Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen



The silence descended like a blanket over the scene, a stillness that seemed to freeze time itself.

Eileen held Egbert's face with a grip that betrayed her urgency. Egbert remained motionless, their lips locked together in a kiss that neither seemed willing to break.

Blind to what lay behind her, Eileen couldn't tell if her mentor had managed to escape. She hoped so; her mentor had a knack for eluding capture, a talent that had kept him darting from country to country for years without once being caught.

Looking into Egbert's eyes again, Eileen could see his lashes and eyes reflecting his surprise. It wasn't every day a woman barrels into you and plants one on you without so much as a 'by your leave.' But desperate times called for desperate measures, and Eileen wasn't about to stand idly by while her mentor was taken out by Egbert.

Her mentor was a character, all right - a tight-fisted, reclusive, moody, unpredictable, sarcastic, ruthless old coot. His list of faults was longer than a grocery receipt. But he was still her mentor. A punch or two, a slice here, a gunshot there to let off steam was one thing - but Egbert could not have his life.

Fortune was on her side; this wasn't the first time Eileen had kissed Egbert. They had kissed countless times while filming "Eyes on the Rendezvous," to the point where it felt like a job requirement. Eileen reminded herself to approach this like just another scene - no big deal, no need to overthink or get jittery, and certainly no need for her heart to be pounding like she was in the middle of a rave.

After a mental pep talk and assuming her mentor had made his getaway, Eileen released Egbert's face and tried to step back. But disentangling herself proved trickier than she'd anticipated.

In the next instant, Egbert's strong hand clamped onto the back of her neck, keeping her close. Eileen froze for a second before she felt his lips move against hers. A soft bite, tinged with pain but followed by a strange, tingling sensation, sent her heartbeat racing. This was not going according to plan.

Eileen furrowed her brows and started to struggle. Egbert's gaze was intense, but after a moment, he released her without further insistence. She stumbled back, her lips slightly swollen, and turned away, only to find herself face-to-face with a pair of cold grey eyes.

Eileen rolled her eyes, totally speechless.

What in the world? All that effort, and he was still here?

Was he just watching the show?

"You..." Before Eileen could get another word out, Egbert's arm shot up, his gun aimed squarely at NightKing. Eileen, acting on impulse, wrapped her arms around Egbert's, shouting at her indifferent mentor, "Run, you idiot!"

NightKing was speechless. He gave her a long look before, with a frown, he turned and dashed away.

Only when NightKing was out of sight did Eileen release Egbert. She then saw him looking at her, his face a thundercloud of displeasure.

Startled, Eileen swallowed her guilt and quickly said, "We should hide-he'll call for backup for sure."

Egbert stood frozen, unmoving. Eileen tugged at him, "Let's move!"

Five minutes later, they had squirreled themselves away in a hotel room.

Once the door was securely locked, Eileen pulled out her phone and logged into a live-streaming app to keep an eye on the situation downstairs via the global broadcast.

The scene on her screen was eerily serene. No one was speaking; everyone seemed to be on their best behaviour. Strangely enough, her mentor was conspicuously absent from the camera's viewpoint.

Suddenly, the phone was yanked from her grip. Craning her neck, she looked up to find Egbert, face cast in shadow, his deep eyes swirling with a storm so potent it threatened to break free.

Startled, Eileen quickly patted down his chest, trying to soothe him, "Easy there, don't get your knickers in a twist. No use getting all worked up." Egbert seized her wrist suddenly, his voice icy, "Explain. Now."

Eileen's eyes darted around, and she carefully began, "It's not like I meant to save him, it's just that... he can't die yet."noveldrama

Egbert narrowed his eyes.

"He's the head of the Bloodbane Shadowsociety, and somehow he got mixed up with the Frostsglow rebels. What's he after? Are there other groups backing him? He's a walking question mark, and shooting him now would be a waste when he's got so much more to tell."

Egbert remained silent.

Eileen glanced at his profile and ventured, "Were you... really going to kill him?"

After a long moment, Egbert's eyes met hers before he scoffed, "Doesn't matter now, does it? You let him go."

Eileen looked down, and after a pause, she ventured one more question, "Egbert, how did you two even cross paths?"

When Eileen had been freed and left the hotel, Egbert had been lurking in an air vent, while NightKing played lackey to the rebel leader. They hadn't crossed paths then, but somehow, in the short time she'd been gone, they had. And not only that, but NightKing had seemed to expect Egbert with his comment, "I knew you'd be here," suggesting he knew Egbert was in the hotel.

Had NightKing found Egbert, or had Egbert ambushed NightKing?

Another nagging question troubled her - Why had her mentor, a formidable man in his own right, been so quickly overpowered by Egbert?

Egbert was tough, no doubt about that, but so was his mentor, NightKing. If you were to measure their strength and pit them against each other in a no-holds-barred match, you'd expect at least an hour of intense battling before a victor emerged.

But how could NightKing have been defeated so soundly in mere minutes?

The questions in Eileen's mind multiplied.

Just then, Egbert's phone buzzed.

He glanced at the screen and then said to Eileen, "You better get going."

Eileen immediately asked, "What's up? I'm not leaving. I can help you!"

Egbert replied with a cold tone, "No need."

But Eileen persisted, "I really can help you!"

Egbert looked at her, his voice serious, "I said no..."

Eileen wasn't having it though. She pleaded, "Come on, let me in on the action! Please, let me help!"

Egbert sighed, helpless.

Ten minutes later, the pair dodged the patrolling rebels and made their way from the upper floors into the building's first-floor air duct.

The space within the air duct was cramped. Eileen and Egbert had to squeeze together to barely fit.

Eileen, trying to be as quiet as a mouse, nestled against Egbert.

With one arm wrapped around her back and the other bracing against the duct's edge, Egbert peered through the slits with sharp, focused eyes. Eileen's face was pressed against Egbert's chest as she too tried to get a glimpse of the outside.

That's when she noticed NightKing had reappeared.

Casually standing next to the rebel leader, the blood that had been at the corner of his mouth was now wiped clean, and he looked every bit the gentleman.

But then, Eileen noticed Egbert's fingers twitch.

They were perched on the edge of the vent, tapping out a Morse code message.

Eileen was taken aback. In the next instant, something even more astonishing happened!

Below them, NightKing suddenly looked up directly at their hiding spot!

Could it be that Egbert's Morse code was meant for NightKing?!!