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The flight carried on, the sound of the engines humming steadily, but the atmosphere inside the plane had shifted. The uneasy tension that had clung to Cataleya since the moment she stepped on board had only grown thicker. She could feel it in the air, in the way Marcus kept glancing around, his posture stiff and uneasy.

Suddenly, Marcus stood up, his eyes scanning the room with a sharpness that set off alarm bells in Cataleya's mind. Something was off. She could feel it in her gut. She wasn't the only one who noticed—Mike's eyes followed Marcus's every move.

"Wassup?" Mike asked, his voice low but calm.

But Marcus didn't answer. He simply walked past Armando's cell, his gaze flickering toward the window as if searching for something. Then, without warning, he made his way toward the door that led to the cockpit.

Before anyone could react, the door to the cockpit was smashed open with a violent force. Two armed men barged in, guns raised, their cold eyes locking onto the two police officers guarding the entrance.

The officers barely had time to react before the shooters gunned them down, their bodies slumping lifelessly to the floor.

"Go, go!" One of the shooters yelled as they made their move toward the back of the plane.

The cabin erupted in chaos as the shooters opened the back hatch, revealing a perilous drop into the sky. Cataleya instinctively moved into a defensive stance, her hand hovering over her side where her knife should've been—damn it.

"Let's go!" The shooter shouted again, his voice laced with urgency.

But before anyone could make a move, Mike launched himself at the shooter, tackling him with a fury that sent them both tumbling to the floor. The sound of punches landing echoed through the cabin, but there was no time to enjoy the moment. Marcus had already engaged with the second shooter, his moves quick and precise as he fought for control.

The plane began to shake violently, the force of the struggle sending it into an uncontrollable spin. Cataleya could feel the shift in the air, the plane's momentum growing unpredictable. The bad guys were getting tossed around like ragdolls, but the plane—the plane was about to break apart.

Armando's cell rocked violently back and forth as the chaos intensified. One moment, it felt like the entire structure of the plane was coming apart at the seams.

"Get me out of this fucking cage!" Armando yelled, frustrated to realize that the appearing moment could make him die in less than two minutes.

And then, the unthinkable happened. Armando's cell slid against the side with a loud crash, sending him careening toward the edge of the plane inside it.

Mike and Cataleya acted fast, reaching out, their hands locking onto the Cable, a last-ditch effort to hold on which was hung over the ceiling.

The plane shuddered, an explosion ripping through the air, sending the whole structure spinning wildly.

"It's too heavy!" Mike shouted over the roar of the wind.

"Don't let go!" Marcus yelled, his face set in a hard line as he fought to keep hold of the cable, seated on the ceiling, upside down.

Cataleya's brow furrowed, her grip tightening. She could feel the weight pulling her down, the strain of holding on—every muscle in her body screaming.

Mike had thrown the key to Cataleya that rushed over carefully to try & unlock the lock by the cage. It grew worse when Cataleya was trying to find balance on unlocking it through the shaking until the cable slowly ripped apart as she had already opened the cage & both quickly had reached for each others arms when Cataleya pushed him up inside the plane until the empty cage flew out by the entrance.

She handed the keys to Armando, that finally managed to break free from his restraints. He yanked the handcuffs open with a violent snap. They ran inside the passenger spot, his eyes already locking onto the controls of the plane.

"Grab the stick!" He barked, grunting as he twisted in his seat to take control.

Marcus slid into the seat next to him, his expression grim as he took in the situation. "Where the hell you learn how to fly?" He asked, incredulous.

Armando shot him a look, his voice cutting through the chaos. "I'm a drug dealer, man. To the right!" He jerked the controls, the plane veering sharply as it began to lose altitude, heading straight for a lake surrounded by trees.

Cataleya's instincts kicked in. She was already prepared, her body springing into action as she jumped out into the water below, her feet skimming the surface before she hit the lake with a splash. The others followed suit, emerging from the water, soaking wet but alive.

Marcus, boots heavy with water, made his way over to the plane's controls, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "He was using my gun." He muttered under his breath, shaking water from his shoes.

Mike, panting and leaning against a nearby tree, stared at the wreckage of the plane. "How the hell did they get on a federal transport?" He questioned, his voice filled with disbelief as he glanced over at Cataleya and Armando.

"We need to split up." Armando said, his tone firm as Cataleya turned to Armando, her eyes locking with his. His words left no room for argument, but the look she gave him was hard—unforgiving.

"We're gonna stay together." Mike said, his voice commanding, not giving an inch.

"Says who?" Armando challenged, his eyes narrowing as he met Mike's gaze head-on.

"I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. We're staying together." Mike insisted, his jaw set in determination.

Armando sneered. "Fuck out of my way." He growled, making a move to pass Mike.

But Mike wasn't having it. He grabbed Armando by the collar, yanking him back.

"Hey. Where—?" Mike started.

"Get the fuck off me." Armando snarled, shoving against Mike's grip.

Before the situation could escalate further, Marcus stepped in, his voice sharp as he yelled, "Hey! Hey!" He pushed his way between the two of them, trying to break up the confrontation.

Mike didn't back down. "Look. You're the only person who can identify whoever is doing this!" he said, his words laced with urgency. "The only way any of us stays alive is if we get them before they get us."

Armando's eyes narrowed, his voice dripping with venom. "There's no us. There is no us!" He pushed Mike back with enough force to send him stumbling.

"Damn," Marcus muttered under his breath. "That Lowrey DNA is a bitch. Y'all some strong motherfuckers. Okay. Now, look, everybody unflex. On three. One! Two!"

With a frustrated sigh, they broke apart, the tension still hanging in the air.

"Here you go!" Marcus snapped, still clearly on edge.

Mike didn't break his gaze from Armando, his voice low but intense. "Captain Howard, left us files that'll tell us who's doing this. Dorn has them. We just have to get back to Miami."

Armando shook his head, his expression hardening. "You better not slow me down. Lose your phones. Keep up with me, or I leave you in the dirt." His Spanish accent thickened, his words cutting through the air like a blade. "You're in my world now."

Cataleya let out a sharp scoff, her eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms tighter. She wasn't having any of it. The tension that had built up since the moment they hit the ground was palpable, and it was clear she wasn't about to let anyone push her around—especially not Armando.

Marcus, noticing her reaction, couldn't help but smirk, his gaze flicking between her and Armando. He knew Cataleya well enough to see that she wasn't going to sit back and let this nonsense continue. The way she held herself, the fire in her eyes—it was all too familiar.

"You don't look too thrilled, Cat." Marcus said, his tone light but laced with knowing humor. "I mean, it's like you've got something up your sleeve just waiting to slice through the bullshit."

Cataleya shot him a look, her expression a mix of irritation and amusement. "If you think I'm gonna stand here and let you guys act like I'm some kind of sidekick, Marcus, you're dead wrong."

He chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I never said you were a sidekick, but don't act like you don't enjoy the chaos just a little bit."

Cataleya shot him a cold stare, her voice barely a whisper. "Chaos? I've had enough of that in my life to last a lifetime."

Marcus, sensing he'd hit a nerve, held back his usual teasing. But there was still a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he leaned in. "Just making sure you're still here with us, Cat. We need all hands on deck for what's coming."

Cataleya didn't respond but instead walked off with Armando, leaving Mike & Marcus gazing at each other before throwing their phones on the lake, walking after the two.

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As the group walked through the dense forest, the lake shimmering beside them, the atmosphere felt tense, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Armando led the way, moving with purpose, while Cataleya kept a careful distance behind him, her eyes scanning the surroundings. The other two—Mike and Marcus—were behind them, engaging in some unnecessary conversation that barely held anyone's attention.

Cataleya's mind was elsewhere, her senses sharpened, but she wasn't prepared for the sudden twist of her ankle. A sharp, painful twinge shot up her leg, making her cry out in surprise. She looked down, seeing the way her foot had bent awkwardly beneath her.

Before she could even steady herself, she felt a presence beside her. Armando was already there, having swiftly moved over to her side. His eyes narrowed as he crouched down, examining her ankle with a practiced eye.

"Can you walk?" He asked, his tone steady, but there was an unmistakable edge of concern in his voice.

Cataleya bit back her frustration, keeping her scowl firmly in place. "I can. I don't need your help." She snapped, unwilling to show any weakness.

Armando studied her for a moment, his gaze unreadable, clearly not buying her tough act. He didn't push her, though, just gave her a look that spoke volumes—he knew she was lying. But he let her be, standing up and taking a step back as she took a cautious step forward, limping with a grimace.

The pain was sharp, but Cataleya refused to show any more signs of it. She straightened herself as best as she could, forcing her way forward despite the limp, determined not to rely on anyone for help. Behind her, the others remained blissfully oblivious, lost in their trivial chatter, as she fought to keep up with the group.

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