Mesmerized

The Escape

Andriya's POV

The door to my cell opened again, and I tensed. Samuel entered, followed by two men who looked mean and ready for trouble.

"We're going to try this again," Samuel said, his smile chilling. "Where is the USB drive?"

"I don't have it," I said, my voice shaking but defiant.

He sighed, looking genuinely disappointed. "Wrong answer."

One of the men stepped forward and grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet. Fear spiked through me, but I fought to stay calm. I had to hold on, had to believe that Mike was coming for me.

They dragged me out of the room and down a dimly lit corridor. We entered another room, this one filled with various pieces of equipment that I didn't recognize. They tied me to a chair, and Samuel leaned in close.

"Last chance," he said softly. "Where is the USB drive?"

I met his gaze, refusing to show fear. "I don't know."

He straightened up, nodding to his men. "Make her talk."

They stepped forward, and I braced myself for the worst, hoping that somewhere out there, Mike was on his way to save me.

Michael's POV

Armed with the information from Samuel's call, I drove to a rundown warehouse on the outskirts of town. It was the most likely location based on the clues I had pieced together. I parked a safe distance away and approached on foot, careful to stay out of sight.

The warehouse was large and dilapidated, with broken windows and rusting metal. I could hear voices inside, and my heart raced. I had no backup, no plan B. It was just me against whoever was inside.

I crept closer, peeking through a crack in the door. I saw Andriya, tied to a chair, and a group of men surrounding her. Rage filled me at the sight of her bruised and scared, but I forced myself to stay calm. I needed to be smart about this.

I slipped inside, moving silently through the shadows. The men were focused on Andriya, giving me a chance to get closer. I found a metal pipe on the ground and picked it up, gripping it tightly.

"Where is the USB drive?" Samuel demanded again.

"I told you, I don't know!" Andriya cried, her voice filled with defiance.

"Wrong answer," he snarled, raising his hand to strike her.

"Hey!" I shouted, stepping into the light.

The men turned, surprised to see me. I swung the pipe, hitting the nearest one in the head. He went down with a grunt, and the others rushed at me. I fought with everything I had, the thought of Andriya giving me strength.

"Mike!" she screamed, her voice filled with relief and terror.

I took down another man, but Samuel grabbed Andriya, holding a knife to her throat. "Stay back, or she dies," he warned.

I froze, my heart pounding. "Let her go," I said, my voice steady despite the fear.

"Not until I get what I want," he replied. "The USB drive."

"I have it," I lied, hoping to buy some time. "Just let her go."

He eyed me suspiciously. "Show me."

I slowly reached into my pocket, pretending to pull out the drive. "Here," I said, holding out my hand.

He released Andriya and took a step towards me, the knife still in his hand. Andriya took the opportunity to kick him in the shin, causing him to stumble. I lunged forward, knocking the knife out of his hand and wrestling him to the ground.

"Andriya, run!" I shouted.

But she didn't run. Instead, she grabbed the metal pipe and swung it at Samuel, hitting him hard on the head. He collapsed, unconscious.

I got to my feet, breathing heavily. "Are you okay?" I asked, pulling her into my arms.

She nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I am now. Thank you, Mike."

"We need to get out of here," I said, taking her hand.

We ran out of the warehouse and into the night, leaving the men behind. As we drove away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph. We had made it out alive, and nothing would ever come between us again.