can't make a choice

Chapter 2: The Chase

The sharp, shrill sound of an alarm shattered the fragile silence of the château's underground corridor. Red emergency lights flared to life, casting jagged shadows across the stone walls. Amelia's heart lurched as the warning klaxon blared in her ears.

"We've been made!" Victor barked, gripping his pistol tightly as he scanned the doorway they had entered moments earlier.

Finn was already moving, his movements quick and precise. "They're locking us in," he said, his voice tense. He grabbed Amelia's arm, pulling her toward the far end of the archive room. "There's another exit, but we don't have long."

"How do you know that?" Victor demanded, his tone sharp with suspicion.

"I just do!" Finn snapped without looking back. "Trust me, or stay here and find out what happens when they catch you!"

Elena, already ahead, turned and called out, "Argue later—move!"

Amelia, clutching the artifact tightly to her chest, forced her legs to obey as Finn led them deeper into the labyrinth of shelves and corridors. The walls seemed to close in around her, the oppressive hum of the alarm pounding in time with her heartbeat.

They burst into another hallway, this one lined with rusting pipes that dripped condensation onto the cold concrete floor. The air was thick and damp, the metallic taste of fear sharp on Amelia's tongue. Behind them, faint voices echoed—shouted orders growing louder.

"They're closing in," Elena hissed, glancing back with a scowl. She adjusted her grip on her weapon, her knuckles white.

"Not yet," Finn replied tersely, yanking a metal panel off the wall to reveal a small access hatch. "Through here. It's a service tunnel—it'll get us outside."

Victor stared at him with narrowed eyes. "Convenient."

"Save it," Finn growled, gesturing for Amelia to go first. "We don't have time for your paranoia."

Amelia crouched and crawled into the hatch, the cold metal scraping against her palms and knees. The tunnel was narrow and suffocating, the sound of her own breathing amplified in the confined space. One by one, the others followed, their movements hurried but deliberate.

As they reached the end of the tunnel, Amelia pushed open a rusted grate and emerged into the cool night air. They were in the château's back garden, overgrown with weeds and tangled vines. The mist still hung heavy in the air, swirling like ghosts around the twisted remains of a once-grand fountain.

"Which way now?" Victor asked, his voice low but urgent.

Finn scanned the area, his eyes darting toward the edge of the garden where a faint gravel path disappeared into the forest. "There," he said, pointing.

They took off at a sprint, the sound of their footsteps muffled by the damp earth. The distant shouts of their pursuers grew louder, and Amelia's chest tightened with panic. She could hear the faint buzz of drones overhead, their red tracking lights sweeping across the treetops.

"Drones!" Elena shouted. "We need cover!"

"This way!" Finn veered sharply off the path, leading them into a dense thicket of trees. Branches clawed at their clothes and skin as they pushed forward, the shadows swallowing them whole.

Amelia stumbled, her foot catching on a root, and she fell hard to the ground. The artifact slipped from her grasp, landing in the mud a few feet away.

"Amelia!" Victor was there in an instant, pulling her to her feet as she grabbed the artifact. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," she panted, her hands trembling. "Keep going."

Behind them, the sound of footsteps and the crackle of radio chatter grew closer. A sharp beam of light cut through the trees, landing just inches from their position.

"Down!" Finn hissed, pulling them into the underbrush.

They crouched low, holding their breath as the light swept past. Amelia could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears, the adrenaline surging through her veins.

The guards moved past, their heavy boots crunching on the forest floor. For a moment, the group remained frozen, their bodies pressed against the cold earth.

"Let's move," Finn whispered, his voice barely audible.

They continued through the forest, their pace slower but no less urgent. Finally, they emerged onto a dirt road where their getaway car was parked, hidden beneath a tarp.

Finn pulled the tarp off and tossed the keys to Victor. "Drive."

Victor hesitated for a fraction of a second before climbing into the driver's seat. Amelia and Elena piled into the back, while Finn slid into the passenger seat, his eyes scanning the darkness behind them.

As the car roared to life, headlights flared behind them. A black SUV barreled down the road, its engine a guttural growl that sent a chill down Amelia's spine.

"They're on us!" Elena shouted, drawing her pistol.

Victor slammed his foot on the gas, the tires screeching as the car sped down the winding road. The SUV followed close behind, its headlights blinding in the rearview mirror.

"Do something!" Amelia shouted as the SUV drew closer.

Elena leaned out the window, firing at the pursuing vehicle. Sparks flew as her bullets ricocheted off the SUV's armored frame.

"They're bulletproof!" she growled.

"Not for long," Finn muttered. He reached into his bag, pulling out a small device with a blinking red light. "Hold steady!"

Victor swerved to avoid a pothole, cursing under his breath. "Easier said than done!"

Finn leaned out the window, tossing the device toward the SUV. It hit the hood and stuck, the blinking light turning solid. A second later, the device exploded in a burst of fire and smoke, forcing the SUV to swerve off the road.

Amelia let out a shaky breath as the SUV disappeared from view. "That was too close."

"It's not over," Finn said grimly, glancing back. "They'll keep coming."

Victor's knuckles were white on the steering wheel, his jaw clenched. "Then we'd better be ready."

The group drove in tense silence, the adrenaline slowly fading but the weight of what lay ahead pressing down on them. The Architect had found them once. He wouldn't stop until he had the artifact—and their lives.

And they all knew it.