Victor Holloway's sharp eyes locked onto Camilla Robbinson, analyzing every flicker of fear in her expression. He wasn't entirely convinced by her sudden willingness to talk. He had seen people crack under pressure, and he had also seen people use desperation as a way to manipulate their captors.
"I need more proof of what you're saying," Victor finally said, his tone measured. "If you're lying, Camilla, you know what happens next."
Camilla swallowed hard but nodded. She knew Victor wasn't bluffing.
He turned to his men. "You and your brother are safe for now," he told her, but his voice carried a warning. "Meanwhile, you stay here and wait for me."
With that, Victor signaled to his subordinates and walked out of the dimly lit room, already forming his next move in his mind. If Camilla was playing games, he would find out soon enough.
Just as Victor believed he had full control over the situation, a crack formed within his own ranks—one he hadn't seen coming.
Late in the night, under the dim flickering light of the underground hideout, a shadow moved with purpose. One of Victor's trusted men, someone who had been by his side for years, slipped through the security measures unnoticed. With a practiced hand, he disabled the cameras in the corridor leading to Camilla and Jonathan's holding room.
Inside, Camilla sat against the cold metal wall, her wrists sore from being bound for so long. Jonathan, equally exhausted, remained silent beside her. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a hooded figure stepped inside.
"Get up. Now," the voice was urgent but low.
Camilla's eyes widened in recognition. "You?"
"No time for questions. Move before they notice."
Jonathan hesitated, but Camilla tugged at his arm, forcing him to follow. The figure led them swiftly through the back corridors, bypassing guards with eerie precision. Every turn was carefully timed, as if their escape had been planned for weeks.
By the time the alarm blared through the compound, Camilla and Jonathan were already slipping into the night, free from Victor's grasp.
Victor, upon discovering the betrayal, stood motionless for a moment, his jaw clenched. His hands curled into fists as the realization sank in.
Someone had turned against him.
And now, he wasn't just hunting Camilla and Jonathan.
He was hunting a traitor within his own ranks.
The first thing Victor did was lock down the compound, making sure no one left or entered without his direct permission. Every exit was secured, every guard was put on high alert, and the entire perimeter was swept for any signs of how Camilla and Jonathan had managed to escape.
Victor stood in the center of the control room, watching the surveillance footage with narrowed eyes. "Find me the weak link," he ordered, his tone dangerously low. "Someone let them out, and I want to know who."
His men scrambled to review the security feeds, tracking every movement from the past twenty-four hours. Victor wasn't just angry—he was insulted. Someone had dared to undermine him from the inside, and that meant only one thing: There was a traitor in his midst.
He turned to his most trusted enforcer. "No one leaves this place until we have answers."
The hunt for the traitor had begun.
Victor wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. After locking down the compound, he handpicked a group of his most trusted men and sent them out to track Camilla and Jonathan's whereabouts. It didn't take long before they located the two hiding in a small hotel on the outskirts of town.
Victor leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips as he listened to the report. "Good," he muttered. "Now, don't engage. Let them think they're safe. I want to know where they go, who they meet, and what their next move is."
His men understood the order—this wasn't about capturing them just yet. Victor needed to know who was backing Camilla. Someone had helped her escape, and that meant there was a bigger player involved.
"Keep your distance," Victor continued. "I want a full report on anyone they talk to, every step they take. The moment they lead us to their ally, we make our move."
As he ended the call, Victor's eyes darkened. Camilla might have thought she'd won a small victory, but she was still playing his game. And this time, he was watching her every move.
Victor knew that finding Camilla and Jonathan was only half the battle. Someone within his ranks had betrayed him, and until he found the traitor, his entire operation was compromised.
He gathered his most trusted men in a dimly lit room inside the compound. His gaze was sharp, scanning each of them for any sign of weakness. "Someone in this room," he began, his voice dangerously calm, "helped Camilla escape. I want a name."
Silence filled the air. No one dared to speak. Victor smirked, already expecting this reaction. "Fine," he continued. "Since no one wants to talk, I'll do it my way."
He turned to one of his men. "Lock down every exit. No one leaves this compound until I find out who betrayed me."
The men exchanged uneasy glances, but they knew better than to question Victor. Within minutes, the compound was sealed, guards stationed at every door.
Victor then ordered a thorough interrogation. His men were questioned one by one, their stories cross-checked for any inconsistencies. He watched closely, looking for nervous glances, shaky hands, or hesitation—anything that would give the traitor away.
Hours passed, and finally, a lead surfaced. One of his men hesitated a second too long when asked about the security footage from the night of the escape. Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Bring him to me," he ordered, his patience wearing thin.
As the man was dragged before him, Victor leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "Talk. Now."
The traitor swallowed hard, realizing there was no escape.
The traitor's hands trembled as he avoided Victor's piercing gaze. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and the room's suffocating silence only made his heartbeat louder in his ears.
Victor leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "I'll ask one last time," he said, his tone sharp as a knife. "Who are you working with?"
The man swallowed hard. "I—I don't know his real name," he stammered. "But I swear, I didn't mean to betray you, boss. He found me first… threatened me."
Victor scoffed. "Threatened you? And you expect me to believe that?" He slammed his fist on the table, making the man flinch. "If you were scared of him, you should've been terrified of me."
The traitor gasped, his fear evident. "He promised me protection! Said he'd get me out if things went south."
Victor's jaw tightened. "And where is he now?"
"I—I don't know!" the man cried. "But Camilla and Jonathan… they were waiting for someone. Someone important."
Victor's eyes darkened. So, Camilla had another ally—someone powerful enough to make his own men turn against him. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor.