"You've made a mistake, Mia," Veronica continued, her voice soft, almost intimate. "You don't know what you've taken. But I do. And I'm the only one who can fix this."
Mia's pulse quickened as the realization hit her—Veronica wasn't on their side anymore. She was here to stop them.
But why? What had changed?
"Veronica," Mia called out, trying to steady her breath. "What are you talking about? You told us the Syndicate was after the box. We're just trying to survive."
For a moment, there was silence. Then, a faint chuckle from Veronica, low and dangerous. "Oh, sweet girl. You really think it's about survival? You've been a pawn from the start. Ethan never told you, did he?"
Mia's stomach dropped. The betrayal in Veronica's voice cut through her like a knife. Ethan? What did he have to do with this?
"I—what are you saying?" Mia's voice wavered, her mind racing. "What's the connection between Ethan and the Syndicate?"
Veronica didn't answer immediately. Instead, there was a soft clicking sound, and a light flickered on, revealing her standing just beyond the shadows. She was holding a gun, but there was no menace in her stance. There was something more—something colder, more calculating.
Mia froze.
"You really don't know, do you?" Veronica said, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and something else—something that Mia couldn't quite understand. "Ethan never told you the full truth. He's not the man you think he is."
Mia's heart pounded harder. "What are you talking about?"
"He's one of them," Veronica whispered, almost too quietly. "He's been with the Syndicate all along. He was never running from them—he was running with them. And when he walked away, they let him go. Not because he wanted out, but because they knew they could control him. You've been trusting the wrong person."
Mia staggered back, the weight of Veronica's words crashing over her like a wave. Ethan had been lying?
Had he been part of the Syndicate all along? The shock was enough to knock the air from her lungs. Everything—everything she thought she knew about him—was crumbling.
"No..." Mia whispered, her voice faltering. "That's not true."
Veronica's eyes were cold, unreadable. "It is. And you're holding the key to a war you don't even understand."
The sound of footsteps grew louder behind Veronica. Someone else was coming—more of the Syndicate's men. They were closing in again.
Mia's heart raced, her mind spinning with the chaos of betrayal and confusion. But she had no choice now. She couldn't trust Veronica—not anymore.
Without thinking, Mia lunged forward, slamming into Veronica and knocking her off balance. The gun slipped from her grip as the two women tumbled to the floor. Mia's mind raced, her heart pounding, but there was only one thing she knew for sure: she needed to survive. Ethan needed her.
With a final push, Mia scrambled to her feet and ran for the door, slamming it behind her. She had no plan, no idea where to go next—but she had to keep moving. If she stopped, if she hesitated for even a second, everything would fall apart.