"Damn it!" Lale startled awake by the car's violent jerk. Opening her eyes, she realized they were speeding along a mountain road in a jeep. Rüzgar gripped the steering wheel tightly, his expression icy.
"Where are we going?" she asked, dazed. Her throat was dry, and her heart pounded wildly. Her family… She couldn't live if anything happened to them.
"To a safe place," Rüzgar replied, his voice as cold and distant as ever. "We can't stay here anymore. They found us."
"How?" Lale's mind was filled with confusing thoughts. Had the Witness Protection Program failed? Or… Was there a mole inside? "The message on my phone… They sent it, didn't they?"
Rüzgar nodded. "Yes. We're being watched. We'll find out who's doing this."
Lale looked out the jeep's window. The Black Sea's rough waves sparkled in the first light of dawn. But this beauty couldn't soothe the fear within her. She felt like prey. Would she always have to run?
"Your family…" Rüzgar said, as if reading her thoughts. "They're safe. I spoke to my men. They've been moved to another location for now."
Lale couldn't relax. "For now? What do you mean, for now? I want them to be safe forever! When will I wake up from this nightmare?" The anger and despair inside her began to seep out as tears.
Rüzgar glanced at her for a moment. Behind that icy mask, it seemed something flickered briefly. But immediately afterward, his face became expressionless again. "I promise you, Lale. You will be safe. And your family too. But first, we need to find out who's targeting us."
Lale wanted to believe Rüzgar's words. But how could she trust him? He was a killer. Yes, he was protecting her now, but how many lives had he ruined in the past? Her fiancé… He had died because of him too.
She couldn't stop the voice inside her head: *Don't trust him, Lale. He's a monster. He's pretending to protect you, but he might be using you too.*
***
As the jeep climbed deeper into the mountains, the tension between Lale and Rüzgar grew. The silence sliced through the air like a sharp knife. Lale stared at Rüzgar's profile. His harsh lines, his sharp gaze… There was something both attractive and frightening about him.
"Why are you helping me?" she finally asked. She had to ask. "Why are you risking your life? For me?"
Rüzgar took his eyes off the road for a moment and looked at her. "That's none of your concern, Doctor."
"It is," Lale retorted. "My life is at stake. I have a right to know."
Rüzgar took a deep breath. "I owe you a debt," he finally said. "And I'm going to repay that debt."
"A debt?" Lale frowned. "What debt?"
Rüzgar didn't answer. He just gripped the steering wheel tighter and sped up the car.
Lale didn't ask any more questions. But the curiosity and doubt inside her grew even stronger. What debt could Rüzgar possibly owe her? And why was he so eager to repay it?
***
When they arrived at the cottage, the sun was setting. The air was cool and damp. The house was deep in the forest, far from prying eyes. From the outside, it looked quite inviting. But Lale felt in her gut that something was wrong.
Rüzgar got out of the car and pulled a few bags from the trunk. "We'll stay here," he said, turning to Lale. "Until it's safe."
Lale got out of the jeep and looked around. The rustling of the trees, the chirping of the birds… The sounds of nature tried to soothe the fear inside her. But it was in vain.
"How long will we stay here?" she asked.
"I don't know," Rüzgar replied. "It depends on who's targeting us and how quickly we can find them."
Lale looked into Rüzgar's eyes. "And if we can't find them?"
Rüzgar shrugged. "Then we'll keep running."
Lale felt a surge of despair. Constantly running… Was this a life?
The voice inside her warned: *Run Lale, run as far as you can. Or you'll end up like your fiancé!*
***
Rüzgar unlocked the cottage door and went inside. Lale followed him. The inside felt warmer and more inviting than the outside. The fireplace was lit, and the rooms were illuminated by dim lights.
"Make yourself something," Rüzgar said. "I'll check around."
Lale nodded and headed to the kitchen. There were a few foods and drinks in the refrigerator. She made herself a sandwich and drank a glass of water.
When she walked into the living room, she found Rüzgar sitting in front of the fireplace, lost in thought. There was an expression on his face that she had never seen before. It was as if regret and pain were mixed together.
Lale quietly sat down next to him. Rüzgar didn't seem to notice her presence.
"Are you okay?" Lale asked hesitantly.
Rüzgar startled and looked up at her. "Yes," he said, his voice still cold and distant. "Just… Thinking."
"About what?" Lale asked.
Rüzgar paused for a moment. Then, he took a deep breath and began to speak. "The past… The mistakes I've made…"
Lale looked at him in surprise. Was Rüzgar Altun saying he felt regret? It was impossible.
"Everyone makes mistakes," Lale said. "The important thing is to learn from them."
Rüzgar smiled bitterly. "The price of my mistakes has been too high, Doctor. I won't be forgiven."
Lale wanted to touch Rüzgar. To hug him and ease his pain… But she couldn't. There was an invisible wall between them. And it seemed impossible to break down that wall.
The voice inside her whispered: *Don't touch him! Remember, he's the one who killed your fiancé!*
***
Rüzgar stood up and walked to the window. Outside, night had fallen. The forest looked dark and eerie.
"You should sleep," Rüzgar said, turning to Lale. "Tomorrow will be a long day."
Lale nodded and stood up. She walked to the bedroom. The bed looked warm and inviting. But Lale wasn't sure if she could sleep.
She lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. But her mind was filled with confusing thoughts. Rüzgar… Everything about him confused her even more.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, she heard the door open. When she opened her eyes, she saw Rüzgar in her room. He was holding a gun.
"What's happening?" Lale asked, fearfully.
Rüzgar silently put his index finger to his lips. Then, he whispered, "Shhh… I hear noises."
Lale sat up in bed and began to listen. In the distance, she could hear dogs barking. And then… She heard a gunshot.
Rüzgar quickly leaned over Lale and pushed her back into bed. "Don't move," he said. "I'll take care of it."
And then, he left the room.
Lale began to tremble in bed. Her heart was pounding wildly. What was happening? Who had come? And could Rüzgar stop them?
Minutes passed like hours. Finally, the door opened, and Rüzgar came in. His face was covered in blood.
"It's over," Rüzgar said, his voice tired and exhausted. "I took care of them all."
Lale got out of bed and ran to Rüzgar. "Are you okay?" she asked, worriedly.
Rüzgar nodded. "I'm fine. Just… Tired."
Lale took Rüzgar's arm and pulled him toward the bed. "You should rest," she said.
Rüzgar didn't object. He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. Lale lay down next to him.
After a while, she began to hear Rüzgar's deep and even breaths. He had fallen asleep.
Lale looked at Rüzgar. There was a peaceful expression on his face. As if while he was asleep, he was free from all his pain and regrets.
She wanted to touch him. To stroke his hair and tell him comforting things… But she couldn't.
The merciless whisper of the voice inside her echoed in her ear: *Don't pity him. He's a killer. A monster. And you should never trust him.*
Lale closed her eyes and tried to sleep. But her mind was still a mess. Rüzgar Altun… Was he the biggest test of her life? Or… Her greatest disaster?
A rustling sound from outside woke Lale with a start. Rüzgar wasn't next to her. When she looked out the window, the sight she saw froze her blood: The mountain house was engulfed in flames.