Chapter 74: Chapter 74

ALICIA

Immediately we step inside the room, I sweep my eyes across the four corners, but no one is lurking and waiting to pounce on us. I would have relaxed were it not for the hair-raising feeling that someone was watching me, watching us, and waiting for the inopportune time to strike.

As I get lost in the thoughts of someone sneaking up on us, I unknowingly step on Ash's sneakers. "S. . . sorry." He grunts but doesn't say anything. I know he feels it too. It pushes me to speak out in a rush. "There's no one here, let's just go."

Ash freezes and then turns around slowly. As soon as his eyes land on me, I regret my statement. They look haunted. Yes, I know we've been hunted these past few months, but. . . there's something else in their depths.

It's anger. He's angry at my words, angry at me for giving up so soon, for wanting to scurry away like a rat when it senses the cat is close by.

"You can go. . ." He shrugs. "But I'm all in."

And he turns away, dismissing me. Tears sting my eyes at his words and how he's treating me. I'm ashamed of myself, but I feel a growing resolve bloom inside me, a strengthening resolve that smacks courage. I place my back against him and nod, even though he can't see me. "I'm with you to the end."

His reply is muffled, still, I hear it and it pleases me that he acknowledged my words. He needs to know that just like him - I'm anything. . . but a coward.

Ash walks inside the room but it's obvious that no one is here. He stops and turns around before releasing a sigh and shaking his head. "There's no one here."

That's what I said, but you didn't listen to me.

"Yeah!" I shrug, affecting an air of indifference. I expect him to take my hand and lead me away and out of this gloomy situation, instead, he stoops and places one of his palms, flat against the floor.

At first, I don't see anything, but I can see it when I stoop as well. Footprints that can only belong to a man on the cement-littered floor, leading towards -

Ash jumps up and follows the line of the footprints. I jump up as well and follow him, but what I see makes goosebumps rise all over my body. A hidden nook covered by a huge pillar leads to a door. Ash turns to look at me. "He probably got away through here, let's go after-"

"No need! I'm right here."

I swear, my heart skips a beat when the mad hatter steps through the doorway pointing a gun at Ash. His smile is unhinged, and his eyes are dead. There's no one home. My heart sinks further in my chest as I back away slowly. Somehow, Ash finds my hand and grips it.

I understand that silent move - I'm not going to let anything happen to you.

I smile, even though I'm scared shitless, even though all I want to do is run away and hide from this evil man.

"So what's it gonna be, Ash, fucking Thunder?" The mad hatter says. "I advice you to surrender, or you two are going to get bullets lodged inside your heads."

His words do nothing except to wound me internally. Ash tenses beside me and cocks his head. "Surrender is not a word I've ever used before." And then he smiles a beautiful heart-stopping smile. "Before this night is over, you'll be the one doing the surrendering, or you'll be dead."

The smile slides off his face replaced by a chilling look. I wouldn't want to be the recipient of his anger. Just like the nickname I gave him, Mad Hatter throws back his head and laughs maniacally. Just as he opens his mouth to belt out a retort, someone from behind points a gun at his head. I had been so taken up with hate for the mad hatter that I didn't see when a man crept up behind him.

"If you move, I'll blow your head up."

The stranger's words brook no nonsense. Ash's fingers squeeze mine, a clear reassurance that the stranger is one of his men. I release a breath I didn't even know I was holding in, and nod to no one in particular. Ash releases my hand and steps up close to the mad hatter. "Your call - get your head blown up, or drop your weapon and follow him."

What a choice to pick from. Either way, he's a dead man, and I'm a hundred percent happy with it this time. From the corner of my eyes, I see Koldis stepping inside, followed closely by another man I'm sure is also one of Ash's men.

I expect mad hatter to give up, albeit grudgingly, while issuing out some curse words, but what I don't expect is how he throws his head back, for the second time, and laughs, like he doesn't have a care in the world, like he knows something we don't.

Once he's through with his laugh-induced high, his cold gaze settles on Ash. "You call yourself a man, but you surround yourself with these minions."

Ash's trigger finger jerks and goose pimples rise all over my body. That tight feeling in my chest slams back into me with a bang. This is really bad. He's baiting Ash.

"I dare you to call them off and instead, fight this out man to man."

The gall of this human being.

I look to Ash and grasp his hand while I shake my head subtly so he sees it, but he doesn't even move, doesn't even acknowledge me. His focus is solidly centered on the mad hatter. My hold on Ash's hand tightens to the point of pain, but the set determination in his jaw is proof that no one else exists in the bubble he's wrapped himself up in.

It takes a few seconds, and then the side of Ash's mouth lifts in a smirk. "Let's do it."