Titan 99

The real destination lay beyond this forest–a second stretch of woods where, back in the day, there was an abandoned factory.

Charles’s helicopter circled overhead, but thanks to the thick canopy and the darkness of night, there was no way to spot the car below.

Charles sat in the car, with Renee sobbing uncontrollably beside him.

“It’s all because of that bitch! I won’t let her get away with this! Charles, please, just divorce her! Just do it!” she wailed.

‘She’s so noisy.’ Charles thought, his tone airy and indifferent as he snapped, “Shut up.”

He turned to Jack, his voice flat. “Take her to get bandaged. Stop the bleeding.”

Jack wasted no time getting Renee into another car and speeding her off to the hospital, the severed finger thrown into a bag with them–hoping the docs might be able to reattach it.

Pressing his fingers to his temple, Charles calmly radioed the helicopter team to send in more reinforcements.

These people came seriously prepared–even the helicopter couldn’t catch them. This was no ordinary kidnapping crew.

When Yolanda was taken to the destination, she noticed the men in the back had all swallowed something- who knew what kind of drugs those were? But she knew one thing for sure: tonight, she’d have to fend for herself.

She didn’t get

what kind of beef these guys had with Ian. Still, one thing she was sure of–she had never seen who Ian really was.

‘I’d never truly understood what Ian was like,‘ Yolanda thought, her mind racing.

In the beginning, when they’d first started out, he’d always held himself back, completely innocent when it came to anything intimate.

But then, she became so straightforward, almost overwhelming–even a bit possessive, if she was being honest.

But just now, he’d been so cold, so distant.

He was a walking contradiction, like every side of him was just an act.

Oh, right. She’d almost forgotten–she was born to be an actress, after all.

She scoffed at herself internally. ‘Yolanda, how did you forget something this important?‘

Ian’s acting skills could put most of today’s so–called “method actors” to shame.

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Yolanda barely had time to shut her eyes before someone hurled her down–the rough landing almost sent a jagged rock slicing across her cheek.

Once those guys popped the pills, their tempers flared–suddenly, everyone was wound way too tight, like they were about to explode.

“I don’t believe for a second that lan doesn’t care about that bitch! He’s totally faking it–acting like he doesn’t give a damn. Fuck! We’re gonna record every second of this. If he so much as lets slip that he cares, he’ll fall apart. I’ll make him pay for everything he did in the past!” one of the men spat out.

Yolanda clung to a rock, playing up her vulnerability. “Come on, guys, I just kissed Ian ‘cause I kind of had to -work reasons, you know? I’ve already got a husband, and he tossed me into this mess. Life’s been rough, trust me. If you’re gonna do me in here, could you at least clue me in first? Ian screwed you over, he’s messed with me too. Can’t we at least have some honesty before the end?”

The men traded looks before the leader snorted, yanking up his shirt to show off a nasty scar.

“See this? That rabid bastard did it. Guy’s totally unhinged–heard his mom was some trash everyone slept with. I never understood why he’s so damn intense. Said a couple things about his mom, and he went at me with a knife like a mad dog. Shit! If I hadn’t ducked, I wouldn’t be standing here.”

Just talking about Ian had the guy looking sickly pale, like the memory genuinely haunted him.

Another thug kicked at a stone and snarled, resentment etched all over his face. “Makes no sense–how could that psycho ever care about women? No matter how hot you are, you’re not his type. When he fought underground, tons of girls chased after him, and he didn’t sleep with a single one. Always acted broke, too. All we wanted was to team up, split the take after each job, but that lunatic refused, wanted the whole thing for himself. My brother mouthed off and called him a bastard, and that’s when things went south.”

This was a version of Ian she’d never even imagined. Yolanda almost started to think these guys were just making stuff up.

Ian was no docile little rabbit–sure, he had his stubborn side. But he’d never cross the line and treat someone’s life like it meant nothing.

Yolanda swallowed hard and gave a crooked smile. “I just thought he was hot, figured maybe I’d keep him as a boy toy for a few days. Turns out he’s way crazier than I guessed.”

The men cracked up, and the tall, skinny guy stepped forward. “You wanted to take lan for yourself? Any idea what happened to the last woman who tried to make him her personal plaything?”

Yolanda shook her head, looking genuinely scared.

The man sneered. “Her face got completely ruined. Nobody ever figured out who did it, but right before it happened, she’d just tried drugging lan–wanted to have her way with him. Makes you wonder who did it,

huh?”

‘Goosebumps shot up my arms, Yolanda thought, suddenly creeped out to the core.

Seeing that Yolanda genuinely had no clue, the guy was just about to dish out more secrets when suddenly, gunshots echoed through the night.

10:35 Sat, Sep 20

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The group turned sheet–white and scrambled to grab Yolanda and run, but a bullet slammed into the dirt right in front of their feet.

He froze, jolted by the shot, his eyes frantically scanning the shadows.

“lan Foster, is that you?! Fuck! You psycho, are you seriously shooting at us?!” he screamed.

Before he could move, another bullet tore into his leg–a deliberate warning, not meant to kill.

He shut up real fast. When there was a gun in play, numbers didn’t mean shit.

The instant those gunshots erupted, Yolanda scrambled to her feet and dashed straight into the forest, heading the opposite way from the men.

She wasn’t about to wait around like some damsel in distress–nobody was coming to save her.

But those guys weren’t about to let her get away. They split up, two of them got shot, and the last one went charging straight after Yolanda.

Yolanda barely made it ten steps before someone viciously grabbed her by the hair, jerking her backwards.

“You bitch! Still got the nerve to run? Try that again and I’ll cut your throat open right now!” the guy spat.

The cold edge of a knife pressed against her neck, and his eyes were wild–totally on the edge.

He whipped out a pill bottle, face twisted and nasty. “Swallow this shit. I’m gonna use you right in front of Ian. If he doesn’t give a damn, he won’t bother showing up. I bet he’s just pretending not to know you–he’s full of shit! Fucking psycho!”

Yolanda’s mouth was pried open, and the bottle of drugged water was forced down her throat.

The guy freaked at the sound of more gunshots and, acting on pure panic, tackled her without thinking.

Yolanda snatched up a rock and cracked him across the head, her eyes icy and unflinching.

He reeled from the blow, tried to slap her, but she drove her foot right into his stomach.

Yolanda scrambled up and bolted, but her whole body started going numb. After running maybe ten meters, her knees buckled and she had to lean against a tree, almost dropping to the ground.

A hand suddenly grabbed her by the waist–Yolanda went rigid, heart pounding, but then she recognized Ian’s

voice.

“Ms. Grant.” His tone was low, almost gentle.

To Yolanda’s ears, his voice sounded no different from the devil’s.

“Let go of me! Get off!” she screamed.

Her hand flew up, landing a sharp slap right across his cheek.

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Yolanda sat there on the ground, watching as Ian just froze for a few seconds before finally reaching out to steady her.

Ian’s voice was low but urgent. “Did they talk shit to you? Ignore everything they say. Those guys have been after me forever, just babbling crazy garbage. I’ve already called the cops–they’re legit insane. If you don’t believe me, come to the police station yourself. It’s not the first time they’ve done this, trust me. Back then… years ago, they went after my mom. I was so pissed, I snapped and ended up hurting them.”

He let his eyelids fall, looking pretty hurt. “It’s just me and my mom–we’ve always only had each other.”

Yolanda’s rage slowly ebbed away. Hugging her knees, she felt her whole body burning up.

Ian gently pulled her into his arms, his tone soft. “I promise you, I never lied. Whatever they told you–don’t believe them.”

Yolanda’s mind went hazy. Nestling into his neck, she mumbled, “I’m burning up…”