Chapter — The Challenge
Kyle's POV
The photograph was supposed to work.
I had planned everything around it.
The timing.
The message.
The reaction.
Jay was supposed to see that picture and fall apart.
She was supposed to remember.
She was supposed to become distracted.
Afraid.
Vulnerable.
Instead—
she walked away.
She stayed with them.
She kept fighting.
And somehow, the people around her only became more protective.
I stood alone inside the dark room, staring at the photograph on the table.
My fingers slowly tightened around its edge.
"She didn't break."
The words left my mouth quietly.
I looked at the picture again.
Jay.
Years younger.
Standing beside someone she had once trusted.
A memory I knew would mean something to her.
And yet she was still standing.
Still moving.
Still surrounded by people who refused to leave her alone.
My jaw tightened.
"How?"
I pushed the photograph away.
The room remained silent.
One of my men stood several feet behind me.
"Sir…"
I turned.
"What?"
"They're still searching."
I laughed quietly.
"Of course they are."
I looked toward the window.
"They think they can keep protecting her."
My expression hardened.
"Let's see how long that lasts."
I picked up my phone.
There was no reason to wait anymore.
If Jay wouldn't come to me—
I'd give her a reason to.
My fingers moved across the screen.
I sent one message.
Then another.
Directly to their team.
Tonight.
The abandoned industrial compound outside the city.
My team against yours.
I paused before typing the final line.
Then sent it.
Jay. If you're brave enough, come alone.
I stared at the message for several seconds.
A slow smile appeared.
That should do it.
She would come.
She always did when someone challenged her.
But there was one thing I hadn't accounted for.
Jay wasn't alone anymore.
And somewhere deep down—
I knew they wouldn't let her be.
Meanwhile
The message reached the base within minutes.
Alex was the first to read it.
Then Percy.
Then Keifer.
The room became silent.
Jay stood near the table, reading the message herself.
Nobody spoke immediately.
Her expression didn't change.
She simply looked at the screen.
Cora, sitting comfortably on the sofa because of her recovering injury, frowned.
"He really thinks you're going alone?"
Denial scoffed.
"That's adorable."
Aries looked at Jay.
"You aren't going alone."
Jay finally put the phone down.
"I know."
Keifer looked at her.
She met his eyes.
There was no argument.
No anger.
No dramatic reaction.
Just a quiet certainty.
Jay picked up her jacket.
"I'm not going alone."
Alex nodded.
"Good."
Percy leaned back.
"Then tonight ends this."
Jay looked toward the photograph on the table.
Her expression became unreadable.
Kyle wanted her alone.
He wanted her isolated.
He wanted her afraid.
She wasn't giving him any of those things.
She turned toward the others.
"Let's go."
And somewhere across the city—
Kyle was still waiting.
Completely unaware that his challenge had brought everyone straight to his door.
The base had changed completely within minutes.
The quiet common area had become a preparation room.
People moved around constantly.
Phones rang.
Final updates came in.
Vehicles were being prepared outside.
Maps were checked one last time.
Cora remained seated on the sofa, her injured side carefully supported.
She wasn't going anywhere tonight.
Alex had already made that very clear.
"You're staying here."
Cora sighed.
"I know."
"Good."
"I can still help."
"I know."
Cora looked at him.
"Then stop saying it like I'm five."
Denial walked past them.
"She's definitely five."
Cora grabbed a cushion.
Denial immediately disappeared behind the sofa.
Jay stood near the table, quietly checking the final information.
She wasn't talking much.
Not because she was angry.
She simply had too many thoughts occupying her mind.
Kyle's message.
The photograph.
Cora's injury.
The warehouse.
Everything.
Keifer noticed her silence but didn't interrupt.
He knew better.
Across the room, Alex walked toward the medical cabinet built into the wall.
He opened it and searched through the emergency supplies.
After a moment, he took out a small emergency medical kit.
Inside was the emergency sedative and its syringe.
He checked that everything was secure before placing it inside a separate medical pouch.
"Bro."
Alex looked over.
Denial stood behind him.
"What are you taking?"
Alex lowered his voice.
"Something for an emergency."
Denial's expression changed.
"For Jay?"
Alex nodded.
He glanced toward her.
"If her trauma gets triggered…"
He paused.
"…and she can't come back from the memory, we may have to use the sedative."
Denial looked at the pouch.
"That serious?"
"We don't know."
Alex closed it carefully.
"And that's why I'm carrying it."
Percy had heard enough to walk over.
"You'll only use it if there's absolutely no other option."
"Obviously."
Alex's expression remained serious.
"Everyone will try to calm her first."
Percy nodded.
"Good."
Denial sighed.
"Hopefully we won't need it."
"Hopefully."
Alex secured the pouch and kept it with the rest of the medical supplies.
Then—
"What's everyone whispering about?"
Jay's voice.
All three turned.
She was standing a few feet away.
Denial immediately smiled.
"Alex was explaining his extremely boring medical knowledge."
Alex stared at him.
"I wasn't."
Jay narrowed her eyes.
"Sure."
Denial nodded confidently.
"Exactly."
Jay shook her head and walked away.
Percy quietly laughed.
Alex sighed.
"You're impossible."
"I've been told."
A few minutes later, everyone gathered near the entrance.
Alex looked around.
"Vehicles are ready."
Percy nodded.
"Outer team?"
"Already moving."
Aries checked his phone.
"Backup is in position."
Keifer looked toward Jay.
She was standing slightly apart from everyone else.
He walked over.
"Ready?"
Jay nodded.
"Yeah."
He studied her face for a moment.
"Sure?"
She looked at him.
"Keif."
"Hm?"
"I'm okay."
He smiled faintly.
"I know."
Jay looked toward the entrance.
"Let's finish this."
The doors opened.
Cold night air entered the base.
Everyone began walking outside.
Cora remained behind.
She watched Jay disappear with the others.
"Come back safely," she called.
Jay turned around.
She gave Cora a small nod.
"We will."
Then the vehicles started moving.
One after another.
Toward the compound.
Toward Kyle.
Toward the fight neither side intended to avoid anymore.