The woman running
Chapter 74: The Woman Running
For exactly three seconds...
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody breathed.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because Evelyn Hart escaping was not part of the plan.
Not Daniel's plan.
Not Hale's plan.
Not anyone's plan.
The betrayal.
The escaped-hostage betrayal.
Undefeated.
Amara stared at him.
Then stared harder.
Because somehow...
This was the first genuinely surprising thing she'd heard all week.
A remarkable achievement.
Very remarkable.
"Evelyn escaped."
Silence.
The ghost nodded.
Immediately.
The museum suddenly felt much smaller.
Much more dangerous.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"How."
The question came automatically.
Professionally.
Suspiciously.
Naturally.
The ghost laughed once.
Short.
Disbelieving.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Because she's Evelyn."
Absolute silence.
Amara hated that answer.
Immediately.
The betrayal.
The non-answer betrayal.
Undefeated.
Unfortunately...
She also understood it.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because every story she'd heard about Evelyn over the past several weeks shared one common theme.
Never underestimate her.
Ever.
A recurring lesson.
Very recurring.
The ghost pulled out his phone.
Again.
Checked something.
Then swore.
Actually swore.
The audacity.
The complete audacity.
Undefeated.
Amara immediately noticed.
Of course she did.
The betrayal.
The observant-doctor betrayal.
Undefeated.
"What."
The ghost looked toward the museum entrance.
Then toward a nearby window.
Then toward the elevator.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Calculating.
The way predators calculated.
The way strategists calculated.
The way geniuses calculated.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then he said something that made Amara's stomach drop.
Immediately.
"She's not running from them."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The room froze.
Because suddenly...
That mattered.
Dangerously.
"What."
The ghost looked directly at her.
And for the first time...
He seemed genuinely concerned.
Actually concerned.
A rare sight.
A concerning sight.
Very concerning.
"She's running toward something."
The world stopped.
Immediately.
Because suddenly...
That felt worse.
Much worse.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
Again.
The atmosphere shifted.
Danger.
Pure danger.
The usual.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The ghost answered.
Listened.
Then visibly relaxed.
Just slightly.
Enough.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Hale."
Silence.
The name landed heavily.
Because somehow...
Director Hale remained involved in everything.
A recurring problem.
Very recurring.
The ghost listened.
Nodded once.
Then ended the call.
Immediately.
Amara folded her arms.
Dangerously.
"What did he say?"
The answer came instantly.
Without hesitation.
Without mercy.
"The same thing I just did."
Absolute silence.
The museum froze.
Again.
A recurring problem.
Very recurring.
Because if Hale and the ghost agreed on something...
The situation was officially terrible.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then—
The fire alarm activated.
Immediately.
The museum exploded into noise.
Alarms.
Lights.
Emergency announcements.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The betrayal.
The dramatic-timing betrayal.
Undefeated.
Amara didn't flinch.
Naturally.
The ghost did.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Not from fear.
Recognition.
The worst kind.
The realization kind.
The ghost looked upward.
Toward the ceiling.
Toward the alarms.
Toward something only he seemed to understand.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then he smiled.
Once.
Disbelievingly.
"No way."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Amara immediately hated those words.
Deeply.
Dangerously.
"What."
The ghost laughed.
Actually laughed.
For the first time since meeting him.
Not bitter.
Not sad.
Not angry.
Amused.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then he said:
"She found me."
The world stopped.
Immediately.
Because suddenly...
The predator had become the prey.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then the museum lights went out.
Every single one.
Instantly.
Darkness swallowed the gallery.
Complete.
Absolute.
Terrifying darkness.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The alarms continued screaming.
Red emergency lights flickered on.
Painting everything in crimson.
The atmosphere became something out of a nightmare.
A recurring problem.
Very recurring.
Then a woman's voice echoed through the gallery.
Calm.
Soft.
Dangerous.
The kind of voice that didn't need to be loud.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Elias."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The ghost froze.
Immediately.
Because apparently...
The man finally had a name.
Elias.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The voice continued.
Closer now.
Much closer.
"Elias."
A pause.
Then:
"You always were easier to find than you thought."
The gallery became deathly still.
Amara turned toward the darkness.
Toward the voice.
Toward the approaching footsteps.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then a woman stepped into the red emergency lighting.
Dark curls.
Silver glasses.
Black coat.
Perfect posture.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Evelyn Hart.
Alive.
Unharmed.
And judging by the expression on her face...
Absolutely furious.
The most dangerous version of Evelyn.
A terrifying development.
Very terrifying.
Her eyes locked onto Elias.
Not Amara.
Not anyone else.
Just him.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then she smiled.
The wrong smile.
The terrifying smile.
The smile geniuses wore right before ruining someone's day.
The betrayal.
The scary-genius betrayal.
Undefeated.
And suddenly...
Amara had the distinct feeling she was about to witness an argument fifteen years in the making.
End Chapter 74: The Woman Running