𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓷𝓲𝓪𝓬 ❖ 𝓫. 𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼

C H A P T E R (54) - L O N G I N G

Cassie shifted uncomfortably in the glare of the man she now knew as one of Ryan Terrence's descendants.

"It's interesting to know that Ryan actually found a woman who said yes." She finally concluded after the deadly silence had droned on too long.

Bucky sent her a concerned look which she returned, fiddling with the knife between her fingers nervously.

"It's actually very interesting," the man began, taking a few steps forward, "Because I have you exactly where I want you."

Before Cassie or Bucky could question him, a roaring alarm sounded throughout the building. A few bangs of doors shutting could be heard, and red lights flashed in the hallway.

"What's going on?" Bucky questioned, holding his gun up.

"A lockdown of the building. It's just me and you now."

Cassie swallowed before speaking up, "You wanted us alone...Why?"

The man smirked devilishly as he easily removed the hair tie from around his wrist, yet Cassie had known that could happen. She had vouched on them being out of the building before it became an issue.

He dug into the inside of his jacket, carefully removing something from inside. As he brought the jacket away and uncovered what was in his hands, it was like time froze. He was holding a red book with a large black star imprinted on the front of it.

Bucky shifted uncomfortably as he noticed what the man was holding, a sense of fear settling in his gut.

"I want something from you, Cassie. More like I want you to do something for me." He explained, "And if you don't, Mr Barnes here won't be able to recognise you in a few seconds."

Cassie swallowed harshly, not knowing what this man wanted. She had given up her mothers necklace to Ryan so long ago, so she had no idea what he could want.

"I have a knife ready to throw at your crotch, and he has a gun pointed at your chest, what do you think your odds are of you getting to say a single word from that book?"

The man let a smirk play on his lips as his eyes moved from the pair in front of him and focused on something behind them.

Before either could realise it, an arm had been wrapped around Cassie's throat as she was put into a headlock, dropping the knife from her hands as she tried to claw the arm off. The cold metal of a gun was pressed against her temple as she was turned to meet Bucky with his gun pointed at her attacker.

"Put the gun down, or she's dead." The person holding her grumbled.

Bucky shifted to put the gun down, but Cassie stopped kicking her attacker and got his attention, "Don't."

Bucky ignored her and placed the gun on the floor, kicking it away and to the other side of the hallway.

"Look, it's gone. Let her go." He warned.

With her arms still wrapped around the bicep of the person holding her, Cassie sighed as she realised she couldn't claw her way out of it. Her eyes were brought to Ryan's descendant as he wiggled the book in the air, dust leaving the pages as he did.

"You'll do as I say or your boyfriend becomes my weapon."

"He's not a weapon." She managed to say, "He's a person. And I don't have to do anything you tell me to."

"You made this decision." The man said with a straight face, opening the book, "Zhelaniye."(longing).

Bucky let out a short scream as he dropped to his knees, running his hands through his hair aggressively. An effect was already taking place, and Cassie flinched at his pain.

"Alright!" She yelled and then released a sigh, "What is it you want me to do?"

The man smirked devilishly as he eyed her up and down, admiring her newfound courage. If he wasn't on a mission, he would've found a good use for her on his side. After a few seconds of silence, he opened his mouth, a smirk still playing on his lips.

"Sacrifice yourself."