Victor turned and ran, the night air rushing past him. He heard Ahmed's shout, the sound of footsteps behind him. He sprinted down the street, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He needed to get away, to lose Ahmed and his men.
He darted into a narrow alley, the darkness enveloping him. He stopped, his breath held, listening for the sound of pursuit. The footsteps echoed, growing louder. Victor's eyes adjusted to the dark, his mind racing. He spotted a fire escape, a metal ladder leading up to the rooftops.
He grabbed the ladder, his hands slipping on the metal. He pulled himself up, the ladder creaking under his weight.
He reached the top, his eyes scanning the rooftops. The city stretched out, a sea of lights and shadows. He heard Ahmed's shout, the sound of men spreading out below. Victor took off, sprinting across the rooftops. He leapt from one building to the next, the distance narrowing.
He landed hard, his knees buckling. He pushed on, his eyes fixed on the next rooftop.
The chase was on, Victor weaving through the city's rooftops. He heard the sound of sirens, the police responding to a disturbance. He spotted a ventilation shaft, a metal grate covering the opening. He yanked the grate off, the sound echoing through the night. He slipped inside, the darkness enveloping him.
He found himself in a maze of ducts and tunnels, the air thick with dust. He crawled through, his eyes adjusting to the dark. He heard the sound of pursuit, the men closing in. He spotted a light ahead, a grate covering the opening. He kicked it out, the sound echoing through the night. He emerged into the bright lights of a busy street, the crowd swallowing him whole.
Victor pushed through the crowd, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He hailed a taxi, the vehicle pulling up to the curb. He jumped in, his breath held. "Get me out of here, now." The driver nodded, speeding into the traffic. Victor looked back, his eyes scanning the crowd. Ahmed's men were there, their eyes scanning the crowd.
Victor's gut twisted, a surge of adrenaline. He was safe, for now.
The taxi dropped him off at a safe location, a small hotel on the outskirts of town. Victor entered, his eyes scanning the lobby. He took the elevator to his room, the silence oppressive. He locked the door behind him, his eyes scanning the room. He spotted a phone, a landline. He picked it up, dialing a number. The voice on the other end answered, a familiar tone. "Alex, it's me. I need your help."
The night wore on, Victor recounting the events.
Alex listened, his expression grim. "We'll get Ahmed, Victor. We'll get him." Victor's eyes locked onto his. "It's bigger than Ahmed, Alex. It's the whole board." Alex's expression hardened. "We'll take them down, Victor. No matter what."
The plan formed, a glimmer of hope. Victor's eyes locked onto Alex's. "We need to move, Alex. We can't trust anyone." Alex nodded, a plan forming in his mind. They would take down the board, and they would win.