights and screeching tires as Maya pushed the car to its limits. Blair glanced out the window, her mind racing as she calculated their options.
“We need to lose them,” she said.
“No kidding,” Maya replied, her knuckles white as she gripped the wheel.
Blair turned to Jax. “Do we have any more toys back there?”
Jax rummaged through the bag, pulling out a set of spikes. “This should slow them down.”
He leaned out the window, carefully tossing the spikes onto the road behind them. The satisfying sound of tires bursting followed, and two of Leo’s cars swerved out of control, crashing into each other.
But Leo’s car remained steady, and he was gaining on them.
“Persistent, isn’t he?” Blair muttered.
Maya took a sharp turn into an alley, narrowly avoiding a stack of crates. “We can’t keep this up forever.”
Blair’s mind raced. They needed an exit, a way to disappear completely.
As they neared an abandoned construction site, Blair spotted an opportunity. “Turn here!” she shouted.
Maya hesitated for only a second before following Blair’s command. The car skidded onto the dirt path, kicking up a cloud of dust.
“Head for the scaffolding,” Blair instructed.
Maya drove straight toward the towering structure, the car coming to a sudden halt. The team jumped out, dragging Calder with them as they sprinted up the scaffolding.
Leo and his men arrived moments later, their vehicles screeching to a halt.
Blair’s team climbed higher, using the maze-like structure to their advantage. Jax laid traps as they went, creating obstacles to slow their pursuers.
Finally, they reached the top, where a zip line extended across to another building.
Blair turned to Maya and Jax. “You two go first. Take Calder. I’ll cover you.”
Maya hesitated. “Blair—”
“Go!” Blair barked.
Reluctantly, Maya and Jax secured Calder to the zip line and sent him across. Maya followed, then Jax.
Blair stayed behind, her gun trained on the approaching men. She fired warning shots, keeping them at bay until her team was safely across.
As Leo reached the top, Blair gave him one last look. “This isn’t over, Leo. But when it is, you’ll know the truth.”
With that, she hooked herself to the zip line and launched herself across, disappearing into the night.
Back at the safe house, the team regrouped, their breaths heavy and their hearts pounding. Calder was secured once again, his anger palpable but his voice still silenced.
Blair sat in silence, her mind replaying the confrontation with Leo. She knew he was lost to Vincent’s lies, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was still a chance to reach him.
“We’ll regroup,” she said finally, her voice firm. “But we’re not stopping. Not until this is over.”
The team nodded, their resolve stronger than ever.
And somewhere in the darkness, Leo stood with his father, his eyes burning with hatred—and doubt.