The Daughter Extraction

Cloaked in Tranquility

•LUNA•

The sun beat down mercilessly as Alec and I stumbled upon the river, its calm waters stretching out before us.

The river was wide, a tranquil expanse mirroring the cloudless sky. Smooth rocks adorned the riverbank, shimmering under the relentless gaze of the hot sun.

Exhaustion clung to my limbs, and dehydration seemed to seep into my very core. With each step, the sun's heat pressed against my skin like a relentless force. As we approached the water's edge, I could feel the pull of relief drawing me closer.

Dragging my weary feet, I peeled off my thin sweater and dropped to my knees on the riverbank. The smooth rocks beneath felt cool against my skin as I cupped my hands, scooping up the refreshing water.

With a splash, I brought the river's cool embrace to my face, feeling its rejuvenating touch wash away the weariness.

After hours of wandering through the woods, the river's presence enveloped us in a peaceful cocoon. Silence hung in the air, broken only by the gentle rustle of leaves and the soft murmurs of the flowing water.

I leaned back and turned to the side to see Alec. He was sitting down on a dead tree log lying nearby with the map in his hands, his face contorted with all seriousness.

"We're not far from town." He said without even looking up from the map. "We can walk another two miles heading East and we can radio my crew to pick us up."

I released a sigh and propped my arms behind my back to lean on them. I closed my eyes for a moment to try and catch my breath. But my small moment of peace did not last long when something soft landed on my lap.

I looked down and saw two folded pieces of clothing lying there; a pair of jeans with a gray t-shirt.

"Put these clothes on. It'll be much easier for you to dress casually and blend in. We don't want to catch more people's attention on the way, these guys could have already spread the word around and people might actually recognize you because of your clothes."

I immediately glanced at the long gray sweatpants I had on and the white tank top. These were the first clothes Emiliano's man had given me to change into the first night they brought me here.

I picked up the clothes and slowly stood up while facing Alec.

"Thank you." He gave me a brief nod and we just stared at each other.

I gave him another minute but he still seem pretty oblivious to the message.

"Do you mind...?"

"Oh, right." He quickly said after finally realizing before swiftly turning his back on me to let me change.

I couldn't help but smile while pulling the gray t-shirt over my tank top. I swiftly ditched the sweatpants and slid into the jeans, thinking they fit perfectly, but who am I kidding?

Being CIA, he probably did a background check on me, uncovering my clothes sizes and favorite food.

"Okay, I'm done," I told him, flipping my hair out and tying it back in a low ponytail.

Alec turned around, and his eyes met mine before drifting down to my outfit. No reaction showed on his face as he opened his backpack and pulled out a cap.

Dropping the bag on the ground, he took two steps toward me. My breath caught in my throat as I looked up at him.

I must have looked like a dwarf compared to his height. He must be what, six foot tall? And poor me is only 5 ft 3.

He placed the cap over my head and adjusted it perfectly. My heart pounded like a drum, each beat echoing in the quiet space between us.

Alec's gaze locked onto mine, and the intensity of our eye contact felt like a magnetic force pulling me closer. In that moment, a spark ignited within me, a wildfire coursing through my veins, setting my entire body ablaze.

This is insane, right? I shouldn't be feeling this way toward someone I just met. He's here to protect me, essentially my bodyguard. Attraction shouldn't be part of the equation.

He broke eye contact, stepping back and clearing his throat. I touched the cap on my head before shoving my hands in my back pocket.

Alec picked up his backpack, adjusted the strap over his shoulder, and looked at me again.

"Let's keep moving and hopefully find someplace safe to lay low before sundown."

I nodded and trailed after him as we walked alongside the river. Our brief moment from before was quickly forgotten, as if it never happened.

OoO

We stumbled upon this rundown warehouse by the roadside. The highway was eerily quiet, not a single car in sight, and no signs of life anywhere.

As I continued walking, Alec suddenly grabbed my arm and steered me towards the warehouse, leaving me bewildered.

"Why are we heading there?"

"It's getting dark. We'll stay here for the night and hit the road again tomorrow morning, heading back to town," he explained firmly.

Without further questioning, I followed him inside. The warehouse, a two-story structure with open walls and a creaky old staircase, greeted us.

We settled on the ground floor, and I found a dim corner to sit in. The last remnants of sunlight filtered through, casting a warm orange hue around us.

Alec dropped his backpack against the wall, positioned himself where the door should have been, and gazed outside, arms folded.

His silhouette played on the cement floor as I leaned my head back against the wall, fixating on his figure.

I couldn't tell how long he stood there, peering outside, as exhaustion overcame me, and my eyelids grew heavy.

The sight of him with his back turned was the last thing I witnessed before drifting off. Surprisingly, it made for a peaceful way to fall asleep.

He does have a pretty nice back, after all.