Carlos's heart sank as Edgar's words washed over him, each syllable chilling him to the bone. The air in the room seemed to grow colder, and the comforting warmth from the blanket could no longer stave off the deep, creeping dread that filled his body. His fingers instinctively curled into his palms as he imagined the gruesome threat becoming reality. "Please, Edgar, you don't have to do this," Carlos pleaded, his voice quivering. "There has to be another way. I can try to contact her, maybe she'll respond if she knows I'm in danger." Edgar regarded Carlos with a steady, unyielding gaze. "We've tried the easy ways, and time is a luxury we can no longer afford," he replied, his tone resolute yet tinged with a hint of regret. "This is not just about you or her — it's about a debt that must be paid. Unfortunately for you, you are caught in the middle." Carlos's mind raced for solutions, desperate to avoid the gruesome fate Edgar had laid out. "Let me try to reach out to her. Give me a

"What are you doing here?" the voice was tinged with disbelief, framing the doorway with cautious curiosity. Olivia, undeterred by the skepticism, flashed a warm smile. "Hey, Jon, how are you doing?" Her greeting hung in the air, met only by Jon's unwavering stare. Sensing the tension, Olivia tried to lighten the mood. "At least invite me in first. Are you not happy to see me?" Jon's face twisted into a scowl. "And why would I do that? You show up out of nowhere, and now you want to waltz in like nothing happened?" Olivia, knowing Jon had every right to be upset, continued, her voice tinged with desperation. "I'm sorry, but please, I need your help." Jon, surprised by her bold move despite their past differences, replied, "And why in the seven hells would I help you?" With a deep sigh, Olivia continued, knowing she had nowhere else to turn. "I know we've had our differences over the years, but please, you know I wouldn't even come to you if it's not a matter of..." She paused, th

Hidden in the woods, Olivia watched as Carlos was pulled out of the old, decrepit warehouse. The sounds of frogs and crickets filled the air, and the first light of morning began to pierce through the darkness. Tears streamed down her face; her mission was accomplished. Although every atom in her body wanted to rush to Carlos as he was loaded into the ambulance and tell him how sorry she was for all he had suffered because of her, she restrained herself and quietly left the premises. 'THREE WEEKS LATER' In the late hours of the day, Carlos sat on his couch in his Manhattan residence, his phone in his hands. Pictures moved on the large flat TV in the background as he scrolled through several unanswered messages he had sent to Olivia over the past weeks, trying to reach her to know if she was safe. Her safety was paramount to Carlos, and he felt responsible for Olivia. As he contemplated, he muttered to himself, "Something is definitely wrong. Why is she not responding to any of my

'LATE IN THE EVENING, THE FOLLOWING DAY.' Carlos, exhausted from the day's work and stress, lay sprawled on the couch in his living room. His white T-shirt was partly wrinkled, and his black pants and brogues still clung to him. A sudden vibration from his pocket interrupted his rest. Pulling out his phone, he saw Toby's name flashing on the screen. Not wanting to deal with it, he dropped his phone on the nearby glass table and let it ring out. Moments later, as he drifted into sleep, another vibration jolted him awake. Frustrated, he stretched out his hand, grabbed the phone, and with a long press on the side button, switched it off before placing it on his chest and attempting to resume his rest. After a while, now in a deep sleep, a familiar sound rang out. In his half - conscious state, it felt like a dream to Carlos. The persistent and consistent ringing of his doorbell finally pulled him back to reality. Groaning, he stood up from the couch and called out as he approached

"This is the celebrant, Senator Harvey's daughter, and her fiancé."Hearing this, the security team immediately called for medical assistance. Within minutes, paramedics arrived to tend to Abby and her fiancé. As they were being treated, one of the security guards approached Carlos and Toby, saying, "You two need to come with us. It's protocol. Until the senator's daughter and her fiancé wake up to confirm your stories, we can't be certain about what happened here. I hope you understand; we can't just take your word for it."Toby with an eyebrow raised, "What are you insinuating? Are you calling my friend a liar?"The security personnel responded calmly, "I'm not insinuating anything, sir. It's just protocol."Toby, his voice rising in frustration, retorted, "Protocol?..." But before he could continue, Carlos patted him from behind by the shoulder. "It's okay, man. The guy is just doing his job. Let's not make things harder for him."Toby, still fuming, replied, "There's nothing okay a