Wren

S. Part 16

Wren held Eden in his arms, cradling her like a child while she slept. She'd fallen asleep in his lap in the middle of crying; her body too exhausted to keep awake any longer. She'd asked how long they were gone, and when Wren had told her it was four days, she'd broken down in tears again, saying how Sophie had been so strong and protected her the whole time.

Wren thought back to their many arguements about Sophie wanting to train as a fighter-- a decision he'd been so against at the time. But now as he looked down at the sleeping girl in his lap, he thanked god that he'd changed his mind. Her training had kept them safe, at least to some extent past what an average girl was capable of. He was immensely proud of her.

Leo knocked on the open door and came in quietly, his expression soft with concern. He knelt with his medical bag, pulling out some salve and bandaids. "Have you contacted her parents yet?"

"No, that's for her to do if she chooses. They live abroad right now, so they wouldn't know unless she told them. I want it to be her choice."

Leo nodded, sighing as he plastered a bandaid over a small cut on Eden's cheek. "I imagine it was Sophie's doing that Eden is so unharmed?"

"Yes. She told me Sophie provoked Elena the whole time and kept the focus on herself. That girl's tough as nails." he smirked a little. He was of course worried about her, but he had absolute faith in Matteo. They would both come home safe.

"You talk like Matteo," Leo laughed quietly. "You've been married too long."

"Not long enough," Wren corrected, sweeping his hands through Eden's tangled hair. "It could never be enough." 

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Matteo held his breath as the van pulled into the driveway of the old building. It was an abandoned factory, just like when Wren had been taken. Apples really didn't fall far from the tree, after all.

He and the six men he'd brought got out of the vehicle and slipped on their gear, their weapons ready. Matteo had ordered them not to kill, only to fight to defend themselves or if they had to engage. Their sole purpose was getting Sophie; they'd deal with the rest later. 

They crept up to the building, locating an entry point that didn't seem like it was used very much. Matteo flung open the door to let Dace in, sweeping his gun across the vacant halls. But the place was empty, and eerily quiet.

They entered quietly, everyone on high alert for oncoming danger. But the halls were deserted, and there was no sign of anyone. They split up into pairs and headed down separate halls.

Matteo and Dace crept down a long corridor, coming to a door. They turned the knob slowly and slipped into the room--

To find it empty. They closed the door and continued, doing the same routine on any door they came across. 

"Hey, do you hear that?" Dace suddenly whispered, gripping Matteo's shoulders to stop him. Both men froze, listening intently.

A girl's scream echoed through the halls.

Matteo charged, giving up on stealth, and Dace had no choice but to make a mad dash down the hall behind him. Matteo frantically searched for where the scream came from, but the long empty halls made everything sound echoey and distant, like a ghost was responsible for the pained screams. Matteo skidded around a corner and dashed down another hall, screeching to a stop in front of a door that seemed to be the source of the sound. He grabbed the knob and rattled it, but it was locked.

"Help me--" Matteo said desperately, slamming his fist down on the knob as another scream came from inside the room. "Open, damned thing--"

"Let me," Dace shoved him aside. Matteo was way too shaken to be able to do anything. Dace stepped back and slammed his boot down on the knob, breaking it off with one powerful kick. 

When the door drifted open, their hearts dropped in their chests.

                  Part 17 Coming Soon