what they wouldn't do | DAREDEVIL

chapter eleven: the storm

                SUITABLY, THE WEATHER OUTSIDE decided to match the atmosphere inside the building, and as Sarah paced around the conference room, the stormy sky began to release a torrent of rain outside. The thunder and lightning began not too long after, completing the tense mood.

         It had been about forty-five minutes since Ronan's ominous prediction, and Sarah's mind was still anxiously racing as she tried to figure out how this night could possibly end with her, Matt, and the teenage girl all alive. She knew Matt wasn't in top fighting condition right now. Even beyond the obvious injuries, he was probably still concussed, and it had been clear in the market the night before that his senses weren't currently as sharp as they could be. On the other hand, Ronan's plan was painfully transparent, and Matt wasn't dumb. She assumed he'd probably figure out it was a trap on his own; but that didn't mean he wouldn't show up anyway.

         Sarah apprehensively glanced out the window at the pouring rain, and as lightning flickered across the sky she thought she saw the outline of a dark figure on the rooftop next door. She sat up straighter and squinted, waiting for the next flash of lightning; but when it came, the rooftop was empty. But she was sure she had seen it. An idea crossed her mind; it seemed like a long shot, but she figured it couldn't hurt.

         "Matt?" Sarah began uncertainly in a hushed tone. She kept her face down, still turned towards the dark window so that Ronan and the others wouldn't be able to see her mouth moving. "I really hope you can hear me. Um, I'm pretty sure you've probably already caught on that this is a trap. I didn't have anything to do with it," she added quickly, glancing up at the ceiling like she expected him to drop down on her.

         She felt silly talking to no one, with no guarantee that the person she was addressing could even hear her. Doing so felt oddly similar to praying, which had always had the similar effect of making her feel ridiculous. But if there was any chance Matt could hear her, she had to at least try to warn him.

         "There's about fifteen guys in here, and I think more next door. They have all these weapons and—and tranquilizer darts. Strong ones," she continued quietly. She glanced over at the bound girl in the corner, who was watching her in confusion, probably wondering why she was talking to herself. "They kidnapped a girl, and I don't know how I can get her out. Ronan took my phone, and—"

         As though Ronan could sense she was talking about him, Sarah was interrupted by a small clinking sound as a pen bounced off the glass separating the room she was in from the rest of the floor. She looked over to see the greasy man in question beckoning her out into the main office lazily.

         "Make yourself useful," Ronan called out to her when she opened the door. "Go get some drinks for us from the break room downstairs. This guy's taking forever to get here."

          Sarah glanced back at the conference room, not crazy about leaving the teenage girl alone with Ronan and the other men while she went downstairs. But if Matt was here, then the timing was perfect; maybe she could speak louder if she was on a different floor. And it wasn't like she could do much to protect the girl from Ronan or the others anyway.

         "I thought you wanted me to watch the hostage," Sarah pointed out, not wanting to seem too eager to get away.

         "She'll be fine for five minutes. How long does it take you to grab some drinks? Do you need a map?" Ronan said mockingly, and a few of the guys sitting near him snickered.

         Sarah barely registered the condescending comment as she disappeared down the stairs. She had just exited the stairwell on the floor below and was heading towards the break room kitchen, debating whether or not to try calling out to Matt again, when without warning the lights went out and the entire building was plunged into darkness. Sarah stopped in her tracks, raising her eyes to the ceiling.