Blair Whales: The Price Of Vengeance

Blair could feel the weight of Dominic Reyes' fear as he guided her and Jax into the dimly lit cabin. The air was thick with the scent of mildew and dust, and the worn furniture spoke of years spent in hiding. Dominic closed the door quickly behind them, locking it and drawing the blinds.

"You shouldn't have come," Dominic muttered again, pacing the room. "Do you have any idea what you've done by bringing this to my doorstep?"

"We don't have time for this," Jax said, his tone sharp. "You've been hiding for years, and we know why. Vincent. He betrayed you, didn't he?"

Dominic stopped pacing, his shoulders stiffening.

Blair stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "We know about your history with Vincent, Dominic. Whatever he did to you, you're not the only one who's suffered because of him. We're trying to stop him, but we need your help."

Dominic turned to face her, his eyes hollow. "You think you can stop Vincent? You have no idea what kind of man he is. The things he's done, the power he has… He'll crush you without even breaking a sweat."

"Not if we hit him where it hurts," Blair said, her gaze steady. "We're not asking for much. Just tell us what you know—something we can use to bring him down."

Dominic hesitated, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

"I have a recording," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "Proof of what he did to me. To others. But it's not here. It's hidden."

Jax frowned. "Hidden where?"

Before Dominic could answer, a sharp crack split the air. The window nearest to Blair shattered, a bullet embedding itself in the wall just inches from her head.

"Get down!" Jax shouted, pulling Blair to the floor.

Chaos erupted as more bullets tore through the cabin, the sound of gunfire deafening in the small space. Blair crawled toward the overturned coffee table, using it as cover while she pulled her gun from her holster.

"Dominic!" she called out, searching for the older man.

"I'm fine!" Dominic yelled from behind an old bookshelf. "But they're not going to stop until we're all dead!"

Jax fired a few shots out of the broken window, his face grim. "They've got us surrounded. We need a way out."

Blair's mind raced as she assessed their situation. The cabin was small, with only one door and a few windows—all of which were being targeted by the attackers.

"There's a hatch!" Dominic shouted. "Under the rug in the kitchen. Leads to an old storm shelter."

Blair nodded, motioning for Jax to cover her. "Keep them busy. I'll get Dominic out."

Jax gave her a tight nod, reloading his weapon. "Make it fast."

Blair sprinted to the kitchen, her heart pounding as bullets whizzed past her. She yanked the rug aside, revealing a rusted metal hatch.

"Dominic!" she called out, waving him over.

The older man hesitated for only a moment before scrambling toward her. Together, they wrenched the hatch open, revealing a narrow ladder leading into darkness.

"Go," Blair urged, helping Dominic climb down.

As she started to follow, she glanced back at Jax, who was still firing at their attackers.

"Jax, come on!" she shouted.

Jax shook his head. "Not yet. I'll hold them off—buy you some time."

Blair hesitated, torn between staying to help and ensuring Dominic's safety.

"Don't argue, Blair!" Jax snapped. "Go!"

Reluctantly, she climbed down into the storm shelter, pulling the hatch closed behind her.

The storm shelter was damp and dark, the air thick with the smell of earth. Blair grabbed a flashlight from her bag, illuminating the narrow tunnel that stretched out before them.

"This way," Dominic said, his voice shaky as he led the way.

Blair followed closely, her ears straining for any sound of pursuit.

"What's at the end of this tunnel?" she asked.

"An old access point," Dominic said. "It leads to the woods about half a mile from here. If we're lucky, they won't find it."

Blair didn't comment on how thin their chances of luck seemed at the moment.

After what felt like an eternity, they emerged into the cool night air. The forest was dense and silent, the moonlight barely penetrating the thick canopy above.

"We need to keep moving," Blair said, scanning their surroundings.

Dominic nodded, but his pace was slow, his exhaustion evident.

As they pushed deeper into the woods, Blair's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, her heart sinking when she saw Jax's name on the screen.

The message was brief: "I'm fine. Get to the rendezvous."

Blair exhaled a shaky breath, relief flooding through her.

"Who was that?" Dominic asked.

"A friend," Blair said, slipping the phone back into her pocket. "Now let's focus on getting you to safety."

By the time they reached the rendezvous point—a small, hidden cabin owned by one of Jax's contacts—Dominic was pale and visibly shaken.

Inside, Blair helped him into a chair, grabbing a bottle of water from the supplies Jax had stashed there.

"Here," she said, handing it to him. "Drink this."

Dominic took a few sips before setting the bottle down. "You're putting a lot on the line for someone you don't even know," he said quietly.

Blair shrugged. "You have something we need. That's all that matters."

Dominic studied her for a moment before nodding. "The recording I mentioned—it's in a safety deposit box. I can give you the key, but getting to it won't be easy. Vincent has eyes everywhere."

Blair nodded. "We'll worry about that later. Right now, you need to rest."

Dominic hesitated, then reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, worn key. He held it out to Blair.

"Take it," he said. "Just in case."

Blair took the key, her fingers closing around the cold metal. She didn't realize how heavy it would feel.

As the night stretched on, Blair sat by the window, her eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of danger. Dominic was asleep in the other room, his breathing uneven but steady.

Her phone buzzed again. This time, it was an unknown number.

She answered cautiously. "Hello?"

A familiar voice sent chills down her spine.

"Did you really think you could run, Blair?" Vincent's voice was smooth, almost amused. "I always find what belongs to me."

Blair's blood ran cold as the call disconnected, leaving her in silence.