Page 29 of The Pursuit
A string of curses erupted from my lips. We were blind, with no way of tracking her location or status. What were they doing to her? Just the thought of that sadistic bastard laying a hand on her made my vision bleed red.
“I have to go in after her,” I growled, making for the exithatch. But Ayaan’s hand clamped down on my shoulder, halting me in my tracks.
“Not you,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument. Gone was the easygoing friend, replaced by the hardened operative holding me back.
Furious, I nearly shoved him off, but the logical part of me took over as he explained further.
“We need someone on the ground to be our eyes and ears, Krish. I’ll go in,” he added.
Ayaan’s gaze was steely, but I saw the glint of determination there—the same resolve that had pushed us through countless missions together.
“Keep those monitors locked on me.” With that, he tapped the black beaded bracelet on his wrist—a plain decorative piece hiding his standard tracking device. Ayaan turned on his heel and exited the van.
All I could do now was breathe carefully and prepare for the storm that was about to break. I prayed with everything I had that we weren’t too late to save the woman who meant everything to me.
CHAPTER 11 (Same old scars)
TRISHA
The ropes dug into my wrists as I struggled against the restraints. Max’s goons had tied me up tightly, leaving no room for escape. A grimy rag filled my mouth, muffling any cries for help. Worse, blood trickled down my right arm, where they had cut me open to remove the tracking chip embedded under my skin. Without that chip, how would my team at GLEN ever find me?
This solo mission to take down the notorious drug kingpin Ron and his brother Max was rapidly dooming. The plan had been to infiltrate their operation, gather Ron’s hideout details, and coordinate an extraction, with full backup from headquarters. Instead, I’d been captured and stripped of my communication lifeline.
My heart pounded as Max’s men hauled me outside and shoved me into the backseat of a waiting sedan. I landed with a grunt, twisting to avoid smashing my face against the door panel. One of the thugs slammed the door shut, bathing the interior in darkness.
The engine rumbled to life as Max climbed into the front passenger seat. He twisted around, a cruel smile stretching across his scarred face.
“Your death wish is gonna be fulfilled soon, woman.”
A jolt of fear lanced through me. I jerked against the rope bindings in a futile attempt to loosen them. Max’s raspy laugh echoed around me,mocking my efforts.
Taking me to Ron meant they intended to interrogate me first before the inevitable execution. My only hope was to withstand whatever torture they had planned long enough for my team to somehow track me down and launch a rescue. The prospect seemed impossible now that my locator chip was gone.
Our mission parameters were clear—we needed Ron alive to extract details about the higher tiers of this massive drug smuggling operation. As the cartel’s kingpin, Ron held the key to the entire criminal hierarchy that had gone unchecked for decades. My secondary objective was simple: take out Max by any means necessary.
But the most daunting reality was surviving long enough to even attempt either of those goals now that I was at their mercy. Without backup, the odds of walking out of Ron’s den were negligible at best, even if I miraculously managed to eliminate Max’s men and their boss. Max handed over the location details on his iPad to the driver, commanding him to take us there.To Ron’s hideout!An icy knot clenched my gut as the car accelerated away.
I strained against my bonds again, refusing to surrender despite the overwhelming odds. My mind raced, calculating every potential scenario, and analysing escape routes that no longer existed without my team’s support.
The trunk shifted as we rounded a corner, the distinctive clinking of weapons accompanying the motion. I could tell there was extra ammunition in the trunk from the clinking. My jaw tightened behind the gag, every ounce of my training fortifying my resolve. I would not go downwithout a fight, no matter how hopeless the situation seemed.
The car rolled to a stop, the abrupt halt jostling me against the door panel. I tensed, expecting Max’s thugs to haul me out and into Ron’s stronghold—my odds of survival dipping with every passing second.
Instead, it was the driver who flung open the door, harsh sunlight invading the dim interior. I squinted against the glare as he reached in and grabbed my arm, yanking me from the backseat. Instinctively, I began thrashing, determined to resist even as the ropes bit into my wrists.
That’s when I felt something small and hard being pressed into my bound hands.
I froze, fingers curling around the object as the driver leaned in close. His jaw was obscured by a mask, but the gruff whisper was unmistakable.
“Got your back...”
Ayaan Shergill?
Relief washed over me, followed swiftly by elation. Our comms might have been blocked, but the director of GLEN had somehow managed to infiltrate the operation to provide backup. He must have neutralised Max’s original driver and taken his place to get this close without arousing suspicion.
As the other henchmen piled out, gloating over having captured me, Ayaan slipped back. They didn’t pay him any heed. To them, he was just the hired driver, expected to hang back while they delivered their prize to Ron. Mymouth twitched into a smile behind the gag. If they only knew the truth...
“Let’s take her inside,” Max growled, grabbing my arm in a vice-like grip.
