The letter fell to the ground, breaking the silence of the cabin. Lale's heart was already pounding in her ears. "The Boss," she whispered, her voice like a trembling leaf. Rüzgar frowned and picked up the letter from the ground; even a single word was heavy enough.
"What does this mean?" Lale asked, her eyes scanning Rüzgar's face.
Rüzgar's jaw tightened. "The game starts again," he said in an icy voice. His inner voice, however, was much more ruthless: *Damn it, just when I was starting to touch her.*
Lale recoiled, as if Rüzgar's very presence posed a threat. "What game? Who is this Boss?"
"You don't want to know," Rüzgar said, throwing the letter into the fire in the fireplace. As the flames devoured the paper, the fear inside Lale grew.
"It's about me, isn't it? They found me," Lale said, her voice barely a whisper. Her eyes had filled with tears, even though she had tasted peace in Rüzgar's arms just a few hours ago. Now that peace was giving way to deep darkness.
Rüzgar took a step towards her. "I'll protect you."
Lale gave a bitter laugh. "You'll protect me? You, a hitman. You, the man who killed my fiancé. How can I trust you?" Her words were like poisoned arrows, each one piercing Rüzgar's heart.
Rüzgar stopped. Lale's words had taken him back to three years ago. To that night, that mission ... He closed his eyes, and his fiancé's face appeared in his mind. *Forgive me, Lale. But you should know, even that night I wanted to protect you.*
"You're right," Rüzgar said, his voice hoarse. "You have no reason to trust me." He turned and walked towards the door. "But I'll still protect you. Believe it or not."
Lale watched Rüzgar leave. Her heart was broken. She both hated him and desperately needed him. These complex emotions were consuming her from within. *Why? Why him? Why does my killer feel so good?*
Rüzgar went outside, the cold air slapping his face. The forest was dark and eerie. The Boss's signal was a harbinger of the coming storm. Demir was just the beginning for him. The real danger was coming now. *I must protect Lale. No matter what.*
He returned to the cabin, Lale was still standing in the same place. Her eyes were red.
"Let's go," said Rüzgar. "We can't stay here."
Lale shook her head. "Where are we going to go? I'm tired of running."
"To a safe place," Rüzgar said. "A place where no one can find you."
"Is there such a place?" Lale asked desperately.
Rüzgar approached her and put his hand on Lale's cheek. "Come with me," he said. "I promise you, I'll protect you."
Lale looked into Rüzgar's eyes. In those eyes, she saw both darkness and hope. Maybe she was on the verge of madness, but she wanted to believe Rüzgar. She had no choice but to believe.
"Okay," Lale said. "Let's go."
Rüzgar smiled. "Good," he said. "Then get ready. A long journey awaits us."
Lale nodded and began to gather her belongings. Rüzgar checked around the cabin. Any traces, any signs ... He had to be careful. The Boss's men could be anywhere.
As the preparations were completed, the night had grown even later. Rüzgar took Lale's hand and led her out of the cabin. The darkness of the forest had fallen upon them.
"Are you ready?" Rüzgar asked.
Lale took a deep breath. "I'm ready."
Together they began to walk into the depths of the forest. Silence was broken by the sound of their footsteps. Lale was holding Rüzgar's hand tightly. At that moment, she had no choice but to hold on to him.
After hours of walking, Rüzgar stopped. "We're here," he said.
Lale looked around. There were only trees and darkness. "Where is here?"
Rüzgar smiled. "Surprise," he said. He walked towards a large rock and pushed the rock. The rock creaked, revealing a hidden passage behind it.
Lale looked at the passage in astonishment. "What is this place?"
Rüzgar turned to Lale. "My refuge," he said. "We'll be safe here."
They entered the passage. The interior was dimly lit. The stone walls were covered with old weapons and maps. This was Rüzgar's secret world.
As Lale looked around, something caught her attention. On one of the walls, a photograph was hanging. The person in the photo was Lale's fiancé. Her heart squeezed.
"This... What does this mean?" Lale asked, her voice trembling.
Rüzgar took a step towards her. "I can explain..."
Just then, a voice was heard from behind the passage. "So, you're here, Rüzgar."
Rüzgar and Lale turned around. At the entrance of the passage, a dark silhouette appeared. The silhouette slowly approached the light. Lale's breath caught in her throat. Standing before her was her fiancé. But that was impossible! He was dead.
"How is this possible?" Lale whispered.
Her fiancé smiled. "Surprise," he said. "I'm back." And he pointed the gun in his hand at Lale. "And I'm taking you with me, Lale."