Still Alive - Adam Stanheight

Chapter 20

TW: Kidnapping and slight t0rt*re.

Adam's eyes slowly open. He is somewhere familiar, not Brielle's apartment though. It takes him a while to gain full consciousness. He realises he is in the same room Liliana died in. All he can taste his blood, throbbing from in his mouth. His head feels heavy, something metal and rough placed on it. That's when he realises what's been done. The reverse bear trap.

Adam begins to scream but his voice is completely muffled, meaning no one can hear or understand him. He tries to struggle out of the chair but he is bound too tight from everywhere. Tears prick his eyes in the midst of all the panic. He isn't thinking of himself at all. He's afraid of what they've done to Brielle.

He suddenly hears a familiar scream. He whips his head around to see that Brielle has awoken too. Her mouth is also bound with tape. Her jacket, belt, socks, and shoes have been taken. Her hands are tied behind her back and one of her bare feet is shackled to the wall. A hacksaw lies beside her. Adam is fully aware that this is his punishment, to see Brielle suffer the way he did.

She tries to scream Adam's name but just like him, she isn't able to speak at all. Adam continues to struggle so he can free her, even though it is no use. Once he stops, he stares into Brielle's eyes which are blotchy and teary like his. They don't break eye contact at all. Even in their helpless circumstances, there seems to be a tiny bit of hope present in both of them.

They both jump as two people enter the room. John and Amanda slowly emerge them both, smug and evil expressions on their faces. Adam and Brielle can do nothing but listen to what they have to say and prepare themselves for the torture they may endure.

"Hello Adam Stanheight and Brielle Mason," John begins with his chilling voice. "Before I tell you why you're here, I want you to know that you will both walk out of here alive, if you obey us. Brielle, I have access to your key and Adam, the reverse bear trap is deactivated."

"But we will activate it if you try anything funny," Amanda butts in. Adam nods slightly, every inch of his body shaking in fear. He looks over at Brielle, who is doing her best to stay as calm as possible. John then holds up a remote. "I'm sure you're familiar with this, Adam. Remember what you got when you and Dr Gordon tried to cheat the game?"

Adam whimpers, fully aware that they could electrocute Brielle at any given moment. He doesn't want her to feel that kind of pain. He'll go through any sort of pain if it means she doesn't have to. He would let this bear trap open on his face if it means she gets to live freely. Little does he know that she would do the exact same thing for him.

"Let me tell you why you both are here," John announces, pulling a chair to the middle of the room in front of them. He turns to Adam first.

"You're a good person, Adam. You've proven that to me on several occasions, but when working for me, taking things to a personal level is extremely dangerous. I've known this whole time that you were the one who tried to save Liliana White. Nothing anybody does around here doesn't go unnoticed, no matter what it is. I wish you hadn't involved yourself in our work. After your test, your state has been extremely fragile. I knew that you didn't come here to thank me. It was purely out of revenge. I can't say that I blame you, as I am aware of some of the faults in your test, but you also should've moved on with your life while you had the chance. Evidently, revenge gets you nowhere."

Adam continues to whimper under the trap, this time angrier. He is angry at John for doing this to him but also at himself for thinking that he could put possibly the smartest killer on the planet in prison. Not even Hannibal Lecter would want to mess with this guy.

John turns to Brielle next. She can't even clearly see him without her glasses which Amanda had broken, seeing as they were chucked on the floor beside her, the lenses crushed. "We've burned each and every piece of evidence you have gathered in the past few weeks, Detective Mason," John says to her. "Or are you even a detective? According to sources you're just a nineteen-year-old college student working with the forces full time. I'm not trying to be condescending. You're actually so skilled that they completely take advantage of you when working against me. They'll drop you once this all blows over. Trust me."