When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 167: Seas of Deception - Scene 4

Chapter 167: Seas of Deception - Scene 4

Alex exchanged a worried glance with Daniel. "We need to get everyone off this ship," she said. "Now."

Daniel nodded, his mind racing. "Ethan, do what you can," he ordered over the comms. "But prepare for a full evacuation. We can’t take any chances."

Ethan swallowed hard. "Understood," he replied, his voice tight with urgency.

Victor took a step forward, his hands raised in mock surrender. "So what’s it going to be, Agent?" he taunted. "Save yourselves or try to be heroes?"

Daniel’s jaw clenched. "We’re not leaving until this ship is secure," he said. He glanced at Alex. "You start the evacuation. I’ll deal with him."

Alex hesitated, her eyes searching his face. "Daniel—"

He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Go," he insisted. "I’ll be right behind you."

Reluctantly, Alex turned and sprinted out of the room, her footsteps echoing through the narrow corridors. The camera followed her, capturing the chaos as she shouted orders to the crew. "Everyone, evacuate now!" she yelled. "Get to the lifeboats!"

Back in the command center, Daniel kept his gun trained on Victor. "You’re not walking away from this," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Victor’s smile faltered for the first time, and a flicker of uncertainty crossed his features. "Neither are you," he countered, but his bravado was slipping.

Daniel advanced slowly, his gaze never wavering. "We’ll see about that," he said.

The camera cut back to Ethan, who was sweating profusely as he worked to disarm the bomb. His hands trembled slightly, but he forced himself to focus. "Come on, come on," he muttered, breaking through one layer of encryption only to find another.

The tension was palpable, every second ticking by with agonizing slowness. The camera moved between Ethan, Daniel, and Alex, each of them fighting their own battles, each of them determined to see this through.

Suddenly, an alarm blared, and Ethan’s heart sank. "Daniel," he said, his voice tight with dread. "I’m running out of time."

Daniel’s face hardened, and he made a snap decision. "Get everyone off the ship," he ordered. "We’ll find another way."

Ethan hesitated, but the urgency in Daniel’s voice left no room for argument. "Copy that," he said, his voice breaking slightly.

Daniel turned his attention back to Victor. "You lose," he said.

Victor’s smile returned, but it was strained. "Maybe," he admitted. "But at least I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you failed."

Daniel’s eyes narrowed, and the camera focused on his finger tightening around the trigger. "Not today," he whispered.

The room fell silent as Marcos stood and called out, "Cut!" His voice echoed through the set, breaking the tension in the air. The actors froze in their positions, breathing heavily as if they were still caught in the scene.

"That was incredible," Marcos said, stepping toward the cast. His eyes shifted to Zinnia, who had been quietly observing from her seat beside him. "Now, Zinnia, here’s where we’ll make the magic happen."

Zinnia straightened, her expression attentive. "What do you have in mind?"

Marcos gestured to the screen displaying the playback from the scene. "Right at this moment—when Daniel says, ’Not today’—the screen will go black. The tension will leave the audience on edge, breathless, wondering what happens next. It’s the perfect cliffhanger."

Zinnia leaned forward, her eyes fixed on the screen. She nodded thoughtfully. "I can see it. It will definitely keep the audience hooked."

Marcos smiled, clearly satisfied with her understanding. "Exactly. The promise of danger and drama to come—that’s what keeps people coming back."

The rest of the crew began to relax as the tension of the shoot lifted. Marcos clapped his hands, gathering everyone’s attention. "Alright, folks. Break time! Take thirty minutes to recharge, and then we’ll dive back in. Great work so far—seems like all the rehearsals are paying off. You’re all professionals, and it shows."

The set came alive as the crew and cast dispersed. Trish stretched her arms, letting out a small laugh. "That scene was intense," she said, walking over to the snack table.

Ryan joined her, loosening his tie. "You could feel it, though. Everyone was in the zone."

"Especially Ethan—uh, I mean Leo," Trish teased, giving him a playful nudge when he passed by.

Leo grinned, grabbing a granola bar. "Hey, disarming bombs is stressful work."

Tom poured himself a cup of coffee and chuckled. "You handled it like a pro, kid."

Meanwhile, Zinnia stayed behind with Marcos, her notebook open as she jotted down insights. Marcos pointed to the screen again. "This spot here," he said, rewinding to where Alex sprinted down the hallway. "Another potential moment to build suspense. We cut to black here, too, right before the audience sees if the crew reaches the lifeboats in time."

Zinnia nodded, scribbling furiously. "Got it. It’s all about timing, right? Keep them hanging on every word and action."

"Exactly," Marcos replied. He leaned back in his chair, taking a sip of his coffee. "You’ve got a good eye for this, Zinnia. You’re picking it up faster than most."

"I’m just learning from the best," she said with a smile.

At the snack table, Julian leaned against the counter, smirking as he addressed Victor’s portrayal in the scene. "So, what did you think? Was my menacing charm convincing enough?"

"Too convincing," Trish replied, narrowing her eyes playfully. "I almost believed you were the bad guy in real life."

"That’s the goal," Julian said, tipping an imaginary hat.

The chatter was lively, everyone unwinding from the heavy scene they’d just performed. Katherine Lee, the casting director, walked over to compliment the actors. "You all nailed it. That kind of chemistry is hard to find."

"Thanks, Katherine," Ryan said, raising his cup in acknowledgment. "It helps when you’ve got a team like this."

On the other side of the set, Michael Zhen and the stunt team discussed adjustments for the next sequence. "The pacing was good," Michael said, nodding to his crew. "But let’s tighten up that hallway scene. We want it to feel like Alex is really racing against time."

Zinnia and Marcos were still deep in discussion. "What about Victor’s line?" Zinnia asked. "Should it be a little more ambiguous to leave the audience guessing his motives?"

Marcos tapped his chin. "Good thought. Maybe something like, ’At least I know I’ve left my mark.’ That could add layers to his character."

"Perfect," Zinnia said, writing it down.