The building stood alone.
Cold.
Silent.
Hidden in the edge of the city like it didn't exist.
Amina stopped a few meters away.
Her eyes fixed on it.
"This is the place."
Adam stood beside her.
Watching every movement.
"No guards outside."
"That's the first trap."
Silence.
Amina took a slow breath.
"Cameras?"
"Everywhere."
She nodded.
"I remember the blind spots."
Adam looked at her.
"Then we follow you."
She moved first.
Fast.
Low.
Precise.
Adam followed without hesitation.
They avoided the cameras like shadows.
Every step calculated.
Every second controlled.
They reached the back entrance.
Locked.
Amina didn't hesitate.
She reached under the panel.
Pressed something hidden.
A soft click.
The door opened.
Adam raised an eyebrow.
"Convenient."
She didn't smile.
"I built this route."
That said everything.
They entered.
Inside—
It was worse.
Clean.
Empty.
Too perfect.
"Feels wrong," Adam whispered.
"It always did."
They moved forward.
Quiet.
Focused.
Amina stopped suddenly.
Raised her hand.
Adam froze.
"Two guards," she whispered.
"Left side."
He nodded.
Three.
Two.
One.
They moved at the same time.
Fast.
Silent.
Precise.
The guards didn't even have time to react.
Silence again.
Adam looked at her.
"You didn't hesitate."
Amina looked at her hands.
For a second.
Then
"I can't afford to."
They kept moving.
Doors.
Corridors.
Turns.
Everything felt familiar to her.
Too familiar.
Finally
They reached it.
A secured room.
"This is it," she said.
Adam stepped closer.
"The data center?"
She nodded.
He started working on the lock.
Fast.
Focused.
"Give me a minute."
Amina watched the corridor behind them.
Every sound.
Every shadow.
"Thirty seconds," Adam said.
Amina's heartbeat slowed.
Not from calm.
From focus.
Then
A noise.
She turned.
Too late.
Lights turned on.
"Welcome back."
Her body froze.
The man stepped out slowly.
Calm.
Smiling.
Adam cursed under his breath.
"Of course…"
Amina didn't move.
"You knew we'd come."
The man nodded.
"You always come back to where you belong."
"I don't belong here."
He smiled wider.
"You built this place."
Silence.
Heavy.
Adam looked at her.
"You didn't mention that."
"I didn't remember…"
"Until now."
Her eyes didn't leave the man.
"You set a trap," she said.
He tilted his head.
"I set a test."
The room filled with movement.
More men.
Surrounding them again.
Adam stepped closer to her.
"Same situation…"
Amina shook her head slightly.
"No."
Her voice changed.
Colder.
Sharper.
"Not this time."
She stepped forward.
One step.
Then another.
The man watched her carefully.
"Show me," he said.
Silence.
Then
Everything exploded.
Amina moved first.
Faster than before.
Stronger.
Like she wasn't holding back anymore.
Adam followed instantly.
Covering her.
Matching her.
But this time
They weren't escaping.
They were breaking through.
One by one
The guards fell.
Hard.
Fast.
No hesitation.
The man's smile slowly disappeared.
Amina reached him.
Stopped just in front of him.
Silence.
Heavy.
"You lost," she said.
He looked at her.
Not afraid.
Never afraid.
"No," he said quietly.
Then
He leaned closer.
"You're still mine."
That was enough.
Amina's eyes darkened.
"No."
Her voice steady.
Final.
She grabbed him.
Pushed him hard against the wall.
"I was never yours."
Silence exploded in the room.
Behind her
Adam finished the system.
"I'm in!" he shouted.
Amina didn't look away.
"Take everything."
The man smiled again.
Even like this.
"You think this ends tonight?"
Amina leaned closer.
Her voice low.
Dangerous.
"No."
Pause.
"This is just the beginning."
End of Chapter 20