Chapter 8 A Race Against Time

Nadia's POV

As Jake strained the car's limits, the tyres screamed as they rushed across the dark, twisting roadways. My heart hammered in my chest in time with the speeding engine. Half-expecting to see Victor's men after us, I turned to check the rearview mirror, but the road behind was vacant.

At least temporarily.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Sam wore a mask of resolve. Clearly indicating he was as tight as I was, his hands closed into fists on his lap. Unspoken worries and unresolved inquiries abound in the car's air.

Tight in voice, Jake continued, "We cannot keep running forever. They will come up with us sooner or later."

Though I knew he was correct, the idea of stopping, facing Victor, and whatever twisted game he was engaged in made me shudder. "What then are we to do?" My voice barely audible above the engine, I asked.

Sam turned to stare at me and stated, "We need a plan. We cannot vanish just like that. Victor will find us wherever we go; his ties run strong. Still, we can turn that into a benefit."

"What do you mean?" Not looking off the road, Jake asked.

Sam explained with a penetrating look. "We let him believe he has triumphed. We provide him what he desires, or at least help him to see ourselves as such. Then we counter when he lets his guard down."

It was a dangerous strategy, and I had no idea how much of it could really be accomplished. But Sam had a way of talking that made the unworkable appear doable.

"How then do we do that?" Trying to keep the trembling out of my voice, I asked.

Sam sighed, rubbing his temples as though he were attempting to lighten the load of the circumstances. "We have to learn exactly Victor's preferences. He said Venessa owed him something but not what. Should we be able to solve that, we could have a chance."

As I considered the kind of activities Venessa might have been involved in, a cold shudder raced down my spine. She had been merciless, clever, and ready to do whatever it needed to have what she wanted. But supposing she had crossed over her head?

Remembering the secret chambers in Venessa's office, I said, "We could check her files. She maintained all of her records. Should there be a clue, they will be there."

Jake nodded, his grasp on the steering wheel tightening. "It's a start. Still, we have to exercise caution. Victor won't be sitting about waiting for us to work things out."

Sam cast a stern glance at me. "Are you sure, Nadia, you are ready for this? There is no turning back once we begin."

I swallowed hard, his words' weight sinking over me. There was no time for second-guessing or room for doubt. Victor had made this personal; we would lose everything if we did nothing quickly.

I said, my voice firm, "I'm in. Let us accomplish this."

Though Jake smiled slightly reassuringly, I could sense the anxiety hiding behind his eyes. Though he knew as well as I did that running offered no safety, he tried to shield me.

Every mile we drove back to the estate caused the tension in the car to weigh more. Though I couldn't get rid of the impression we were headed into a trap, what decision did we have? Should we avoid confronting Victor head-on, we would spend our entire lives peering over our shoulders and waiting for the unavoidable.

When we finally got there, the estate was very silent. Rising over us like a ghost of the past, the magnificence of the estate served as a reminder of all the secrets and lies that had led us to this juncture.

Sam said, getting out of the car and urging fast movement. "We are unsure of our time."

Our footsteps resounded through the vacant hallways, and the three of us headed inside. As we neared Venessa's office, I started to feel uncomfortable. When we had visited her last, we had discovered her web of lies. But the stakes were much higher today.

The chamber met us with an extreme silence, as if it had been waiting for us to come back when I pulled open the door. The shadows hung at the corners, and I could almost sense Venessa's presence hovering in the air, a spectre of her manipulations.

Sam went directly to the desk, moving quickly and deliberately. As if he had expected this, he knew just where to search. He opened drawer after drawer in quest of something particular. I watched.

"What are you searching for?" My interest was sparked by this question.

"Venessa was smart," Sam continued, not looking up. "She would not leave anything significant strewn about. It would be hidden, somewhere no one would least likely search."

At last, he located what he was looking for-a tiny, nearly undetectable button on the desk's bottom. A slight click opened a secret container showing a stack of papers.

As Sam went through the files, his eyes narrowed and his demeanor grew darker with every page he turned. His shoulders were tense, and I knew whatever he had discovered was not news.

"What is it?." My voice just above a whisper, I asked.

Sam handed me one of the papers; when I went over the text, my blood stopped cold. Venessa and Victor had a contract, a thorough arrangement. Still, what was being traded most startled me.

Sam continued, his voice dark, "They were trafficking information. Anything they could get their hands on-high-level government secrets, business espionage, blackmail. Venessa was selling it to Victor, and he was using it to control those with authority."

As the insight struck me, I felt queasy. This was about control more than only money or authority. Victor was a puppet master, dragging the strings behind the scenes, not only a crook.

With a tight voice, Jake said, "We have to leave this here. If Victor discovers we know about this, he will follow after us with everything he owns."

But the corridor reverberated with footsteps before we could get going. Turning to find a shadowy figure in the doorway, my heart shot into my throat.

"Going somewhere?"