Rory's eyes locked onto Julian heart racing with anger. She could see the smug expression on his face, and she knew she had to act fast.
"Let him go," Rory said, her voice firm.
Julian chuckled. "Or what?" he asked, his eyes glinting with amusement.
Rory's eyes narrowed. She knew she had to think fast. She couldn't let Julian hurt Marcus.
"I'll do whatever it takes to get him back," Rory said, her voice steady.
Julian's expression changed, his eyes flashing with anger. "You're not in a position to make demands," he said.
Rory took a step forward, her eyes locked onto Julian's. "I'm not afraid of you," she said.
Julian sneered. "You should be," he said. "You should be very afraid."
Suddenly, Sophia stepped forward, her eyes locked onto Julian's. "I think it's time we ended this," she said.
Julian's expression changed, his eyes flashing with surprise. "Sophia, what are you doing?" he asked.
Sophia's smile was small. "I'm taking back control," she said.
With a swift motion, Sophia pulled out a small device from her pocket and pressed a button.
The room was filled with the sound of alarms blaring, and the lights flickered.
Julian's eyes widened in surprise, and he took a step back.
Rory took advantage of the distraction to rush over to Marcus and start untying him.
As the alarms continued to blare, Rory and Marcus made their escape, with Sophia leading the way. Ethan already left earlier saying he had things to take care of.
They emerged from the building, gasping for air, and looked back at the chaos they had left behind.
"It's not over yet," Sophia said, her eyes locked onto the building.
Rory nodded, her heart still racing. "We'll finish this," she said.
As they emerged from the building, Rory could see the chaos unfolding around them. People were running and screaming, and the sound of sirens filled the air.
Sophia grabbed Rory's arm and pulled her towards a nearby alleyway. "We need to get out of here," she said.
Rory nodded, her heart still racing from the adrenaline rush. She followed Sophia, with Marcus close behind.
As they reached the end of the alleyway, Sophia stopped and turned to face them. "We need to get to a safe house," she said. "Julian will have people looking for us."
Rory nodded, her mind racing with questions. Who was Sophia, really? And what was her connection to Julian?
But for now, she pushed those questions aside and focused on getting to safety.
Marcus nodded, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. "Let's move," he said.
The three of them made their way through the crowded streets, dodging pedestrians and cars.
As they walked, Rory couldn't help but notice the way Sophia moved with a quiet confidence, her eyes scanning the surroundings with a practiced air.
Who was this woman, really?
And what was her plan?
Rory's questions would have to wait, as they finally reached the safe house, a nondescript building in a quiet neighborhood.
Sophia unlocked the door and led them inside, where they were greeted by a familiar face.
Ethan.
Rory's eyes widened in surprise. "Ethan, what are you doing here?" she asked.
Ethan smiled, his eyes locked onto Sophia's. "I've been working with Sophia," he said. "We've been planning this for weeks."
Rory's mind reeled as she processed this new information.
What else had Ethan been keeping from her?
And what was the true extent of Sophia's plan?