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Now I’d been taken.Again.
The guys were right. I really needed to stop getting kidnapped.
“Victor!” I shouted, my voice hoarse. Every muscle in my body tensed, as if bracing for impact, but there was no response. I suddenly realized how exhausted I was, how much every muscle in my body hurt. “Fuck. Are you there?”
The room I was in was maybe ten by ten, with very sparse furniture, a small sink, a bucket under it. It smelled vaguely like copper and humidity and I could tell, just from where I was, that the wood was rotting.
The door was closed. There were bars on the windows.
I was screwed. I thought of Grayson, the cool-headed brain of our group who thrived on danger, and how he would probably be finding a way to escape right now. But I wasn’t Grayson; I couldn’t detach myself emotionally from the situation like he could. I really felt like I was going to throw up, but managed to hold back.
I definitely didn’t want to add to the smell.
“Miranda!” I yelled, my voice breaking the oppressive silence. The cabin seemed to swallow my cry, leaving me feeling more alone than ever. My heart raced as I considered the possibility that she’d been taken too. Sofia had all but promised we were going to keep her safe and I intended to keep that promise.
“Miranda, please! If you’re around, make a sound,” I pleaded, but the only response was my own ragged breathing echoing through the cabin.
Taking in the locked door and windows, I knew I had to devise an escape plan quickly. I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears as I surveyed the room, searching for any weaknesses or potential exit points. The walls seemed to close in on me, their shadows menacing and suffocating. My instincts screamed at me to move, to act, to dosomething.
I couldn’t stay locked in.
“Okay, Jace, think,” I whispered to myself, forcing my mind to focus despite the overwhelming panic. I couldn’t afford to let fear paralyze me, no matter how much I wanted to curl into a ball and pretend none of this was happening.
There was too much at stake.
“Locked doors...windows...what can I use?” My eyes darted around the room, cataloging whatever makeshift tools might be available.
“Come on, come on,” I muttered, my hands shaking as I struggled to keep my thoughts coherent. Every second wasted felt like an eternity, and I couldn’t shake the image of Sofia, bound and terrified, waiting for someone to save her.
I could only hope that Teo’s SUV had managed to get out of this.
“Enough!” I snarled, slamming my fist against the wall in frustration. I forced myself to take deep breaths, the stale air filling my lungs.
If I was going to save myself, I needed to be clear-headed and focused.
“Door first,” I decided, moving closer to examine the lock. My fingers brushed against the cold metal, feeling for any signs of weakness. The door creaked softly under my touch, as if mocking my efforts. But I refused to be deterred; I would find a way out, no matter what it took.
“Watch your back, Viper,” I murmured. “I’m coming for you, and there’s nowhere to hide.”
With renewed determination, I set to work on the lock. It was old and rusted, but sturdy. I searched through the room and found a rusted nail on the floor, which I immediately grabbed and started to work on the lock with. Minutes passed, my heart pounding in my ears as I focused solely on the lock in front of me.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, there was a satisfying click and the door slowly creaked open. Once the door creaked open, and I cautiously stepped outside into the eerie darkness of the Everglades. My heart raced as I took in the oppressive silence that hung over the murky waters and twisted vegetation. The air was damp and heavy, clinging to my skin like a shroud. I fought the urge to gag on the putrid stench of decay that pervaded the night.
“Miranda... Where are you?” I whispered under my breath, scanning the area for any sign of her or our captors. The shadows seemed to shift and writhe around me, playing tricks on my mind.
“Jace, focus,” I muttered to myself, shaking off my fear. “You can’t let them win.”
I crept forward, careful to avoid making any noise that might give away my position. Every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves sent my pulse skyrocketing, but I pressed on. I moved in the shadows, using them to my advantage as I made my way through the swamp. The night was dark and eerily silent.
As I moved further from the cabin, I spotted the truck that the Viper had used to confront us earlier. It stood against the tree line, obscuring the environment.
My heart skipped a beat at the sight of its dark, sinister form looming in the moonlight. It had taken my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the darkness, but I could tell what it was after a few seconds. The cargo bed was open and the loading ramp was on the mud. I felt my heart pounding in my chest as I moved closer to the truck. Every step felt like an eternity, and I couldn’t shake the image of Sofia trapped inside. I knew that the Viper was up to something, and I had to find out what.
There was a chance that this was Miranda instead of Sofia. In that case, I really didn’t care that much; as far as I was concerned, she would be getting what was coming to her. But I had no choice – Miranda’s safety was important to Sofia, and that meant it was important to me, too.
I didn’t even want to think about Victor. I could only hope he was okay.
“Okay, Jace,” I muttered under my breath, clenching my fists. “Do this for her.” With a deep breath, I approached the truck, my senses heightened, every nerve tingling with anticipation.
