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"Almost there," Adam announced, his voice dripping with anticipation. "You're going to love your new home."
Morgan clenched her jaw, bracing herself for whatever horrors awaited her.
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
The coarse fabric of the bag pressed against Morgan's face, making it difficult to breathe. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stumbled through the darkness, guided by the rough grip of Adam Sallow on her arm. He had knocked Derik out and threatened his life, leaving her no choice but to comply with his demands. She wished she could reassure herself that Derik was alive, but she knew better than to place any trust in the killer who held her captive.
As they went up a set of stairs, the sound of their footsteps echoing in what seemed to be an abandoned wildlife facility, she tried to memorize every turn, every step, anything that might help her escape. The sharp stench of rust and decay filled her nostrils.
"Move faster," Adam snarled, "unless you want me to change my mind and kill your partner."
Morgan's pulse quickened at the mention of Derik, and she hurried her steps, not wanting to test Adam's threat.
A cacophony of creaking hinges broke the silence as Adam pushed open a set of heavy metal doors. He shoved Morgan into a room, slamming the doors shut behind them. Rough hands grabbed her wrists, binding them tightly before yanking the bag off her head.
As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, they fell upon a horrifying sight: a woman tied to a chair, unconscious, with deep incisions running up her arms and feathers stuffed into the wounds. Alexandra, the victim they'd been searching for. Alive, but in a state that made Morgan's stomach churn.
"Look at her," Adam said, his voice dripping with pride. "Isn't she beautiful?"
"Beautiful?" Morgan spat, her voice hoarse. "You're a monster."
"Monster?" He chuckled darkly.
Adam slammed the door behind them, the sound reverberating through the room as he moved to barricade it. Morgan glared at him, her anger boiling to the surface despite her precarious situation.
"Your words have no meaning to me," he said coldly, gripping her arm and forcing her to sit on a chair positioned in the center of the room. He tied her wrists securely, making sure she couldn't move an inch. As Morgan tugged against the restraints, she racked her brain for any possible way out of this nightmare. Derik was still unconscious somewhere below, and she had no idea when—or if—he would wake up.
As Adam stepped away to retrieve something from the shadows, Morgan's heart raced in her chest. She knew she needed to buy time, to distract him somehow. When he emerged with a syringe filled with an ominous liquid, her determination solidified.
"Tell me," she began, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins, "why are you so afraid of ravens?"
"Ravens?" He scoffed, approaching her with the needle. "I'm not afraid of anything. Least of all you."
But Morgan caught the subtle twitch in his expression, the slight crack in his facade that told her she was onto something. She continued working her wrists against the ropes, hoping to loosen them enough to break free.
"Your obsession with birds...it's personal, isn't it?" she pressed, watching his eyes narrow as she spoke. "Are you trying to prove something? To show everyone that you're not afraid?"
"Shut up." His voice was low and menacing, but Morgan could see the turmoil beneath the surface. She knew she was getting to him, and she refused to let up.
"Is that why you chose Alexandra?" she asked, her gaze flicking to the unconscious woman. “She reminds you of a bird? And you want to prove to yourself that you’re not afraid anymore?”
"Enough!" Adam snarled, looming over her with the syringe in hand. "I said shut up!"
Morgan held his gaze, her heart pounding in her ears as she felt her restraints beginning to give way. She needed just a little more time, and she had to keep him talking.
"Fine," she conceded, her voice dripping with false submission. "But one day, you'll have to face your fears—whether it's ravens or something else entirely."
"Like I told you," he growled, raising the needle to inject her. "I'm not afraid of anything... Especially," he added with a sinister grin, "you."
"Adam, I can't imagine how traumatic it must have been for you," Morgan said, trying to empathize with him. "To have your eye eaten out by a crow when you were just a kid... And on a field trip for all the other kids to see too... That must have been so embarrassing."
"Shut up!" Adam yelled, his face contorting with anger as Morgan continued working her restraints. She noted that he was getting more agitated as she spoke, which told her that she was pushing the right buttons. She could feel her bonds loosening, but she still needed more time.
"Tell me about your childhood," Morgan ventured, trying to keep him talking. "Did you feel like an outcast because of what happened?"
"Who the hell do you think you are, my therapist?" Adam snapped, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of vulnerability. He took a deep breath, regaining his composure as he launched into an unhinged rant. "I'm an artist, free like a bird! I create masterpieces, and no one understands what I am capable of!"
Morgan listened, equal parts fascinated and horrified, as she realized that not even Adam seemed to know what he was. All the while, she continued to work her restraints, feeling them gradually giving way under her persistent efforts. Her heart pounded in her chest as she knew that her window of opportunity was closing fast.
