The hallways were pitch black, the shouting had faded into nothing, and the once dim blue lights flickered red. An alarm wailed through the silence like a distant scream. My pulse hammered in my ears as I fumbled for the machine’s power button. I needed to detach myself without alerting anyone. This entire time, a small part of me kept whispering to ignore it all—because what even was reality anymore?
When I found the button, I ripped off the leads, leaving the adhesive patches still clinging to my skin. The room echoed with a stillness that felt unnatural, like the world was holding its breath. Then, I heard footsteps approaching—quick, deliberate. No weapon, no plan, just panic.
Pin appeared, moving swiftly but with unsettling calm.
“We’re taking a short trip,” he murmured, his voice low and steady.
There was no point questioning him. We started toward the elevator at a deliberate pace, my skin prickling with anxiety that was tearing apart what little composure I had left. Inside the elevator, the walls felt like they were closing in. My thoughts were shredded.
“What’s happening?” My voice was sharp, frantic.
“I’m not quite sure.” His words were calm, collected—a sharp contrast to the chaos outside.
As the elevator neared the surface, the distant echoes of gunfire shattered the silence. I jumped, my back slamming against the metal handrails. Even Pin took a step back, though his face remained an unreadable mask.
“When the door opens,” he began, his tone cold and measured, “we run. Head for the stairs. Parking lot.”
“Bullets,” I stammered, my mind struggling to keep up with the situation.
He pressed his finger on the button, holding the door closed. “I’ve got us covered.” He revealed a Glock 21, held firm in his hand.
Everything in me screamed that this was a terrible idea, but I had no better one. The second the door slid open, we bolted for the stairs. The darkness cloaked us, making the blinking red lights disorienting. Without them, we wouldn’t be running this fast.
The parking lot was a dead zone. Pin started the engine of a car across the lot, its headlights slicing through the shadows, revealing bodies sprawled on the cement. His expression shifted to one of mild annoyance, as if this was just another inconvenience. I slowed down, my gaze locking onto a man getting into his own vehicle.. His face covered by a bandage and ball cap, his bare forearms were slick with sweat, his weapon tight in his free hand.
I hesitated, but Pin’s sharp gaze snapped to me, then back to the man whose eyes locked into mine.
“Get going, princess,” the man ordered, his voice urgent.
A shiver crawled up my spine. Only one person had ever called me that. Pin gripped my bicep, pulling me away. I didn’t fight him. I couldn’t—my mind was stuck in the past, trying to untangle the significance of the man’s words.
“We’ll be back,” Pin muttered as he shoved me into the car and revved the engine. We sped out of the underground lot.
Christian was waiting, sitting on the hood of his ash-grey Hellcat with an AK-47 hanging limply from his hands. He slid off the car as we pulled up, his expression dark but unreadable. The nighttime surroundings a blur. His face flicked over me before locking onto Pin, muttering instructions about our next destination. I wanted to say something—anything—but he broke our gaze and tapped the roof of the car before getting into his own. Without a word to me.
Pin caught the way I looked at Christian, but I refused to meet his eyes as we drove away. The silence between us was thick, broken only by the distant rumble of what felt like an explosion. My heart jolted in my chest as I slammed my hands against the dashboard, startled.
YOU ARE READING
Subdue-X
RandomAna's world is turned upside down when she becomes entangled in a deadly drug trial, orchestrated by someone she trusted. As she fights to survive the harrowing ordeal, Ana's relationship with Christian is tested to its limits. Amidst their struggle...
