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As Morgan's car tore through the busy Dallas streets, her heart pounded with urgency. The glow of the dashboard cast eerie shadows across her face while her knuckles turned white from gripping the wheel. She couldn't afford to waste a single second – Sarah's life was at stake.
"Derik, I'm not waiting for backup," she said into her phone, her voice barely concealing the tension that gripped her. "I need to get to St. Joseph's Church now."
"Morgan, it's too dangerous to go in alone," Derik implored. "At least let me meet you there."
She hesitated for a moment, weighing the risks. Every second counted, but she knew she couldn't let her impulsiveness jeopardize the mission. Her jaw clenched as she made her decision. "Alright, fine. But hurry up. If there's even a chance to save Sarah, I have to try."
"Deal. I'll be there as soon as I can." There was a brief pause, and then Derik's voice took on a more vulnerable tone. "Morgan... before you go, there's something I need to say."
"Derik, this isn't the time—"
"Please, just hear me out." He sounded almost desperate. "I know I screwed up our relationship and partnership, but I still love you. I know you can't trust me again, but I'm asking you to let me be there for you as your partner, even just in the FBI."
Morgan's mouth went dry, her throat tightening with emotion. The weight of their shared history bore down on her like a crushing wave. As much as she wanted to push him away, to keep her distance, she knew that she needed him by her side this time. Maybe this was the first step toward healing again. Maybe, as long as she held onto this animosity toward Derik, she'd never heal either.
"Fine," she breathed out, trying to sound unaffected. "Meet me at the church. But you better hurry. I'm going in."
"Okay," he said. "I'm coming, Morgan. Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. We need a game plan."
The Dallas skyline glistened in the distance, its neon lights reflecting off the wet pavement as Morgan's car tore through the late-night traffic. She gripped the steering wheel tighter, her knuckles turning white from the pressure. Her mind raced with thoughts of Derik and the confession he had just made.
A stab of emotion pierced through Morgan's hardened exterior, catching her off guard. They had been through so much together - the good, the bad, and the unforgivable. She had been so sure she was done with him, but as much as she tried to ignore the lingering feelings that still twisted inside her chest, she couldn't deny their existence.
Pushing that aside, Morgan considered what the gameplan should be. They couldn't just go in blind--they had to have some semblance of a plan.
"Derik," she said into the phone, her voice steady and determined, "you can meet me at the church, but you better hurry. I'll be there in ten minutes."
"Got it," Derik replied, urgency in his tone. "I'll try the front if I get there in time."
"Good," Morgan responded curtly before hanging up the call. She couldn't afford any distractions, not when an innocent woman's life hung in the balance.
As she sped toward St. Joseph's Church, the worn road beneath her tires seemed to echo the turmoil within her heart. She shut out the noise of the world around her and focused solely on her destination, her resolve unwavering. The abandoned church loomed in the distance like a shadowy specter, its once-grand structure now a crumbling relic of the past.
"Sarah, hang on," Morgan whispered, her words an unspoken promise to the woman she vowed to save. She would succeed, no matter the cost. And perhaps, in doing so, she could begin to mend the fractures within her own heart as well.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
The moon cast an eerie glow over the abandoned St. Joseph's Church, painting its crumbling façade with sinister shadows. As Morgan pulled up to the back of the church, her headlights illuminated a lone car tucked away in the darkness—a small pink sedan that looked out of place among the desolate ruins.
"Calvin Morse," Morgan muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing as she studied the car. Her gut told her that this was Mildred's former car and that Calvin had driven it here. She quickly checked inside, and sure enough, there was an old teddy bear sitting on the passenger seat, along with a pair of glasses that clearly belonged to an elderly woman. This was it.
Where are you, Derik? she thought, her heart pounding in her chest. He still hadn't arrived, but she couldn't afford to wait any longer. Sarah's life was at stake.
Steeling herself, Morgan approached the back entrance of the church, her footsteps muffled by the damp grass. The once-stunning stained glass windows were now mostly shattered, their vibrant colors reduced to jagged shards that glinted menacingly in the moonlight. Rotting doors hung off their hinges, providing ample access for anyone—or anything—to slip inside.
Her hand instinctively rested on the gun holstered at her hip. She was dealing with a killer, after all, and she couldn't let her guard down for even a moment. Despite the lingering emotions she felt towards Derik, now was not the time to dwell on them.
As she stepped cautiously into the abandoned church, the air grew cold and stale, heavy with the weight of lost memories and forsaken prayers. Moonlight filtered through the broken windows, casting fractured patterns across the dusty floor. Morgan could almost hear the echoes of long-forgotten hymns and whispered confessions, the ghosts of the past still haunting the decaying sanctuary.
With her gun drawn, Morgan eased into the abandoned church, her senses on high alert. The air was thick with the scent of decay and mildew, a testament to the years of neglect that had befallen the once-sacred space. Her footsteps felt deafening as she crept forward, each step stirring up clouds of dust that danced in the fractured moonlight.
Where are you, Calvin? she thought, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. She knew that time was running out for Sarah, and it sent a cold shiver down her spine.
As she moved deeper into the church, she found herself facing the west wing stairs, their wooden steps warped and groaning under the slightest pressure. With no other options, Morgan steeled herself and began to ascend, each careful step a prayer that the stairs wouldn't collapse beneath her.
Keep calm, stay focused, she repeated to herself like a mantra, her heart pounding in her chest.
