Ben did not wait. The moment they stepped out of the warehouse, he pulled Ella close and whispered, "Move now before he comes back." It was the only thing that made sense. Mister Gray had found them too easily, and if he wanted Lucas, he would not stop at one warning.
Ella nodded quickly. Lucas held her hand, his steps small but fast as he tried to keep up. The night air felt heavier than usual. Every streetlight flickered like it was stressed too, unsure how long it could hold on. The whole city felt like it was watching them.
"Where is the safe house?" Ella asked as they crossed the street. Her voice was low and rushed.
"Behind the old station," Ben said. "But we have to cut through the back road. If Gray is still around, he'll expect us to use the main path."
Lucas squeezed Ella's hand. "Is he going to find us again?"
Ella stopped long enough to kneel in front of him. Her hands cupped his cheeks gently. "Listen to me. As long as I am here, and Ben is here, nobody will take you. You hear me? Nobody."
Lucas nodded, trying to be brave, but fear still sat in his eyes.
The three of them hurried down a quiet lane. The wind picked up, cold and rough. Papers blew across the ground, trash cans rattled in the distance, and Ella kept turning her head, certain someone was following them. Every noise made her heartbeat jump.
"Ben," she whispered, "I feel like someone is behind us."
Ben looked back without slowing. "That is because someone is."
Ella froze. "You saw someone?"
"I heard them," Ben said. "Just keep moving."
They reached a row of abandoned shops. The paint was peeling, the windows cracked, and the doors hung loosely on their hinges. Everything smelled like dust and old wood. Ben pushed Lucas and Ella toward a narrow alley behind the buildings.
"This way," he said.
Ella grabbed his arm. "Wait. Tell me something. Who is Mister Gray? Really."
Ben swallowed hard. He looked like he wished she never asked. "He is… trouble. Serious trouble. More dangerous than Rita ever was."
Ella blinked. "How does Rita even know him?"
Ben looked away. "Because she was not acting alone."
Ella's mouth fell open. "So all this time, there has been someone else behind everything?"
"Not just someone," Ben said. "A whole network. Gray runs the kind of people who do not leave loose ends."
Ella felt the ground tilt beneath her. "So Lucas…"
"He wants the boy," Ben said quietly. "And if he wants something… he usually gets it."
"Not this time," Ella said through her teeth.
They reached a tall metal gate behind the station. Ben pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked it quickly. The gate creaked loudly as it opened, louder than Ella wanted.
"Inside," Ben said.
Ella and Lucas slipped through. Ben closed the gate behind them and locked it again. The safe house stood a few feet away. It looked like an old storage unit from the outside, but when Ben opened the door, Ella saw a completely different world.
Warm lights, clean floors, blankets stacked neatly, shelves of water bottles, snacks, first aid supplies. A small sofa sat in the corner. It was basic, but it was safe.
Ella helped Lucas onto the sofa. He curled up, finally letting exhaustion weigh him down.
Ben shut the door and leaned against it, letting out a long breath. "We stay here until morning. No one knows this place."
Ella sat beside Lucas and gently stroked his hair. "What if Gray finds it?"
"He won't," Ben said. "This is my place. No one else knows it exists."
Ella turned to him. "You said that like you're sure."
"I am," Ben said, but his eyes betrayed him. Something bothered him. Something deep.
Ella stood and walked to him. "Tell me what you're hiding."
Ben hesitated, then rubbed his face with both hands. "Ella… Gray is not just after Lucas. He is after me too."
Ella felt her stomach twist. "You?"
Ben nodded. "I used to work for him. Not directly. But I was part of something he ran. He wanted me to stay. I refused. I left. Gray does not like when people leave."
"So he wants revenge," Ella whispered.
"And Lucas," Ben said. "Because Rita promised him something. Or someone."
Ella sank onto the nearest chair. "This keeps getting worse."
Ben came closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "That's why we keep fighting. We do it together."
Ella smiled weakly. "You and your 'together' speeches."
He gave a tiny smile. "It works."
They both turned when Lucas shifted on the sofa. He sat up, wiping his eyes. "Ella… I'm hungry."
Ella laughed softly, the first real laugh she had let out all night. "I knew you'd say that."
Ben handed her a snack from the shelf. "Here. He can eat while we plan."
"Plan?" Ella asked.
Ben pulled out his phone and opened a map. "We cannot stay in this city. Gray controls most of it. Tomorrow, we leave."
Ella's eyes widened. "Leave? As in… run?"
"As in survive," Ben said. "He will not stop. And neither will Rita. We need to outsmart them."
Ella nodded slowly. "Then we leave at first light."
Ben looked at her, eyes soft but serious. "You sure?"
Ella glanced at Lucas, who was munching quietly, trying to look brave. "I am not letting anyone take him. Or you. So yes. I'm sure."
Ben held her gaze for a long moment. Something unspoken passed between them. Something warm. Something strong.
Then a loud bang hit the gate outside.
Ella jumped to her feet, Ben froze, and Lucas stopped chewing.
Ben whispered, "Stay quiet."
Another bang.
Then another.
Ella grabbed Lucas and held him close.
Ben took a step toward the door but did not open it. He listened. He waited.
Then, a voice drifted in from outside.
"I know you're in there."
Ella felt her breath stop, it was Mister Gray.
Ben's hand curled into a fist.
"Don't open it," Ella whispered.
"I won't," Ben said softly. "But he knows. He found us."
The banging stopped.
Gray's voice came again, closer now, almost amused.
"See you in the morning."