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At last, she reached the top of the stairs, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she surveyed the gallery before her. And there, in the dim light, she saw him—Calvin Morse, a tall, skinny man with an unsettling intensity about him.
"Please, let me go!" Sarah's voice trembled, barely audible as she stood beside Calvin, terror etched across her wrinkled face. Clad only in a thin nightgown, the elderly woman looked frail and vulnerable in the monster's grasp.
"Shut up!" Calvin snapped, his voice ice-cold and merciless. "You're not going anywhere until I'm done with you."
"Calvin Morse!" Morgan called out, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her insides. "Let her go. There's nowhere for you to run."
Morgan took a tentative step forward, careful not to make any sudden movements that might provoke Calvin. The floorboards beneath her groaned in protest, something she couldn't prevent in the old, decaying church. Calvin's head snapped towards her, his grip on Sarah tightening as he brandished tooth extraction tools in his other hand like a deadly weapon.
"Stay back!" he warned, wild-eyed and unpredictable. Sarah let out a shrill scream, her frail body trembling violently.
"Calvin, I just want to talk," Morgan said, trying to keep her voice steady despite the fear threatening to consume her. "My name is Morgan Cross. I work for the FBI."
"I know who you are," Calvin spat, his gaze never leaving hers. "Did you enjoy my little gift? Mildred's teeth?"
Morgan fought the urge to shudder at the memory. "Yes, I received them. But why send me clues, Calvin? Did you want to get caught?"
"Caught?" Calvin laughed, the sound hollow and devoid of humor. "No, Agent Cross, I wanted you to see the truth. To understand what I've become."
Morgan knew this was her chance. If she could keep him talking, maybe she could find an opening to save Sarah and apprehend Calvin without further violence. She forced herself to remain calm, reaching deep within herself to draw upon the years of training and experience she'd accumulated as an agent.
"Tell me, then," Morgan said, her eyes never leaving his. "Help me understand, Calvin. Why did you do it?"
As Calvin hesitated, Morgan felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could reach him before it was too late.
"Darkness," Calvin began, his grip on Sarah tightening, "I've always had it inside me. The world never understood, never gave me the attention I deserved." His eyes seemed to lose focus for a moment before snapping back to Morgan. "But Mildred saw something in me. She was like a mother, a grandmother, a mentor... whatever you want to call it."
Morgan could see the desperation in his eyes, the need for connection and understanding. It was a feeling she knew all too well. "Calvin, I understand what it's like to be alone. To feel abandoned by the world," she said softly, taking a careful step forward.
His laughter was harsh and bitter. "Oh, I know all about your story, Agent Cross. Ten years in prison for a crime you didn't commit, framed by the very people you thought you could trust. I read all about you. That's why I knew you'd be the perfect one to find me."
A shiver ran down her spine as she realized the depth of his obsession with her. She couldn't let that distract her, though; Sarah's life was hanging in the balance. Morgan focused on keeping her tone steady and empathetic. "It's hard, isn't it? Feeling like no one understands you, like you're all alone in the world."
As she spoke, Morgan continued inching closer to Calvin, her senses heightened as she prepared to act if given an opportunity. But she also knew that any sudden movement might set him off, so she held herself in check, outwardly calm even as her heart raced in her chest.
"Even when we're surrounded by people, we can still feel isolated and invisible," she continued, watching Calvin's face for any sign of softening. "But you don't have to let that darkness define you, Calvin. There's still time to choose a different path."
For a moment, his wild gaze seemed to waver, and Morgan hoped that her words were getting through to him. But then his jaw clenched, and she knew it wasn't enough. Not yet.
"Too late for that," he snarled, and Morgan saw the cold determination return to his eyes. "I am who I am, Agent Cross. And soon, you'll understand just what that means."
As Calvin's grip on Sarah tightened and the tooth extraction tools glinted menacingly in his hand, Morgan knew she had to find a way to end this standoff before it was too late. She couldn't let another life be lost to Calvin's twisted desires – not if she could help it.
As Calvin's rant continued, Morgan's gaze darted around the dimly lit gallery, searching for any advantage she could find. The cold air of the abandoned church seemed to seep into her bones, but adrenaline coursed through her veins, keeping her focused and alert. She knew she had to do something – anything – to save Sarah from this madman's clutches.
That's when she caught sight of Derik, approaching silently from the other side of the gallery. Relief surged through her chest. He'd made it in time, just as he'd promised. But they had no room for error, and if Calvin noticed Derik too soon, the situation might escalate beyond their control.
"Calvin," Morgan began, trying to keep his attention on her and away from Derik's stealthy approach. "You don't have to go through with this."
"Shut up!" he spat, the intensity of his glare causing a shiver to run down Morgan's spine. "I told you, there's no turning back now!"
Just then, Derik reached the edge of the gallery and stepped on a loose floorboard, its creak echoing through the church like a gunshot. Calvin's head whipped around, his eyes widening in surprise as he realized he was no longer in control.
"FREEZE!" Derik barked, his weapon trained on Calvin.
Seizing the moment, Morgan lunged forward and grabbed Sarah, pulling the frail woman to safety behind her. In that split second, the air seemed to hang heavy, as if time itself had stopped. But then reality rushed back in, and chaos erupted.
"NO!" Calvin shouted, his face contorted with rage as he turned on Derik, who had no choice but to lower his gun so as not to risk hitting Morgan or Sarah.
