The Wedding Party

Part 86: A Proposal

In the dimly lit attic, Jairo's voice echoed through the cramped space, his frustration mounting. "Amelia, I told you to stop going through those damn Brandt files!"

Amelia looked up from the stack of papers in her hands, her eyes wide with innocence. "I'm not looking at the Brandt files, Dad. I swear. These are about someone else."

"Who?" Jairo demanded, glancing nervously over his shoulder as if he expected Brandt to materialize out of thin air.

"Someone who might be connected," Amelia murmured, her voice barely audible.

Down in the dark, damp tunnels, Alanna strained her ears and caught the faint sound of water trickling nearby. Her pulse quickened as she followed the noise, leading Helena and Preston through a large pipe that opened to the outside world.

"Wait!" Alanna called out, urgency lacing her voice. "I think I hear Ashleigh!"

"Are you sure?" Helena asked, her brow furrowing with concern.

"Pretty sure," Alanna replied, her heart pounding in her chest. "Ashleigh! Can you hear me?"

Above ground, Ashleigh's tear-streaked face contorted in anguish as she heard Alanna's distant call. Her sobs grew louder, echoing through the storm drain where Brandt had imprisoned her.

"Is your precious Alanna willing to die for you?" Brandt sneered, his icy breath tickling the hairs on the back of her neck.

"Leave her alone!" Ashleigh screamed, her voice hoarse and desperate.

Unbeknownst to Ashleigh, Alanna continued her frantic search through the woods, convinced she could hear her girlfriend's cries for help. She sprinted blindly, branches scratching at her face and arms. Suddenly, Brandt appeared behind Alanna, his menacing figure looming like a phantom in the shadows.

"Get away from her!" Helena shouted, raising her gun and firing a shot at Brandt. The bullet missed its target, but the sound of gunfire echoed through the trees.

"Come on, Preston," Helena urged, sprinting after the fleeing murderer. "We have to catch him!"

"Be careful, Alanna," Preston called out as they left her behind, his eyes filled with apprehension. "Find Ashleigh and stay safe!"

Alone now, Alanna pressed on, her breath ragged and her legs aching. As she stumbled forward, Helena's voice pierced the silence again, this time with a note of astonishment.

"Look at this!" she exclaimed. "Braeden brought me here once. It's a totem he made for protection."

"Focus, Helena," Preston urged, his voice tense. "We can worry about that later. Right now, we need to stop Brandt."

Alanna's heart pounded in her chest as she stumbled upon the drainage bridge, her voice a mix of desperation and hope. "Ashleigh! Can you hear me?"

"Alanna!" Ashleigh's voice reached her ears, faint but unmistakable, from somewhere beyond the bridge.

"Stay where you are, Ash! I'm coming to get you!" Alanna called back, determination burning through her veins as she sprinted across the creaky wooden bridge. Her progress was halted by a fence partition that blocked her path. She clenched her fists, frustration bubbling up within her. Ashleigh's cries grew louder, urging her on.

"Alanna! Please, hurry!" Ashleigh sobbed, her voice cracking under the weight of her terror.

"Keep talking, Ash! I'll find you!" Alanna shouted, scanning the area for any way around the obstruction. Her eyes locked onto a ladder nearby, partially hidden amongst the overgrowth. She wasted no time, grabbing it and scaling the rusty rungs with fierce determination."Alanna...please," Ashleigh whimpered, her voice closer now. Alanna's heart raced as she finally found her, trapped behind a grate. With no time to waste, she raised her rifle and shot the lock clean off, the sound echoing like a gunshot of freedom.

"Come on, Ash!" Alanna cried, pulling her free from her prison. Together they ran towards the top of the cliff, adrenaline fueling their every step. With the wind whipping around them, Alanna stopped for a moment, her eyes locked onto Ashleigh's tear-streaked face.

"Ashleigh, I love you so much. Will you marry me?" Alanna asked, her voice breaking with emotion.

"Yes, Alanna. Yes!" Ashleigh sobbed, her tears flowing freely in a mix of joy and fear. Their moment of happiness was short-lived, however, as the sight of Brandt's menacing figure appeared nearby.

"Run!" Alanna shouted, firing at Brandt and missing. They sprinted back across the drainage bridge, only to be stopped by the fence partition once more. Alanna helped Ashleigh around it, her heart hammering as she noticed Ashleigh losing her footing on the edge of the bridge.

"Alanna!" Ashleigh cried out, clinging to Alanna's arm for dear life. With no other option, Alanna swung her rifle like a bat, trying to fend off their attacker. But Brandt was too quick, snatching the weapon and tossing it over the bridge with a sinister grin.

"Leave her alone!" Alanna screamed, lunging at Brandt with all her strength. His cold eyes locked onto hers as he pushed the boarding knife closer to her neck, his grip relentless. Ashleigh's terrified cries filled the air as the blade pierced Alanna's collarbone, pain blossoming through her body.

"Fight, Ashleigh! Fight!" Alanna managed to choke out as her vision blurred. It was the last thing she said before Brandt broke her ribcage, sending her plummeting over the bridge into the churning waters below.