They had been seated in a small dingy room with a metallic chair each, hands cuffed behind their backs; the smell of sweat and blood hung in the air. Enoch's head was hung low, dripping blood from his split lip. Bruises were beginning to swell on Victor, but he kept his eyes fixed at the door.It creaked heavily open, and the two men tensed at once. Michael stepped in, his dark coat swaying with each movement; there were two on either side of him. He glanced at the two men and nodded to one of his guards.The latter stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "I'm only going to ask one more time," Michael said coldly. "Where's my crate?"Neither Enoch nor Victor spoke.Michael breathed hard and tapped his temple as if he was dealing with children. "Tough guys, huh?" He waved his hand at the guard. "Show them I mean business."The guard strode over to Enoch and punched him in the pit of his stomach. Enoch grunted, doubling over, but the ropes kept him upright.Michael angled his face close
Michael sat on a chair while the jacket hung on his shoulder, as Ju Won painfully dressed and bandaged the bullet wound. His teeth were clenched as Ju Won pressed a bandage against the injury and the smell of herbs filled the air.It creaked open, and a small figure ran in. "Daddy!" Ariane ran up to him and buried her face into his waist. She looked up; her big round eyes were full of worry. "What happened? Are you hurt?"Ju Won cast a glance at the little girl. Immediately the hardness in his voice dissipated. "Your daddy's going to be fine. Don't worry.Stephen sat back in the chair, grunting as Ju Won pressed the treatment leaf onto his wound. "I'm all right, sweetheart," he said, his voice a little strained. "It's just a little pain."Yuna came quietly into the room, carrying a basket. She laid it on the table and drew out more leaves Ju Won had ordered earlier. She watched as he took them, chewing on a few before pressing the pulpy mixture onto Stephen's shoulder."This will help
He stood next to the park, his hands deep inside his pockets. He scanned the crowd, watching people stroll past, laughing and chatting. He couldn't shake off the feeling of unease settling in his stomach. Where is Voss? he thought, looking down at his watch. The sun had begun to sip below the trees, casting long shadows across the park.He shifted his feet, fighting the nerves. A few feet away, some kids were playing on the swings, their giggles carrying across like a reminder of a distant past that no longer applied. *This is no game, he told himself as he pushed the thought away.From his vantage point, he saw some men in the crowd who seemed to stare at him. Out of place, they appeared too serious for a park. The instincts kicked in for Victor. He turned his back towards them, fiddling with his shoelace as if tying it while sizing up the situation. They were Michael's men, and he knew they were here to make sure everything went according to plan.Where is Voss? he thought again mor
Victor watched, heart racing, as the tension mounted. Stephen stood tall, and in the midst of the chaos, a ray of hope fluttered in his chest. "Stephen, you gotta go!" Victor yelled, voice hoarse."I'm not leaving without you," Stephen replied steadfastly, eyes scanning the scene. "Where's Enoch?"Michael's smirk tugged off for a moment. "Still caught," he said nonchalantly-as if it didn't matter leastwise.Damn it," Stephen swore, as frustration welled up. He took a deep breath and refocused on the standoff. "Listen, all of you need to leave now. Drop the package and get out. I won't hesitate."Voss scowled; incredulity crossed his face. "Are you threatening me?"I'm serious," Stephen finally replied, pulling back his jacket to reveal a vest loaded with explosives. "It's a timer. If you don't disconnect this in three minutes, I'll blow this whole place to hell."Michael laughed, the slightest trace of mirth creeping into his voice. "You're nuts as always, Stephen."Voss shot a glare
The narrow corridor around him exploded with the sound of gunfire, and Enoch's legs almost buckled under him; his breath caught in his throat, his fear clutching at his throat like a vice. Whether the shot was meant for him or wide, he didn't know, but he couldn't afford to stop and find out. He kept on running.His lungs burned and his heart jackrabbited against his ribcage as he sprinted toward what he hoped was an exit. Behind him, he could hear the heavy footsteps of Michael's men closing in, the shouts of anger and frustration cutting through the air. Enoch's mind raced, searching for any way to gain the upper hand, but he felt cornered, out of options. *If I don't find a way out soon, I'm dead.*He whipped around a corner, his feet skidding on the slick concrete floor. Ahead of him now, he saw the first sign of hope: a narrow staircase headed down. Without a second's hesitation, he launched down the stairs two at a time. Pure adrenaline coursed through his body; his muscles shri
Victor skidded to a stop, heart racing in his chest. The figure before him sidled into dim light, and Victor's stomach twisted. It was one of Voss's guys, this big fella with a scar running down the side of his face. He had his gun drawn, right between Victor's eyes."End of the line, Victor," the man said quietly and calmly but in a very threatening tone. "Hand over the package."Victor swallowed hard as his mind raced. He glanced around quickly, but the alley was empty-no sign of Stephen, no way out. He swallowed his heart as he remembered he had faked the package; that lie was catching up on him now. The need to think fast was on."I don't have it," Victor said, temporizing. "You really think I'd be running around like this with the real deal?"The man's eyes went glassy. "Don't play games. You've been running for far too long. You can hand it over now, or I'll take it off your body."Victor raised his hands slightly, making sure he looked as harmless as possible. He could feel the
Victor, Stephen, and Enoch sprinted down the streets, staying as close to the shadows as possible, as they moved on toward the safe house. Enoch was limping heavily; with the blood loss, he was growing weaker as the time went by. Stephen was keeping his arm around him, practically carrying him at this point in time."We're almost there," Stephen said tightly. He kept his eyes roaming, scanning every corner, every shadow, waiting for something to pop out at them. He could feel the tension build up in his chest, coiling tighter and tighter like a spring ready to break.Victor walked a few steps behind, the weight of his failure clinging to his mind like a shroud. He couldn't avoid the nagging sense that this was all his fault. Enoch wouldn't be bleeding out if it weren't for him. Voss's men wouldn't be hunting them down if he hadn't thought he could outsmart them."How far is it?" Enoch asked, his tone weak.Just a few more blocks," Stephen said. He readjusted his grip on Enoch, fightin
When Stephen saw Victor's lifeless body lying on the floor, the pool of blood around him growing, he froze. His heart beat at an incredible rate, and momentarily the world around him became a blur. He stumbled forward, dropped down onto his knees beside Victor, but he knew that he was already too late. The cold stiffness of Victor told it all."Damn it," Stephen whispered, his voice cracking. His friend was dead, and he could do nothing to help him.The briefcase. His gaze snapped to it, still clutched in Victor's hand. He pried it loose and checked the contents, making sure it hadn't been tampered with. It was all there.Before he could even think what to do next, the chilling silence was cut through by the faraway shrieks of police sirens, louder with each passing second. The air around Stephen's chest seemed to tighten. **They were coming.** He rose up onto his feet, wincing at the weight of it all coming down on him. He couldn't stay here, but he couldn't run without a plan eithe