Mae sat in the darkened apartment, her mind racing as the events of the past few days unraveled further in her mind. The city outside seemed indifferent to her mounting fear, its neon lights casting an eerie glow over the room, but inside, Mae felt trapped. The man's voice from the phone call echoed in her head "We have eyes everywhere, Mae. You can't hide from us."

She had spent the entire night after that call pacing the floor of her penthouse, her thoughts a whirlwind of dread and confusion. Every shadow outside her window, every unfamiliar face she passed on the street felt like it was part of something larger, something she couldn't quite grasp. How had she gone from being the rising star of Hell's Angels to being stalked by a faceless threat in the shadows?

Mae stood by the window, staring down at the busy streets below. People went about their lives, unaware of the turmoil she was in. To them, she was just another performer, another rising star in a city full of them. But she knew better now. Hell's Angels wasn't just a nightclub, and the people who ran it weren't just businesspeople. There was a hidden world beneath the surface of the glamorous LA nightlife, one she had unwittingly stepped into.

Her phone buzzed, the sound sharp in the silence of the room. Mae's heart raced as she grabbed it, half expecting another cryptic message from the man. But it was Frank, her manager.

"We need to meet. Tonight. The situation's worse than I thought."

Mae stared at the message, her pulse quickening. She had suspected that Frank knew more than he was letting on, but now it seemed like he was starting to understand the gravity of what they were dealing with. She quickly typed out a reply.

"Where?"

Frank's response came almost immediately.

"Not the club. Too risky. Meet me at the diner on 8th. Midnight."

Mae exhaled slowly, setting her phone down. She glanced at the clock—it was already 11:15 p.m. She had just enough time to prepare and get there. As she slipped into a pair of dark jeans and a hoodie, trying to blend into the shadows of the city, a thought crept into her mind. If Frank thought meeting at the club was too risky, that meant Hell's Angels was no longer a safe space for her. If it ever had been.

She left the penthouse quietly, avoiding the usual route through the main lobby and instead taking the service stairs down to the back alley. The cold night air hit her as she stepped outside, and she pulled her hood up, keeping her head down as she made her way toward the diner. Every sound seemed amplified in the quiet of the night—the distant hum of traffic, the occasional murmur of voices from passing strangers. She walked quickly, her eyes darting around, hyper-aware of her surroundings.

By the time she reached the diner, the unease in her chest had swelled into a full-blown sense of dread. The neon sign flickered overhead, casting an eerie glow on the sidewalk. The diner was one of those places that stayed open all night, catering to the late-night crowd, the ones who couldn't sleep or who had nowhere else to go.

Mae pushed the door open, the bell above it jingling softly as she stepped inside. The smell of coffee and greasy food hit her immediately, but the place was mostly empty, save for a few late-night patrons scattered across the booths.

Frank was already seated at a corner booth in the back, his face grim as he watched her approach. She slid into the booth across from him, her heart still pounding in her chest.

"Frank," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What's going on? You said it was worse than we thought."

He leaned forward, his expression tense. "Mae, I've been asking around, talking to people who know more about the club's investors. What I've found out isn't good. The people who approached you—they're not just trying to scare you. They're trying to own you."

Mae swallowed hard, her stomach churning. But deep down, she knew the road ahead was only going to get darker—and more dangerous.

Mae's heart pounded as she and Frank hurried through the dark alley behind the diner. The man's ominous words echoed in her mind "We have eyes everywhere, Mae. You can't run from us."

The fear that had been slowly building inside her for weeks now bubbled to the surface. She couldn't ignore it any longer—she was being watched, tracked, and controlled, and the people behind it weren't going to let her slip away easily.

As they reached a dead end in the alley, Frank pulled her into the shadow of a fire escape. He was breathing hard, his eyes darting back toward the street, scanning for any sign that they were being followed.

"We need to leave," he muttered, more to himself than to Mae. "Now."

"I can't just leave," Mae said, her voice trembling with both fear and frustration. "They'll find me, no matter where I go. You heard him, Frank—they have eyes everywhere."

Frank's jaw clenched, but he didn't deny it. "They're watching, yeah. But there's always a way to slip out."

Mae leaned against the cold brick wall, her pulse racing. "Who are they, Frank? Why are they doing this? I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't know that becoming the headline at Hell's Angels meant being owned."

Frank looked at her, his eyes filled with regret. "I didn't know either—not at first. I thought I was helping you rise to the top, giving you the fame you deserved. But these people... They're not just club investors or entertainment moguls. They're part of something much bigger, and once they decide you're theirs, they don't let go."

Mae swallowed hard, the weight of Frank's words sinking in. "So what do they want from me? What's their endgame?"

"They don't just want you for the club," Frank explained, lowering his voice. "They want control over you, over everything you do. It starts with small favors, exclusive appearances, private parties. But it doesn't stop there. They'll push for more. And if you resist..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but Mae could fill in the blanks. The implication hung in the air like a dark cloud.

"They threatened me, Frank," Mae said, her voice barely a whisper. "That man, he told me I couldn't leave. That no matter what I do, I'm already in too deep."

Frank nodded grimly. "That's how they operate. They trap you—make you think there's no way out. And if you try to run..."

Mae's stomach churned. "What happens if I try to leave?"

Frank hesitated for a moment before speaking. "They'll make sure you can't. They'll ruin your career, smear your name, make sure you can't work anywhere in this industry again. And if that's not enough..."

Mae's breath caught in her throat. "What?"

Frank's voice dropped even lower. "People have disappeared, Mae. Dancers, performers, people who tried to stand up to them or leave without permission. They just... vanish. No one knows where they go, but once they're gone, no one hears from them again."

A cold chill ran down Mae's spine. She had suspected that something darker was going on, but hearing it spelled out like this made it all too real. She wasn't just at risk of losing her career—she was at risk of losing her life.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Mae asked, her voice breaking. "I can't stay trapped here, doing their bidding. But I can't just disappear either."

Frank ran a hand through his hair, looking around nervously. "I'm trying to figure that out. There has to be a way to keep you safe, to get you out without them knowing. But you have to be careful, Mae. If they even suspect you're planning to leave, they'll tighten the leash."

Mae felt panic rising in her chest. The walls were closing in, and every path she considered seemed to lead to the same dead end. "How do I even survive this?" she whispered, more to herself than to Frank.

Frank looked at her with a mixture of pity and determination. "You stay quiet. You keep doing your shows, acting like everything is normal. Don't give them any reason to think you're trying to run. In the meantime, I'll keep digging. There's got to be someone, somewhere, who knows how to get out of this."

Mae wanted to believe him, but the fear gnawing at her insides made it hard to trust anything anymore. She had never felt so helpless, so utterly trapped in a situation she didn't even fully understand. She had worked so hard to build her life, to make something of herself, and now it felt like it was all slipping away.

"They won't let me leave," Mae said quietly, staring down at her hands. "I'm just a pawn in their game, and no matter what I do, I lose."

Frank's face softened with sympathy, but there was a glint of anger in his eyes. "Not if we're smart. We'll figure something out. We just need time."

Mae nodded, though deep down, she wasn't sure she believed it. Time was the one thing she didn't think they had. The people watching her, controlling her—they were already tightening their grip, and Mae could feel it.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, her hands trembling, and saw another message from a blocked number.

"We know where you are, Mae. Don't make us come find you."

Her blood ran cold as she stared at the words. They weren't just watching her—they were tracking her every move.

"They know," she whispered, showing the message to Frank. "They know I'm here."

Frank's eyes widened in alarm. "We need to move. Now."

Without another word, they darted out of the alley, slipping into the shadows of the nearby buildings. Mae's heart pounded in her chest as they wove through the city streets, trying to stay out of sight. Every corner they turned, every shadow they passed felt like another threat, another set of eyes watching them.

As they reached the edge of the city's downtown, Frank pulled Mae into a narrow alley between two buildings, his breath ragged as he scanned their surroundings. "We need to lie low for a while. They'll be looking for you now."

Mae nodded, her whole body shaking with adrenaline. "What if they find me?"

Frank's expression was grim. "If they find you, Mae, there won't be a second chance. You'll be theirs for good."

Mae leaned against the cold brick wall, her mind racing. She didn't know how much longer she could keep running, but one thing was clear: they had her cornered. No matter where she went, no matter how far she tried to escape, they were always one step ahead.

The reality of her situation hit her like a wave, and for the first time, Mae realized just how deep she was in. This wasn't just about her career anymore—this was about survival. And if she didn't find a way to fight back, to outsmart the people controlling her, she would lose everything.

"I can't let them win," Mae whispered, more to herself than to Frank. "I won't let them own me."

Frank nodded, his eyes hardening with resolve. "We'll figure this out, Mae. But for now, you need to stay under the radar. No sudden moves. No drawing attention to yourself."

Mae nodded, though the fear still gripped her tightly. She knew the game had changed, and the stakes were higher than ever. But she wasn't ready to give up just yet.

As they slipped further into the shadows of the city, Mae made a silent promise to herself: no matter what it took, she would find a way out.

Mae's heart raced as she stood frozen, Frank's form shielding her from the man in front of them. The diner's neon sign buzzed faintly above them, and the handful of patrons in the place were oblivious, engrossed in their own worlds. Time seemed to slow, the tension between the three of them thickening in the stale air.

"I told you," Frank said, his voice low and firm, "we're done here."

The man's smile never wavered, but his eyes darkened, the mask of civility slipping. "Done? Frank, you should know by now there's no such thing. Mae's in, whether she likes it or not. And you..." His gaze flicked toward Frank, cold and calculating. "You're just another piece on the board."

Mae's pulse pounded in her ears. She wanted to scream, to run, but her feet felt glued to the ground. The man took another step forward, his confidence terrifying. He exuded power, a power Mae didn't fully understand, but she knew he was part of something much bigger than either of them. She felt like a mouse caught in a trap, the predator circling.

"Mae," the man said softly, his voice almost soothing, "you've made a name for yourself. You're a star. But stars don't get to shine without a little help. You think you've built this all on your own? You think your talent is the only reason people flock to see you? No. It's us. We made you. And now it's time for you to pay the price."

The reality of his words crashed down on her. The fame, the sudden success—none of it had been as organic as she'd believed. Hell's Angels had been a trap from the beginning, and she had walked right into it. Every performance, every accolade had been carefully orchestrated. They had been watching her from the start, pulling the strings to make sure she rose to the top, so they could use her for their own purposes.

Frank stepped forward, his body tense, but Mae could see the fear in his eyes. "You don't own her," Frank said, his voice strained. "She's not a puppet for you to control."

The man's smile widened. "That's where you're wrong, Frank. We own everything that matters in this city—people, places, lives. Mae is ours now, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Mae felt a lump rise in her throat. She wanted to shout, to fight back, but what could she do? The man was right. They had built her up, and now they were coming to collect. But she wasn't ready to roll over and let them take everything she had worked for.

"I'm not yours," Mae said, finally finding her voice. "I don't belong to anyone."

The man chuckled, as if amused by her defiance. "You think you have a choice, Mae? You're in this world now. There's no turning back. You can either play along, or we'll make sure you disappear, just like the others."

The others. The words sent a chill down her spine. Mae hadn't heard any stories of dancers or performers suddenly vanishing, but she knew the entertainment world was fickle. Careers could implode overnight. People could be forgotten just as quickly as they rose to fame.

Frank glanced back at Mae, his face pale. "We need to leave. Now."

The man tilted his head, watching them both with an air of detached amusement. "You can run for now, but we'll always find you, Mae. There's nowhere in this city, or any other, where we don't have eyes."

Without another word, Frank grabbed Mae's arm, pulling her toward the diner's side exit. The bell above the door jingled as they rushed out into the cold night. Mae's breath came in ragged gasps, her mind spinning as Frank led her down the narrow alley behind the diner, his grip tight on her arm.

"Frank," she whispered, panic rising in her chest. "What are we going to do?"

He didn't answer at first, his focus on getting them away from the diner as fast as possible. They darted down side streets, moving through darkened alleyways to avoid any prying eyes. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they slowed down, hidden in the shadows of a small alley behind an old warehouse.

Frank leaned against the brick wall, trying to catch his breath. "Mae, you need to get out of LA. Now."

"What?" Mae's heart sank. "Leave? I can't just leave. My life is here."

Frank's expression was grim. "You don't understand. These people—they're not just some rich investors trying to control the club. They're part of something bigger, something darker. And if they want you, they won't stop until they have you."

Mae shook her head, her thoughts racing. "But where would I go? I can't just disappear. They'll find me."

Frank looked at her, his expression full of regret. "I don't know. But if you stay, it's only going to get worse."

Mae leaned against the wall, her mind reeling. The life she had built here, the fame, the success—it all felt like it was slipping through her fingers. She had thought she could control her own destiny, but now it felt like everything was being taken from her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"I won't let them own me," Mae said quietly, more to herself than to Frank. "I won't let them control my life."

Frank nodded, though his expression was grim. "You're brave, Mae. But you need to be smart, too. These people don't play fair. They'll use every trick in the book to get what they want."

Mae clenched her fists, anger and fear warring within her. She didn't know what to do, but one thing was clear—she couldn't run forever. If she was going to survive this, she would need to figure out who was behind it all. She needed to know who was pulling the strings.

And she needed to find a way to fight back.

"Frank," she said, her voice steady despite the fear twisting in her gut, "I need you to help me figure out who's behind this. Who's really running things at Hell's Angels."

Frank hesitated, glancing around the dark alley. "Mae, I don't know if that's a good idea. These people are dangerous."

"I don't care," Mae replied, her resolve hardening. "I'm not going to let them destroy my life. I need to know who's behind this."

Frank sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Alright. But you need to be careful. The deeper we dig, the more dangerous this is going to get."

Mae nodded. She was scared—terrified, even—but she couldn't let that stop her. She had spent too long running, too long letting others control her fate. Now, it was time to take her life back.

As they stood in the shadows of the alley, Mae made a silent vow to herself: she would find out who was behind this, no matter what it took.

And she would make sure they paid for what they had done.