332: NO WAY OUT ARIEL’S POV “What the heck is going on around here?” I asked slowly, frightened that I was just staring at the men who held guns They wore masks, covering their identities. They were all muscular, their eyes fixed on us. It was like they had been waiting for me and Luke the whole time.. “Luke, what are we going to do?” I asked him in a whisper. “We’ll have to go back. I hope you’re putting on your seatbelts.” I nodded, tightening my seatbelt. “We’re about to go really crazy in this one,” Luke said slowly. He started the car, and immediately, those men started to shoot at us. We were lucky that no bullet landed on our heads, although some did hit the car. But Luke wasn’t shaken by that. He still drove, going backward before turning the car. The armed men got into their cars and began to chase us. The roar of the engines echoed through the empty road as Luke pushed the car to its limits, weaving through traffic with precision. My heart raced with each hairpin turn, my knuckles white from gripping the door handle. The armed men pursued us relentlessly, their vehicles closing in on us with each passing moment. Luke expertly maneuvered the car, ducking into narrow alleyways and side streets in a desperate attempt to shake off our pursuers. The sound of gunfire rang out, with bullets whizzing past the car, shattering windows and leaving spiderweb cracks in the windshield. My breath caught in my throat as the car fishtailed around a tight corner, narrowly avoiding a collision with an oncoming vehicle. Adrenaline surged through my veins, heightening my senses as I braced myself for the next harrowing twist in our deadly game of cat and mouse. The chase seemed endless, a never–ending nightmare of screeching tires and flashing lights. Luke’s eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, his jaw set in determination as he pushed the car harder. But our luck couldn’t hold out forever. A blockade of cars strategically positioned to trap us met us as we rounded a sharp bend. Luke slammed on the brakes, the tires squealing in protest as the car skidded to a halt. The armed men surrounded us, their weapons trained on Luke and me through the shattered windows. My heart sank as I realized we were trapped, with no way out. I glanced at Luke, seeing the steely resolve in his eyes, even in the face of imminent danger. We were in for the fight of our lives. “Luke,” I said softly, looking into his eyes. “We’re not safe.” “You don’t have to be scared, Ariel. Everything’s going to be alright. No one’s going to harm you.” 232 NO WAY OUT “I hope so,” I told him before looking through the window. The men stepped out of their cars with their guns. The men approached the car with purpose, their masked faces giving away nothing of their intentions. My heart pounded in my chest as fear gripped me tightly, knowing we were at their mercy. Luke tensed beside me, his muscles colled like a spring, ready to unleash its force. As the first man reached for the door handle, Luke reacted instinctively, lashing out with a ferocity I had never seen before. He managed to land a few solid blows, sending some of the men crashing to the ground, but they quickly recovered, overpowering him with sheer strength in numbers. “Luke!” I screamed his name, the sound echoing in the confined space of the car as I watched in horror. But my cries fell on deaf ears as the men turned their attention towards me. With brutal efficiency, they dragged me from the car, ignoring my struggles and pleas for mercy. Panic surged through me as I fought against their grip, but it was futile. The men were relentless, their faces cold and impassive as they dragged us away from the safety of the car. I caught one last glimpse of Luke, lying motionless on the ground, before a sharp blow to the head sent me spiraling into darkness. The world faded away, swallowed by the abyss of unconsciousness, as the men’s cruel hands robbed me of all sense and reason. My head throbbed as I slowly regained consciousness, my surroundings swimming into focus. Blinking groggily, I realized I was in a room that was dark to a certain degree. I tightly bound my hands behind my back. Panic spread through me as I frantically scanned the room, my heart hammering in my chest. Beside me, Luke lay unconscious, his breathing shallow and labored. With a surge of resolve, I struggled to move closer to him, my limbs heavy and weak from whatever drugs they had administered. “Luke,” I croaked; my voice was barely above a whisper. “Luke, wake up.” I I tapped him gently, desperation clawing at my throat as I tried to rouse him from his stupor. After a few agonizing moments, his eyelids fluttered open, his gaze unfocused as he blinked blear “Ariel?” he murmured, confusion clouding his features as he took in our dire situation. “What… where are We?” “I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice trembling with fear. “But we need to find a way out of here.” Luke nodded, sitting down and trying to catch his breath. We surveyed our surroundings, searching for any possible means of escape. But the room was bare, save for a single door, ominously locked and impenetrable. “We’ll figure something out,” Luke reassured me, his voice firm despite the uncertainty that hung in the air. “We just need to stay calm and think.” But as the minutes stretched, hope began to wane, replaced by a gnawing sense of dread. Trapped in this windowless room, with no way of knowing what fate awaited us, the reality of our situation weighed NO WAY OUT heavily on us. But even in the face of adversity, I refused to give up. Holding onto the remaining glimmer of hope, I pledged to relentlessly fight for our freedom, regardless of the challenges we faced. Because there was no way I would let someone ruin our relationship when it was getting better than before. The tension in the room thickened, and Luke reached out to me, his hand finding mine in the darkness. Despite the fear gnawing at my insides, his touch offered a sliver of comfort, grounding me in the midst of chaos. “Don’t be scared, Ariel,” Luke whispered. “We’ll get through this together, I promise.” I nodded, clinging to his words like a lifeline as we huddled close, drawing strength from each other’s presence. Before we could formulate a plan, the door creaked open, admitting two masked men with guns held tightly in their hands. My heart lurched at the sight of them, fear clawing at my throat as I braced myself for what was to come. “Who are you? What do you want?” Luke demanded as he squared his shoulders, refusing to show any sign of weakness. But the men remained silent, their masked faces betraying nothing of their intentions as they advanced into the room. Luke’s question hung in the air, unanswered, as the men descended upon him with brutal force. I watched in horror as they unleashed a flurry of blows, their fists raining mercilessly down upon him. “Stop!” I screamed, my voice raw with desperation, as I struggled against my restraints, helpless to intervene. “That’s enough,” another voice echoed in the room. Enjoy Ad–Free Reading->
