Page 58 of Choose Me

"Oh, and don't do anything stupid. This isn't the time for heroics. Be smart. Let's find this bitch and get Ava and Everett home."

I nodded, my heart raced as I took off towards the buildings to the south. They loomed over me. The broken windows and graffiti felt like I was in a post-apocalyptic world. Every sound I heard made me jump, my hand hovering over my gun, and I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. I looked up at the first building on my list, my eyes scanning the windows and doors for any signs of movement. The building was an old warehouse, and it was dark inside. I could see old crates and pallets stacked on each other inside. I took a deep breath and stepped inside. The air was musty and smelled of rotting wood. Walking through the dim light, my footsteps echoed against the concrete floor.

I pulled out my flashlight and shone it around the room, listening intently for any sounds. All I could hear was the sound of my breathing and the occasional drip of water. I took a step forward, the floorboards creaking under my weight. A rustling noise caught my attention from the corner of the room. I raised my gun, aiming into the darkness.

"Show yourself," I commanded.

There was a long pause before a figure emerged from the shadows with their arms raised. It was a homeless man, his clothes tattered and dirty, and his face covered in grime.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"I'm with the FBI," I replied, lowering my gun. "Have you seen anyone suspicious around here?"

The homeless man shook his head. "Nah, just me and a few others. The normal crowd. We keep to ourselves, though."

I nodded, wary. "Do you mind if I take a look around?"

The homeless man shrugged. "Sure, why not? I don't own the place."

I cleared the building, marked it off the map, and checked in with Brock. As I made my way deeper into the industrial section, I felt like everything was too quiet, too eerie. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I went into the next building, and my flashlight caught the glint of something shiny in the corner of my eye. My flashlight beamed across it and revealed Ava's dress from the night of the banquet, pinned to a wooden crate. I lifted it to my face and inhaled her scent, my heart thumping wildly in my chest. There was a noise behind me, and I spun around, eyes scanning the room.

"Drop your weapon." Her voice said, hidden in the shadows.

Panic clawed through my chest, and even though I couldn't tell what direction she was coming from, I kept my gun pointed forward anyway.

"Why don't you come out and we can talk?" I said, trying to buy time.

Her voice was cold and robotic. "I don't think so. Drop your weapon."

My blood chilled, and I knew I had to think fast. "I just want to talk."

"I'm not in a talking mood. Now, drop your weapon, or I will blow your little girlfriend to pieces." She waved her other hand, brandishing a handheld remote. "I am getting really tired of repeating myself. Maybe I should just hit this button and finish it all."

"No! Don't, please. If I drop my weapon, will you take me to her?"

There was a long pause before she finally spoke. "Throw your weapon and your phone over there." She pointed toward the corner behind me and held up the remote again, her finger hovering over the button.

I slowly lowered my gun, placed it on the ground, and kicked it behind me. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, keeping my gaze in her direction, and kicked it to the corner.

She stepped out of the shadows, and I could see her face for the first time outside of her picture. She was taller than I expected, her brown hair was greasy, and she had this manic look. Her eyes were cold and blue, identical to the eyes of her brother.

There was a moment of tense silence before she spoke again. "If you try anything, I will not hesitate to use this." She raised the remote for emphasis. "I know other agents are crawling the district looking for me. If you alert anyone, she's dead. If you try to disarm me, she's dead. If you don't do what I say, when I say it, boom, she's dead. Do you understand?"

"I understand. I won't try anything. Please take me to her."

"Start walking." She gestured towards the exit and fell in step behind me, giving me directions through the building. She walked us through dark corridors, sticking to the shadows, her actions quick and purposeful. I was afraid of Ava's state, but I would do whatever Margaret asked as long as she brought me to her.

We had walked for about five minutes when she spoke again. "Stop walking."

I turned. I was waiting for her following command. She smiled at me and checked her watch. A loud explosion went off, shaking the ground beneath us. The building we came from was a pile of ash and rock, and Margaret's smile turned into a look of satisfaction.

"This ought to keep your agents busy for a while. I can't have them interfering."

The sinking feeling in my stomach festered into pure dread. "Where is she?" I demanded my voice tight with fear.

Margaret's smile returned, and she gestured to a building on the riverbank, "Just over there." I walked into the building, and she nodded toward a door at the end of the hallway. I stepped forward, my hand shaking as I reached for the doorknob. I was afraid of what I might see. The door creaked open, revealing a small room with one light bulb hanging from the ceiling.

"Where are they?" I spun around, but there was a sharp pinch in the side of my neck. I stumbled backward, holding my neck, "What did you do?"

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