Long before they arrived, Emily had stealthily slipped a shard of broken glass to Andrew, which he had used to slice through his own restraints.

Benjamin was fast to react, pivoting to face them, but Emily was faster. She scooped up the severed rope, looped it tightly around Benjamin's neck, and yanked it backward with brutal force.

Benjamin choked, forced onto his heels as the rope bit into his windpipe. His face instantly flushed crimson as he clawed at the snare, gasping for air.

She screamed at the rushing guards, "Back the hell off! One more step and I kill him!"

Simultaneously, Andrew delivered a devastating right hook, dropping another charging mercenary to the ground.

Dragging Benjamin by the makeshift garrote, Emily backed away to the periphery, syncing her steps with Andrew.

Excluding Benjamin, there were still seven able-bodied combatants glaring at them, inching forward. But with their boss held hostage, none dared to make a rash move.

The tables had drastically turned.

By now, Benjamin's face had morphed from red to a terrifying shade of purple due to lack of oxygen. He flailed his arms backward to claw at Emily, but Andrew moved like lightning, twisting Benjamin's arms behind his back and viciously securing them with another piece of rope.

"Keep your hands to yourself," Emily warned coldly.

Benjamin wheezed violently, thick veins bulging grotesquely against his forehead, neck, and jawline.

The mercenaries were losing patience, their murderous glares locked on the pair. "Boss, what's the call?!" one of them roared.

Incredibly, a twisted smile cracked on Benjamin's face. He forced the words through crushed vocal cords: "Don't sweat it... Take them down! She doesn't have the guts... to kill me. Move!"

The thugs nodded in agreement. Believing he was bluffing, they immediately lunged forward.

Emily yanked the rope viciously, her tone lethal. "Try me! If I kill him right now, it's self-defense under the law. I'll walk away free! Take one more step and I'll snap his neck!"

The raw conviction in her voice froze the men in their tracks. They exchanged uneasy glances.

Benjamin opened his mouth to bark another order, but Emily wrenched the rope back even tighter. "Did I say you could speak?"

Benjamin's mouth hung open as he gagged, fighting for every breath.

Emily locked eyes with the mercenaries. "Now back up behind the cabin. Move it, or he's dead."

The men hesitated.

Emily narrowed her eyes. "He hired you, didn't he? If his corpse hits the dirt, who's signing your paychecks?"

The logic hit them. Muttering curses, the men finally yielded, retreating toward the side of the cabin.

Emily and Andrew locked eyes.

She gave a firm nod. Andrew delivered a brutal front kick that sent Benjamin sprawling, just as Emily released the tension on the rope.

Without looking back, they bolted, vanishing into the pitch-black abyss of the forest.

Almost instantly, the heavy thud of combat boots erupted behind them, accompanied by Benjamin's hoarse, rabid screams: "After them! Don't let them get away!"

Emily had desperately wanted to

hijack one of the SUVs, but she had

seen the drivers pocket the keys.

earlier. Without the keys, they had no choice but to rely on their legs.

The forest was a suffocating void. Emily's vision struggled against the darkness, foromg her to carefully navigate the uneven terrain, which crippled her speed.

Andrew grabbed her hand, his voice a low, commanding rumble. "I've got you. Just follow my lead."

Emily twitched her fingers, her hand naturally curling into the firm grip of Andrew's palm.

It struck her that after everything they had just survived, his hand was still incredibly warm, a stark contrast to her own fingers that felt like solid ice.

She didn't waste breath on words.

Anchored by Andrew's pull, her pace doubled. His innate sense of direction tore through the maze of

trees, executing sharp, unpredictable turps that slowly

g drowned out the

chaotic sounds of their pursuers.