INT. OLD VAULT ROOM – NIGHT
The dim underground air feels heavy, like it's soaked in the past. The scent of rust, gunpowder, and mold chokes the space. Harriet's heart pounds like thunder. Her wrists burn from the ropes. And Fred—blood running down his thigh—stands between her and death, holding a flame inches from a stack of documents that could destroy everything.
Mr. Vance levels his pistol at Fred.
MR. VANCE
"You light that fire, I'll put a bullet through your skull."
Fred's eyes burn with a fire even hotter than the lighter's flame.
His voice is hoarse, but steady.
FRED
"You'll have to shoot me to get what you want. And even then—this vault goes up in flames."
He flicks the lighter, letting the flame hover dangerously close to the brittle paper.
MR. VANCE
"You're bluffing."
Fred doesn't blink.
FRED
"Try me."
Tension crackles.
Suddenly—CRASH.
Upstairs, the front door is kicked open.
Footsteps. Shouts. Flashlight beams slicing through darkness.
Harriet's head jerks toward the noise—hope flooding her chest.
Then, she hears it.
BETTA (O.S.)
"Harriet!"
HARRIET
"Here! Down here!"
A second later, the door to the vault hallway is slammed open.
Elian, Fred's sharp-eyed assistant, steps inside first—calm, deadly, gun raised.
CALEN
"Step away from her. Now."
Behind him, Betta barrels into the room, eyes wide as she sees Harriet bound to a chair. Her voice breaks.
BETTA
"Oh my god—Harri!"
MR. VANCE
(gritting teeth)
"Who are you people?"
CALEN
(smirking)
"The last ones you'll ever see if you don't drop that weapon."
BANG! — Elian fires a warning shot into the floor near Vance's feet. The explosion of sound freezes everyone. Liora flinches, the knife slipping from her hand.
In the chaos, Rufei, still partially restrained nearby, takes his chance. He headbutts the man beside him and slams a knee into the thug's chest, sending him stumbling back.
Betta rushes to Harriet, cutting through the ropes with trembling fingers.
BETTA
"I've got you, I've got you."
Harriet collapses into her arms, eyes wild with fear and adrenaline.
HARRIET
"You… came."
Betta clutches her tighter.
BETTA
"Of course I came, idiot."
Fred tries to move toward them—but collapses to one knee, his blood-soaked leg finally giving out.
ELIAN
"Fred!"
He catches him, helping him up. Fred shakes him off.
FRED
"I'm fine. We get her out. That's all that matters."
LIORA (O.S.)
"You're all fools."
Liora steps forward, her voice dripping with venom.
LIORA
"You think you're saving her? You don't know what she's part of."
RUFEI
(staring at her, heartbroken)
"...Liora. Why?"
LIORA
(teary, but cold)
"My mother and sister died because of her family's greed. Because her father left mine to rot while he built this house with blood money."
MR. VANCE
"You're all tangled in this. Whether you like it or not."
He raises the pistol again—aimed directly at Fred's chest.
MR. VANCE
"You want answers, Harriet? Ask your father's ghost what was hidden in that vault."
He yanks Harriet forward by the wrist.
Fred roars, pushing through the pain, and tackles him just as the gun fires. The shot rings through the room—
Fred's leg is hit again.
Harriet screams.
HARRIET
"Fred!"
Elian fires. Rufei lunges.
Everything is chaos.
In the scuffle, Fred grabs Harriet's hand, pulling her behind him even as blood pours from his wound.
Vance swings the pistol again—only for Elian to slam into him from behind.
The gun skitters across the floor.
Fred throws Harriet into Betta's arms.
FRED
"Get her out."
BETTA
"What about you?!"
FRED
"Just go!"
But Harriet turns—eyes locked on Fred—her body frozen between terror and defiance.
HARRIET
"No. Not without you."
RUFEI (grabbing Fred)
"Let's move!"
Together, they half-carry, half-drag Fred up the stairs.
The vault remains open behind them.
Papers scattered.
Secrets revealed.
Blood on the floor.
---
EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT
They burst out into the storm.
Rain falls in sheets, soaking them instantly.
Harriet clings to Fred as he stumbles forward, face pale with pain. Betta and Rufei flank them, each looking over their shoulders for more enemies.
Elian guards the rear, gun steady.
As they reach the tree line, Fred falters—nearly collapsing.
HARRIET
"Fred, stay with me!"
He grips her hand tightly.
FRED
"You okay?"
Even bleeding, even broken—his first concern is her.
Harriet's tears blend with the rain.
She nods, barely able to speak.
HARRIET
"I thought I lost you."
Fred smiles weakly.
FRED
"You saved me. Again."
Their eyes lock.
There's still so much unsaid between them—
But not now.
Not here.
They keep moving.
Toward safety.
Toward answers.
Toward a truth that will either destroy them… or bring them back together.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…