Hunted and betrayed, biochemist Dr. Isabella Swan just wants her life back after her research is turned into a deadly biological weapon. She's protected by brooding rogue NSA agent, Edward Cullen, who seems to save her life just as often as he drives her insane. With time running out, she'll have to outsmart her enemies—or die trying (again).
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
AN: Popular question = why was Edward in her car and not helping her in the house? I had a vision and it included them meeting that way, LOL. But they'll address it next chapter for logical purposes. Thanks for your reviews!
Chapter 3
Run for Your Life: The Siege
Bella's hands clutched the steering wheel like a lifeline, her knuckles white as the car sped through the dark, empty road. The air inside the vehicle felt suffocating, charged with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Every nerve in her body screamed to pull over, to slam on the brakes and make sense of the insanity unraveling before her. But the man in her backseat—his piercing green eyes locked onto hers in the rearview mirror—kept her foot glued to the gas pedal.
Her breath came in short, shaky bursts. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded, her voice cracking under the weight of fear and disbelief. "And how did you even get into my car?"
The man leaned forward slightly, his every movement deliberate, exuding a calm authority that only heightened her unease. "I already told you," he said. "My name is Edward Cullen. I'm an NSA agent, and you're in serious danger."
Bella's grip on the steering wheel tightened. His words sounded like something out of a goddamn movie, and yet his tone left no room for doubt. Her mind scrambled to process what he was saying, but nothing made sense. The cityscape blurred around them, fading into the background as Bella drove with no clear destination. "I know this sounds unbelievable. But you need to listen. Your research—it's not what you think it is."
Bella's stomach churned. "My research?" she echoed, the hysteria creeping into her voice. "You're saying my work is dangerous? I'm developing a cure for cancer, not—"
"Your enzyme," he cut in sharply, "isn't just groundbreaking. It's transformative. You designed it to home in on specific cells. But Dr. Victoria Greene? She didn't see a cure. She saw a weapon. And now she's turned your work into a synthetic cytotoxin."
Bella let out a humorless laugh, her grip tightening on the wheel. "Right. Sure. NSA agent. Danger. My research—what was it? A synthetic cytotoxin? Do you have any idea how insane you sound? Victoria—Dr. Greene—would never let that happen. She's dedicated her life to this research."
Edward let out a sharp exhale, his jaw flexing. "She's dedicated her life to coming out on top," he insisted. "This isn't about curing cancer, Dr. Swan. It never was. This is about leverage. Power. And she's using you to build something that could wipe entire populations off the map."
"Leverage?" Bella's voice cracked, and she shot him a quick glance. "Leverage for what? Money? Influence?"
"Leverage through fear," Edward said flatly, his words cutting through her rising panic like a blade. He leaned forward slightly, his tone cold and deliberate. "You're smart, Dr. Swan. Think about it. You've heard about germ warfare before. A weapon that doesn't rely on bombs or missiles, one no one can predict—or fight. Just a drop in a water supply, or a mist released in the air. A toxin engineered to target specific genetic markers—entire ethnic groups, isolated populations, or even just one person. They're taking your enzyme and turning it into a way to wage silent, tailored warfare."
Bella's grip on the steering wheel tightened to the point of pain, her knuckles white, her breathing shallow. Edward's words echoed in her ears, louder and louder, until it felt like they were the only sound in the world.
"A toxin engineered to target specific genetic markers."
"It's a weapon no one can predict—or fight."
Her mind spiraled into overdrive, sifting through years of research and data, flipping through her findings as if they were pages of a book she wished she'd never written. She had been so proud, so consumed by its potential to heal. But now, as Edward's words settled in, an icy dread gripped her chest.
Her breath hitched, her pulse racing as she thought of the enzyme's ability to differentiate between cancerous and healthy cells. That had been its brilliance—the key to targeting tumors without damaging surrounding tissue. But with slight alterations to the protein's binding mechanism, it could be retuned. Redirected. All it would take was a reconfiguration of the RNA aptamer she had spent months perfecting. Change the binding target from a cancer cell receptor to a more universal marker—like a genetic variant.
Her stomach lurched. She knew exactly how it could be done. It would be horrifyingly simple.
The car's interior seemed to shrink around her, the air growing thick. Her breath caught in her throat as her thoughts spiraled further. The enzyme's stability in extreme conditions—something she had celebrated as a triumph—meant it could be aerosolized. It could survive in water supplies. It could pass undetected until it was too late.
"Dr. Swan?" Edward's voice cut through her haze, urgent.
She didn't respond. Her mind raced faster, connecting dots she didn't want to connect. The enzyme's ability to amplify its effects in response to specific markers—originally intended to increase efficacy in aggressive cancers—could be weaponized to spread exponentially. Target a population with a shared genetic mutation. Or introduce a secondary compound to trigger a chain reaction, decimating entire ecosystems of cells in minutes.
Her hands trembled on the wheel. Her chest tightened. A deep, crushing weight settled over her, making it hard to breathe.
Oh God.
It's true.
Her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out Edward's voice as he called her name again. "Dr. Swan!" This time, his voice was sharp, commanding, but she couldn't look at him. Her eyes remained locked on the road ahead, unseeing, as a wave of nausea washed over her.
They could use it to kill millions.
The thought hit her like a freight train, the sheer enormity of it nearly pulling the air from her lungs. She had created something beautiful—something meant to save lives. But now, she could see how it would destroy. How she had unwittingly crafted the perfect weapon.
Her lips parted, but no words came. Her throat tightened, her mind spinning too fast for her to form a coherent sentence. Instead, a broken sound escaped—a mix of disbelief and horror.
"Dr. Swan, look at me." Edward's voice was almost soothing now, trying to bring her back. He reached out, placing a hand over hers on the steering wheel. It was a grounding gesture, one that forced her back to the present, even as the storm inside her raged.
She shook her head slowly, her voice finally finding its way past the lump in her throat. "I didn't—" She stopped, her words faltering. "I didn't realize. I didn't think—"
Edward didn't let go of her hand. His gaze remained steady, unwavering. "You didn't know," he said, his voice softer now. "But now you do. And that means we can stop it."
Tears blurred her vision, hot and stinging, as guilt and fear tore through her. She had spent years dedicating herself to this work, pouring her heart into it, believing she was making the world a better place. And now, all she could see was the destruction it would leave behind.
Her voice cracked as she finally spoke. "It was supposed to save lives," she whispered, the words barely audible. Her chest ached, her emotions surging, threatening to overwhelm her. "It was supposed to be a cure."
Edward's hand tightened over hers, his voice cutting through her spiral. "And it still can be," he said. "But only if we stop them from twisting it into something it was never meant to be."
Bella finally turned to look at him, her vision still clouded with unshed tears. His expression was fierce, determined, but there was an undercurrent of something gentler—an unspoken promise that she wasn't alone in this.
Her breath hitched, and she forced herself to nod. "Okay," she said, though her voice shook. "Okay."
Edward gave her hand one last squeeze before pulling back. "We'll fix this," he said, his voice steady. "But we need to keep moving. Are you with me?"
Bella swallowed hard, pushing the guilt and fear to the back of her mind. There would be time for those later. Right now, she needed to focus. She needed to act.
"Yeah," she said finally, her voice stronger now. "I'm with you."
"Good," Edward breathed, then his eyes flicked quickly to the rearview mirror, before bouncing back to Bella. "I know this is a lot to process, but the only thing that matters right now is keeping you out of their hands. Switch seats with me.."
Bella breathed out a disbelieving laugh, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly her fingers ached. "What? No, no... I can drive my own car."
Edward's jaw tightened, and he leaned forward slightly, his voice edged. "Dr. Swan, you're barefoot, in pajamas, and you're still coming off the adrenaline of being attacked in your own house. You're one wrong move from wrapping this car around a tree. You're not exactly in peak form here."
"I'm doing fine, thank you!" Bella snapped, her voice climbing an octave. She couldn't bring herself to admit that her heart was racing so fast it felt like it might burst, or that her hands trembled ever so slightly with each turn of the wheel.
Edward's green eyes flicked toward the rearview mirror again, darkening with sharp intent. "Fine? Then maybe you can explain why they're still following us."
Bella's stomach twisted as she glanced up, her breath catching at the sight of glaring headlights closing in fast. A sleek black SUV was barreling down the road behind them, its engine roaring like a predator honing in on its prey.
"Who the hell is that?" she demanded, her voice rising in panic.
"They're probably what you'd call the bad guys," Edward said simply, his tone clipped. He unbuckled his seatbelt, his movements quick and deliberate. "Switch seats with me. Now."
Bella's mouth opened to argue, but a deafening pop! cut her off. The first gunshot shattered the air, the sound ricocheting through the car. Bella screamed as the rear window exploded into a rain of jagged glass, shards scattering across the interior, and it took her nearly hugging the steering wheel to keep the car on track. Jake yelped and cowered in the backseat, his nails scratching at the upholstery as he barked furiously.
"Switch. Seats. Now." Edward's voice was sharper, commanding, slicing through her panic like a whip.
Bella's survival instincts overrode her protests. "Okay, okay!" she gasped, her hands shaking as she tried to keep the car steady.
Edward moved with swift, calculated movements, climbing over the center console with an ease that belied the chaos around them. "Keep it steady," he ordered, his tone brooking no argument.
Bella did her best, gripping the wheel with one hand while fumbling with her seatbelt with the other. The interior felt impossibly cramped as they scrambled over one another, limbs tangling awkwardly. Edward's elbow jabbed her side as he maneuvered into position.
"Watch it!" Bella hissed, her voice tight with fear.
"Stop squirming and keep us on the road," Edward shot back gruffly.
Bella ducked her head, her breath catching as Edward finally dropped into the driver's seat. His hands took command of the wheel withe ease, and she slid into the passenger seat, her heart pounding so hard it hurt.
"Hold on," Edward muttered briskly. Bella barely had time to process his words before the car surged forward as Edward pressed the gas pedal to the floor. Bella clutched the seat, her nails digging into the fabric as the SUV behind them closed the gap. Another gunshot rang out, and she screamed again as the side mirror shattered, the glass flying past her face.
"Oh my God, oh my God," she whispered, barely aware of her own voice as her mind spiraled into panic. Jake let out another frantic bark, pacing restlessly in the backseat.
Edward glanced at the mirror, his jaw tightening. "They brought back up," he muttered, his tone low, almost casual, as if this were just another Tuesday for him. His hands gripped the wheel like a vice, his sharp gaze darting between the road and the SUVs behind them.
"Back up?" Bella's voice cracked, disbelief and terror coloring her words. "How many people are trying to kill me right now?"
"Enough," Edward replied tersely as he jerked the wheel sharply to avoid a slow-moving sedan. The tires screeched, and the car fishtailed for a second before he regained control. "And they're not going to stop unless we stop them first."
Another round of gunfire erupted, and Bella ducked instinctively, her chest heaving. The SUV on their left edged closer, trying to force them into the shoulder.
"Right. So what's the plan, Agent Cullen?" she ground out, tossing another frenzied look at the SUVs in her sideview mirrors. She could see the men in the front seats, dressed in the same all-black attire as the man who attacked her. The driver was determined, his face screwed up in a murderous scowl like a predator closing in on its prey.
Edward's eyes flicked to the road ahead, a grim smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "We're going to make them crash."
"Wait, what?" Bella's stomach dropped, her nails biting into the seat. "You can't—"
"Hold tight," Edward barked, cutting her off.
As they neared a construction zone, Edward veered abruptly toward a lane closure, aiming for a narrow gap between two barriers. Bella sucked in a breath, her body pressing back against the seat as the car hurtled forward.
The first SUV followed, but Edward made his move at the last second, swerving sharply through the gap. The SUV tried to follow but clipped the edge of the barrier, its tires screeching as it lost control. The second SUV had no time to react and plowed into the first, sending both vehicles careening off the road and into a row of construction equipment with a thunderous crash.
Bella twisted in her seat, her wide eyes fixed on the wreckage disappearing behind them. "Holy shit," she breathed, her voice barely audible.
Edward didn't slow down, his eyes locked on the road ahead. "They won't be following us anytime soon," he said coolly, glancing in the rearview mirror one last time.
Bella struggled to catch her breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "What the fuck is going on?" she demanded, her voice cracking under the weight of everything she had just witnessed.
Edward's exasperation was evident, but he kept his gaze steady as his eyes remained on the road. "I told you," he said. "Your research has been compromised, and people want you dead."
Bella stared at him, her mind a chaotic mess of fear, confusion, and disbelief. "This can't be real," she whispered, her voice shaking.
Edward finally glanced at her, his tone dry. "It's real. And right now, we need to switch cars and get you some goddamn shoes."