Chapter 3 - The Hunters in the Rain
Alexander didn't hesitate. Survival instincts honed through decades of high-stakes corporate warfare—and the darker, hidden circles of power that came with it—flared instantly.
"Aura," he said, keeping his voice dangerously calm. "Slide out of the booth. Now."
"Who are they?" she whispered, her amber eyes widening with sudden terror as she spotted the two men stepping purposefully between the tables.
"I don't know, but we aren't going to wait to find out," Alexander said. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a thick wad of hundred-dollar bills, and slammed them down onto the table beside the untouched pancakes.
The men in trench coats broke into a run. "Hey! Sterling!" one of them shouted, drawing a heavy hand from his coat pocket.
Alexander grabbed Aura’s wrist, pulling her toward the diner's rear exit behind the kitchen counter. Shouts erupted from the staff as they burst through the swinging doors into the alleyway behind the building. The Seattle rain was torrential now, turning the concrete into a mirror of neon lights and grey shadows.
"Keep running!" Alexander yelled, shielding Aura with his own body as they sprinted down the narrow, garbage-lined corridor toward the street.
A black sedan screeched to a halt at the mouth of the alley, blocking their escape. The passenger door flew open, and a third man stepped out, cutting off their path.
"Mr. Sterling," the man sneered, flashing a cold, humorless grin. "The board sends their regards. And hand over the girl."
Alexander stepped in front of Aura, his heart hammering against his ribs. The merger with Halcyon Tech—the multi-billion-dollar deal he was supposed to sign this morning—flashed through his mind. Halcyon’s CEO, Marcus Thorne, had been acting aggressively, pushing for absolute control. But Thorne didn't know about Aura. Or did he? Did Thorne’s corporate espionage run deeper than balance sheets?
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"Go to hell," Alexander muttered.
He didn't wait for them to close the distance. He grabbed a heavy metal trash can and hurled it directly at the man blocking the car, buying them three precious seconds to scramble over a low brick wall into the adjoining parking garage.
