The alley was eerily quiet, with only the soft sound of distant traffic echoing through the night. You pressed yourself against the cold, graffitied brick wall, feeling your heartbeat quicken as the footsteps of the fugitive echoed closer. You were trapped—no way out, no backup in sight. Your only option was to stay calm.

But of course, the universe had other plans.

You cursed under your breath as your earpiece buzzed to life. "Status update?" It was your partner, who had been monitoring you from a distance. They’d been tracking your movements all day. They knew the situation was getting tense, but they didn’t know just how bad it was.

You couldn’t exactly keep quiet when the fugitive was standing right in front of you. The man—dangerous, unpredictable, and way too charming for his own good—was smiling at you like he knew he had all the power in the world. He's the most wanted fugitive, Michael Connor.

With a deep breath, you answered, trying to keep the irritation out of your voice. "I’ve been cornered by this idiot."

You could hear your partner’s voice crackling over the line, concern creeping into their tone. "What? Are you okay? Do you need backup?"

But before you could reply, the fugitive chuckled, leaning in just a little too close. His dark eyes twinkled with mischief. "But at least I’m hot," he said, and the cocky grin on his face made it clear he was enjoying every second of this.

You blinked, taken aback for a second. Was he seriously trying to flirt with you in the middle of a high-stakes chase? You couldn’t help the eye roll that followed.