Claire stepped out of the airport terminal, a sharp breeze tugging at her coat as she approached the sleek black car waiting for her. The driver greeted her with a polite nod, opening the door for her. Without wasting time, she slid inside, the soft leather seats cushioning her

after the long flight.

"Head to Cryptonic, please," she said, fastening her seatbelt. "Not home."

The driver raised an eyebrow but didn't question her. With a subtle nod, he pulled away from the curb, merging into the bustling London traffic. Claire settled back, scrolling through emails on her phone, but her focus didn't last long. Something felt...off.

A faint, nagging sensation made her glance out the rear window. A black sedan was a few cars behind, its dark-tinted windows giving nothing away. At first, she dismissed it as coincidence, but when they turned onto a quieter street and the car made the same move, she frowned. Her eyes narrowed, and she leaned closer to get a better look at the license plate.

"Hmm," she murmured, her brow furrowing. The plate was oddly familiar, eerily similar to one she had seen when she was with Matthew. Could it be the same person? The thought sent a shiver down her spine. If it was, then whoever this was had escalated from toying with her to outright following her.

No one was supposed to know about Cryptonic-not its location, not its purpose. If someone was tailing her all the way there, things could get messy. She didn't have the luxury of taking chances.

"Step on it," Claire said sharply, her tone leaving no room for argument.

The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror, a flicker of concern in his eyes. "Are you sure, ma'am?"

"Yes. Lose them. Now."

With a curt nod, he pressed down on the accelerator, and the car surged forward. Claire turned in her seat, watching as the black sedan picked up speed to keep up. This was no coincidence anymore. They were definitely following her.

"Lose them," she repeated. "Confuse them if you have to. Take a longer route, zigzag through side streets-whatever it takes."

"Yes, ma'am," the driver replied, his hands tightening on the wheel.

And just like that, the game of cat and mouse began. The cars weaved through London's streets, the chase becoming more intense with every turn. Claire gripped the door handle as the driver skillfully maneuvered through tight corners and narrow alleys. She had to give him credit he was good at this.

The black sedan stayed on their tail for a while, but the driver took an unexpected detour, darting into a maze of residential streets. It was the perfect move. By the time they emerged back onto the main road, the sedan was gone.

Claire let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Good work," she said, her tone relieved but firm.

The driver gave her a small, satisfied smile through the mirror. "It's what I'm here for, ma'am."

Meanwhile, back in the black sedan, the atmosphere was tense. The two men inside the car were anything but pleased.

"Damn it!" the passenger growled, slamming a fist against the dashboard. "We lost her!"

"You think I don't know that?" the driver snapped his grip on the wheel tightening as he glared at the now-empty road ahead of them.

The passenger ran a hand through his hair, frustration etched across his face. "Eligos isn't gonna like this."

"No kidding." The driver grimaced at the thought of their boss. Eligos wasn't the kind of person who took failure lightly. In fact, he didn't take failure at all. Despite being younger than most of his subordinates, he had a presence that made grown men quake. The power he wielded was one thing, but the sheer intensity of his gaze? That was something else entirely.

"Well, someone's gotta call him," the passenger said after a long silence.

The driver shot him a look. "You call him."

"Oh, no way. You're the driver. This is technically your fault."

"My fault? You're the one who was supposed to keep an eye on her!"

"How can I keep an eye on her if you are the one who is driving?"

"Well you were supposed to be my navigator but instead you are busy munching those biscuits."

The one in the passenger seat rolled eyes. "Hey, I told you earlier I was hungry and that we should stop by and eat but you were so adamant that we should stand by for Claire."

en

Their bickering escalated, each trying to shove the responsibility onto the other. Neither wanted to face Eligos's wrath.

"Fine," the driver said after a moment, rubbing his temples. "We'll settle this like men."

The passenger raised an eyebrow. "Like men? What are you talking about?"

"Rock, paper, scissors," the driver said, holding up a fist.

The passenger stared at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm serious. Unless you've got a better idea?"

Grumbling under his breath, the passenger held up his fist, and the two began their impromptu showdown. "Rock, paper, scissors...shoot!"

The passenger groaned as he threw scissors while the driver smugly revealed rock. "Looks like it's your call."

"Damn it," the passenger muttered, pulling out his phone. His hand hovered over the screen, hesitating.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" the driver said, leaning back with a smirk.

"Give me a second!" the passenger snapped.

After taking a deep breath, he dialed Eligos's number, wincing as it started to ring. The line clicked, and a cold, measured voice came through. "What is it?" Eligos asked, his tone sharp and unforgiving.

The passenger swallowed hard, glancing at the driver, who gave him an unsympathetic shrug. "Uh...we lost her, boss. Claire Peterson got away." Silence. The kind that made his stomach churn.

"Elaborate," Eligos said finally, his voice like ice.

"We...we were following her, but she-uh-she noticed us and managed to lose us in the city."

Another long pause. Then Eligos chuckled coldly. "I gave you one job and you failed? It a really simple job by just following her and you lose sight of her?"

"I-I-I'm sorry sir, the car was too fast,

and we are scared that we crash

onto something along the way He said nervously with beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Then, with unnerving calmness, Eligos said, "Return to me immediately. We'll discuss this in person."

The line went dead, leaving the two men sitting in the car in a suffocating silence.

"You're dead," the driver said after a moment, shaking his head.

"We're dead," the passenger corrected. "You're in this too."

"Yeah, but I didn't make the call."

"Shut up, you were the one who was driving." He glared at him and leaned back to the seat preparing what their boss might say or do to them.noveldrama

Back in her car, Claire finally relaxed

Qu

as they pulled up to Cryptonic's discreet entrance. She stepped out, her heels clicking against the pavement as she surveyed here surroundings one last time. Whoever those guys were, they'd underestimated her.

With a small smirk, she straightened her coat and walked inside, ready to tackle whatever challenge awaited her next.