Chapter 20
Anna
The auditorium overflows with hundreds of people waiting for a demonstration that will prove not only that the future of energy has arrived, but that it'll soon be available to everyone. Still, my mind stays anchored to that call. Dakota's voice, whispering that it's a trap. The way the communication cut off moments later.
I know she escaped, Marcus confirmed it, but not knowing where she is or if she's hurt drives me crazy. I wish she were with me, somewhere in the shadows, watching every detail like she always does. Instead, among the crowd, I see only unknown faces.
“Good morning,” I begin, and my voice sounds stronger than I expected. “Today, we're not just presenting a new product. Today, we're presenting the future.”
I pause for a few minutes to let the applause settle and continue.
While I speak, my gaze studies the room. Marcus has doubled security, but it's not the same. It's not Dakota.
The prototype rests on a table, covered by a black cloth. It's smaller than people expected, but inside it pulses with the power of a miniature star.
“For decades, humanity has dreamed of a clean, cheap, and infinite energy source,” I continue. “Today that dream becomes reality.”
Absolute silence falls as I remove the cloth. Journalists lean forward in their seats. Some investors hold their breath.
“This device will…”
A metallic sound interrupts me. The side doors burst open and two masked men storm into the room. Screams erupt. People duck or start running toward the exits.
The security team reacts immediately, but they're too far. One attacker raises a weapon. Time slows down. At that moment, I understand I should have listened to Marcus and canceled the presentation. Instinctively, I almost close my eyes and wait for the bullet's impact. I know there's nowhere to hide. I'm going to die.
And then I see her.
Dakota emerges from nowhere, like a furious shadow. Her clothes are stained with blood, she seems to have cuts on her hands, but she moves like a cat. She hits the shooter with brutal force, deflecting the shot toward the ceiling. Before I can realize what's happening, she disarms and pins him to the ground.
My heart pounds so hard I can barely hear anything else.
“Anna!” she shouts while police secure the perimeter. “Are you okay?”
I nod slowly, unable to speak. I want to run to her, hug her, check her wounds, but then her face changes.
She's seen something.
“Thorne,” she growls. “He's trying to escape through the back door.”
“I'll be fine,” I yell, signaling for her to chase him.
She moves like lightning through the crowd. Thorne Bishop, the man I once considered my friend and mentor, tries to blend in with the fleeing people. But Dakota is faster.
She intercepts him just before he reaches the exit. She doesn't need violence. Her presence alone is enough to make Thorne stop. He knows perfectly well there's no point in fighting. He lowers his head while two police officers handcuff him.
When Dakota returns to my side, she examines me up and down, as if unconvinced I haven't been hurt.
“I'm fine,” I assure her. “But you…”
“Just scratches,” she interrupts, though I can see moving her wrists pains her. “You were right.”
“About what?”
“About presenting the prototype. It was the only way to end this.”
The crowd starts to calm. Some turn back, seeing the situation is secure. Journalists are already taking photos, hungry for headlines.
“Where were you?” I ask fearfully, observing the deep cuts on her hands.
“In an abandoned warehouse near the port. Thorne and his thugs thought they could use me as bait,” she explains with a small smile. “They didn't count on me always keeping a blade in my heel.”
“A blade…?”
“Special Forces, remember?” she responds, shrugging as if escaping a kidnapping was the most natural thing in the world.
“I thought…” my voice breaks, I barely have the courage to finish the sentence. “When I got your call, and it cut off…”
“Hey,” she whispers, cradling my face in her hands. “I'm here. I'm not leaving you alone, okay?”
Camera flashes start popping around us. Tomorrow, these photos will be in every newspaper. The CEO and her bodyguard. The love story amid chaos.
“Want to finish the presentation?” she asks, pointing toward the prototype that, luckily, survived the chaos intact.
“With this madness?”
“Why not?” she smiles. “You already have the press's undivided attention. Plus, they just proved how desperate they are to stop you. That can only mean one thing.”
“That they know it works,” I complete her sentence. “That it works and it terrifies them.”
“Then prove it. Show them they had good reason to be so scared.”
I nod slowly and return to the stage. This time, Dakota stays close, visible, not hiding in the shadows. Her presence gives me strength while the audience applauds.
“As I was saying before the small interruption,” I announce, and some people laugh nervously, “this device will change the world. And no amount of violence or intimidation can stop progress.”
I activate the prototype and a soft hum fills the room. The lights connected to it turn on, powered by the cleanest, cheapest energy ever created.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the future.”