The air in the warehouse was thick with dust, hanging heavy around Zara and Noor as they stood at the entrance, trying to make sense of the eerie silence surrounding them. Every step they took echoed in the cavernous room, amplifying their presence. Zara's heartbeat thudded louder in her chest as her eyes scanned the shadows, searching for the source of the mysterious summons.
The tall, rusted metal doors groaned under the weight of the shifting air, and when they opened, the dim light revealed a man standing in the center of the warehouse. His frame was obscured by shadows, and his face was hidden beneath a hood, casting a foreboding air around him. There was something unsettling in his stillness.
Noor instinctively stepped closer to Zara, her gaze fixed on the man. "This doesn't feel right," she whispered.
Zara's jaw tightened. "We don't have a choice. We came here for answers."
The man's voice broke the tension, cutting through the silence like a blade. "Zara Voss," he began, his tone measured, almost like he was savoring the moment. "I knew you'd come. Took you long enough."
Zara's mind raced. Who was this man? How did he know her name?
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the unease swirling in her gut.
He tilted his head slightly, the shadows flickering across his face. "The man with the answers you're looking for. That's all you need to know for now."
Zara's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't sure if she should trust him, but she had come this far. "Then tell me what you know about the night of the accident. Why did you call me here?"
The man's lips curled into a slow, knowing smile. "Because you're still chasing ghosts, Zara. The truth is far more complicated than you think. You've only scratched the surface."
Before Zara could respond, his gaze shifted past her, landing on Rev, who had been standing silently at the back. The man's expression changed slightly, a flicker of recognition passing over his face. "And him," he said. "I thought you'd show up too."
Zara's stomach tightened. "What does he have to do with any of this?"
The man's lips twitched, as though he were relishing the suspense. "Rev Calloway... The man who's been running from his past just like you."
Zara turned toward Rev. He hadn't said a word since they entered the warehouse. His eyes were fixed on the man with an unreadable expression, but Zara could see the tension in his posture. It was like he was fighting something inside himself, but Zara didn't understand what.
"Rev?" she asked quietly, her voice softer now, like a question she didn't want to ask. She could feel Noor's gaze burning into her back, waiting for answers just as much as she was.
Rev didn't look at her immediately. His gaze was fixed firmly on the man in the shadows. "You don't have to do this," he muttered, his voice low.
The man chuckled darkly. "Oh, I think it's past time for the truth to come out."
Zara felt her heart skip in her chest. She turned back to the man. "What are you talking about? What truth?"
He ignored her, keeping his focus on Rev. "You didn't think she knew, did you? Didn't think she'd ever remember what happened that night. But she'll have to face it eventually. You both will."
Zara stepped closer, the anger and confusion bubbling inside her now. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Rev finally shifted, stepping forward but not speaking immediately. He stood in front of Zara, his back to her now, as though shielding her from what was coming. "You're not ready to hear this," he said, his voice tight.
But the man wouldn't let up. "She deserves to know, Rev. You owe her that much."
Zara's chest tightened, frustration mounting. "Owe me what? Just tell me, damn it!"
For the first time, Rev looked back at her, his eyes dark with a mix of regret and pain. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but the man interrupted again.
"You think he left you behind that night, right?" The man's voice was almost mocking now. "Well, you're wrong. He was there with you, Zara. He was in the crash too. He was hurt just like you. But he didn't just vanish. They made sure you both suffered the same fate. You both woke up in a world that forgot about you."
Zara's breath caught in her throat, her mind spinning. "What? What do you mean, he was in the crash? Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't I know?"
Rev's face twisted with a mix of guilt and anger. "I didn't know how to tell you. You were hurt, and I was... I was a mess. I thought you were gone, Zara. I thought I lost you."
Zara's heart pounded in her chest. "But you left me! You disappeared! You didn't even try to find me."
"I tried," he snapped, his voice shaking with emotion. "But the people who had me, the people who set that whole thing up—they kept me locked down, forced me into hiding. You think I wanted to disappear? You think I wanted you to think I abandoned you?"
The anger that had been building inside Zara faltered. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know if she should feel betrayed or relieved or... something else entirely. She had thought all these years that Rev had chosen to walk away, but the truth hit her like a truck. He had been as trapped as she was.
The man in the shadows watched them carefully, his eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of having revealed the truth. "The accident wasn't just a coincidence. It wasn't some random mishap. You both were targeted. And if you want to survive what's coming, you need to understand that this is just the beginning."
Zara's mind was reeling, her heart in turmoil. "Who did this? Who's behind all of this?"
The man's expression hardened. "That's something you'll have to find out for yourself. But you won't get very far without my help. And you can't do it alone."
Zara's gaze flicked to Noor, who had been standing by quietly, processing everything. Noor's eyes met hers, and for a brief moment, there was an unspoken understanding between them. This was bigger than them. It had always been bigger than them.
"We'll do whatever it takes," Zara said, her voice steady with newfound resolve.
The man nodded, his face unreadable. "Good. But first, you need to understand the stakes. This is no longer just about racing. This is about survival. And the past will come for you if you don't face it head-on."
Zara glanced at Rev, whose expression was hard and unreadable, but she could see the same determination in his eyes that she now felt herself. Whatever the future held, they would face it together.