The Trap is Sprung

The convoy sped down the darkened roads, the low hum of engines blending with the distant howl of the wind. Dante sat in the lead car, his face a mask of stoic determination. Beside him, Matteo was unusually quiet, his usual sardonic remarks replaced by a palpable tension.

The meeting point was an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city, a crumbling structure long forgotten by time. It was the perfect place for a clandestine exchange—and a potential ambush.

"Are we sure this is the right location?" Matteo asked, breaking the silence.

Dante's eyes flicked to him briefly before returning to the road ahead. "We're sure. Maria's informant won't miss this opportunity. Stay sharp."

---

Elizabeth's Unease

Back at the mansion, I paced the length of the library, unable to shake the gnawing anxiety in my chest. Something about this mission felt wrong—too obvious, too convenient. Maria wasn't careless, and this meeting felt like it had her fingerprints all over it.

I stopped in front of the large bay window, staring out at the sprawling grounds. The usual sense of safety the mansion provided felt hollow tonight, as though the walls themselves were whispering warnings I couldn't decipher.

Grabbing my phone, I dialed Dante's number, but it went straight to voicemail. Frustration bubbled in my chest, and I clenched my fists.

"Come back to me," I whispered into the silence.

---

The Factory

The factory loomed ahead like a hulking beast, its broken windows glinting in the moonlight. Dante's men fanned out, their movements precise and calculated as they secured the perimeter.

Inside, the air was thick with the stench of mildew and rust. Shadows danced along the walls, cast by the dim beams of flashlights. Dante's sharp gaze swept the room, his instincts on high alert.

"She's late," Matteo muttered, his hand resting on the grip of his pistol.

"She'll show," Dante said firmly. "She wants us here for a reason."

As if on cue, a faint sound echoed through the cavernous space—the slow, deliberate click of heels against concrete.

A figure emerged from the shadows, her silhouette sharp and confident. It wasn't Maria, but a woman with an air of calculated menace. Her dark eyes glittered with amusement as she stopped a few feet away, holding up her hands in mock surrender.

"Well, well," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "Dante Stormborn in the flesh. I must admit, I wasn't sure you'd come."

"Who are you?" Dante demanded, his tone cold and commanding.

The woman smirked. "Maria sends her regards."

Before anyone could react, the room exploded into chaos.

---

The Ambush

Gunfire erupted, deafening in the enclosed space. Dante's men moved like a well-oiled machine, returning fire as they took cover behind crumbling pillars and rusted machinery.

Dante grabbed Matteo, pulling him out of the line of fire as bullets ricocheted off the walls.

"Fall back!" Dante barked, his voice cutting through the cacophony.

"This was a setup from the start!" Matteo growled, firing off a shot that took down one of their attackers.

Dante's mind raced as he assessed the situation. The woman who had delivered the message was gone, disappearing into the chaos like a ghost. Whoever Maria had sent, they were well-trained and heavily armed.

"Get out of here, Matteo," Dante ordered.

"What about you?"

"I'll hold them off. Go!"

Matteo hesitated for a moment before nodding, his expression grim as he rallied the men to retreat.

Dante stayed behind, his instincts screaming at him to find the woman. She was the key to Maria's plans, and he wasn't leaving without answers.

---

Elizabeth's Decision

The mansion felt unbearably quiet, the weight of my unease pressing down on me like a physical force. I couldn't sit still any longer.

Grabbing my coat, I made my way to the garage, my heart pounding as I climbed into one of the cars.

I didn't know exactly where Dante was, but I had overheard Matteo mentioning the location earlier. If they thought I was going to sit back and wait, they didn't know me as well as they thought.

As I sped down the empty roads, a part of me knew this was reckless, but I didn't care. Dante needed me, and I wasn't going to let him face this alone.

---

The Confrontation

Dante moved through the factory like a shadow, his every sense on high alert. The gunfire had subsided, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.

A faint sound drew his attention—a soft laugh, almost mocking.

"You're persistent, I'll give you that," the woman's voice echoed from somewhere in the darkness.

Dante didn't respond, his gun held steady as he followed the sound.

"You think you can outsmart Maria?" she continued. "She's always been two steps ahead of you."

"Where is she?" Dante demanded, his voice cold and unyielding.

The woman stepped into the light, her expression smug. "Closer than you think."

Before Dante could react, a sharp pain exploded in his side. He staggered, looking down to see the blood spreading across his shirt.

The woman smirked, holding up a knife glinting with crimson. "You should've stayed away, Stormborn."

---

Elizabeth's Arrival

I pulled up to the factory, my heart racing as I saw the black SUVs parked outside. The faint sound of gunfire had died down, but the tension in the air was palpable.

Clutching the small handgun Dante had insisted I keep for emergencies, I made my way inside.

The scene that greeted me was one of chaos—bullet-riddled walls, shattered glass, and the faint smell of gunpowder. My stomach twisted as I stepped over the bodies of men I recognized as Dante's.

A faint sound caught my attention, and I turned to see a figure slumped against a pillar.

"Dante!" I ran to him, dropping to my knees as I saw the blood staining his shirt.

His eyes fluttered open, and a flicker of relief crossed his face. "Elizabeth… what are you doing here?"

"I'm not leaving you," I said firmly, tearing a strip from my shirt to press against his wound. "We're getting out of here."

The sound of footsteps made me look up, and my heart sank as the woman from earlier appeared, her knife still slick with blood.

"Well, isn't this touching," she sneered.

I stood, placing myself between Dante and the woman. My hands trembled as I raised the gun, but my voice was steady.

"Stay back," I warned.

The woman laughed. "You think you can stop me?"

"I don't think," I said, my finger tightening on the trigger. "I know."