THERE'S NO GOING BACK

With his rifle pointed straight at us, the man's icy words reverberated throughout the night. All of my instincts told me to flee, but my feet felt like they were stuck to the earth. Ethan was stiff next to me, his hand firmly clutching mine as he moved slightly in front of me, his body serving as a barrier.

The guy added, "Hand over the drive, and I'll let you both walk out of here," in a bland but somewhat menacing tone that made me shudder. "Olivia, Neil is done playing games. This must come to an end.

With my pulse racing, I gulped and gripped the USB drive in my pocket. It was a curse at this particular time, but it also seemed like a lifeline, containing the secret to revealing Neil's depravity. No matter the cost, they would not let up until they had it—and us.