The Alchemy

No Body, No Crime

tw: violence

The feeling of the cold, hard ground jolts me awake as I hit it violently. Someone had been carrying me and dropped me. I don't know where I am, but I'm too scared to even open my eyes and look around.

I don't fully remember what happened, but I know someone took me. I know I'm not safe. I stay still, trying to control my breathing so they don't realize I'm awake. I can hear them talking.

They're arguing about something, though it sounds muffled, like they're speaking to me while I'm underwater.

I try to assess the situation. I'm on the ground, my hands are tied behind my back, and there's something over my mouth preventing me from speaking or yelling. I can tell there are at least two people in the room, both men.

The reality of what's happening starts to sink in. I shut my eyes even tighter, trying to concentrate and not let my imagination spiral out of control. I already have trouble breathing with this thing over my mouth.

I take slow, measured breaths to avoid suffocating. Once my breathing steadies, I start trying to figure out a plan. I have to escape. The people who took me aren't playing around—they wouldn't hesitate to hurt me.

Step one: I need to figure out where I am, what's around me. Maybe I can find something to help untie the ropes around my wrists.

It takes me a while to build the courage to open my eyes. I wait until I can't hear the men anymore, and then I wait a little longer, just to be safe.

When I finally open my eyes, I realize I'm in a warehouse. I'm lying on cold, gray concrete. The room is mostly empty except for an old wooden table in the center with two chairs around it. There are paint buckets scattered everywhere. The place looks like it's still under construction. I can see the East River through a huge glass window that takes up most of the far wall.

The sun is starting to rise.

I must have been unconscious all night.

The fear of not knowing what happened during those hours creeps up on me.

I try to stay calm. If I've been missing all night, someone must have noticed. They must be looking for me. They have to be. But then reality sets in. No one knows. Will isn't here, I sent my bodyguards away, and they won't come back unless I call them to tell them I'm ready to leave. My next meeting with Tree isn't for another three days.

The thought that no one is looking for me makes me sick, but I can't throw up with tape over my mouth, so I try to calm myself down. A difficult task when you've just been kidnapped.

---

For the next few hours, I try to come up with different escape plans. It's not even lunchtime, and I've already devised four ways to run—but all of them end with me dead or the entire solar system exploding, so... But it's fine. I'll figure it out when the time comes.

I glance around for the thousandth time, hoping I've missed something—maybe a clue about where I am, or what these men want from me. Maybe there's a way out?

After carefully inspecting the room again, I notice a small piece of metal sticking out from the wall on the other side. It's not very big, but it looks sharp enough that I might be able to use it to cut the ropes.

It takes me about half an hour to inch my way over to it. I'm almost there when I hear footsteps behind the only door in the room.

I don't have time to panic. I press my back against the wall and start working on untying the ropes.

I hear a key being inserted into the lock.

The ropes are too tight, and my breathing is ragged because of the tape on my mouth.

The doorknob turns. The door opens, but he doesn't come in right away. He's laughing with someone just outside.

I try harder. The ropes have to give. They have to.

The door opens fully, and a tall man steps in, dressed entirely in black—from his shoes to the scarf covering his face.

Our eyes meet.

He looks furious.

He runs toward me.

I pull at the ropes again, but he's already in front of me.

I feel a sharp, searing pain on my cheek.

He just slapped me.