Kapitel 19: Merge

Lucia felt an unsettling chill as she wandered through the deserted street. She tightened her jacket against the encroaching cold and scanned her surroundings for any signs of life. The street felt foreign, as though it had never been traversed by anyone.

Suddenly, from the shadows of an old building, a guard emerged, dressed in a thick, black uniform. His face was obscured by the brim of his hat, and he moved with a deliberate, almost menacing demeanor.

"Excuse me," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Can you tell me where I might find someone named Anderson?"

The guard fixed her with a piercing gaze, as if assessing every detail of her. After a pause that felt interminable, he responded in a deep, cold tone, "There is no one by the name of Anderson here."

Lucia sensed something amiss in his response. She scrutinized his expression, hoping to glean some additional information, but his face remained inscrutable.

"Are you certain?" she asked, her anxiety rising. "I was informed that he wanted to meet me around here."

The guard merely shook his head. "There is no Anderson here," he repeated in the same flat tone. "You should leave. This is not a suitable location for a meeting. It's not a safe area." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her alone in the deserted street.

"I'm certain my father provided this address. Where could he be?" she thought in desperation, proceeding further into the area. Unbeknownst to her, her presence had triggered alarms on surveillance cameras, causing a flurry of activity among the SWAT teams, who were frustrated by the breach of their secure zone.

Confused and alarmed, she attempted to contact her father, but her calls went directly to voicemail. Panic began to set in. Why was it so silent, and why couldn't she reach him?

Suddenly, the sound of an approaching vehicle drew her attention. She turned to see a familiar black car. Her heart raced as she recognized the driver—Adrian, her former boyfriend, who seemed to have recovered remarkably well.

Quickly seeking cover, she spotted a narrow alley between two old buildings. She slipped into the alley, hoping Adrian would not see her. From her hiding place, she observed his every move.

Adrian emerged from the car, surveying the area with a determined expression. He appeared to be searching for someone. She held her breath, trying to remain silent as his footsteps drew closer to her hiding spot. The seconds felt like hours as he approached.

Lucia was engulfed in fear. She had no desire to run into Adrian, especially under these circumstances. Dark thoughts began to cloud her mind. Why was he here? Was he also looking for Anderson?

As he stopped to look around, she felt a surge of tension. It seemed he was unaware of her presence. After a moment, he returned to his car, visibly frustrated, and drove away.

Just as he was about to get into his vehicle with a black suitcase, a group of armed men in SWAT gear suddenly appeared, aiming their weapons at him. Hidden behind large barrels, she trembled with fear as the situation grew more intense.

Initially confident, he now appeared shocked and nervous. He slowly raised his hands to show he was unarmed. The armed men surrounded him with precision, ready to act at any moment.

"Don't move!" commanded one of the armed men in a firm voice.

She held her breath, trying to remain as quiet as possible. Peering through a gap between the large barrels, she tried to make sense of what was happening. Cold sweat ran down his face, revealing his deep fear.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"Put down the suitcase and kneel!" ordered the same armed man.

With shaking hands, he placed the black suitcase on the ground and knelt slowly. The armed men quickly began to inspect the suitcase, while others kept their guns aimed at him.

Her whole body shook. She dared not move, afraid any noise might draw the attention of the armed men. The only sounds she could hear were the wind rustling and the pounding of her own heart.

One of the armed men opened the suitcase and examined its contents. Although she couldn't see what was inside, the man's expression indicated they had found something important.

"We didn't find the goods, but take him anyway!" the man instructed the others.

He was roughly pulled to his feet and handcuffed. The armed men escorted him and his suitcase away. Amidst the tense situation, she was extremely nervous and trembling. By accident, she stepped on a rusty piece of metal, causing a loud clanging noise. The sound startled her, and she lost her balance. The large barrel next to her tipped over, spilling its contents.

The barrel was filled with a chemical powder that spread into the air, releasing a sharp, acrid smell. She began to cough and felt dizzy almost immediately. Her head spun, and her vision started to blur.

She tried to hold her breath and cover her nose with her hand, but the chemical powder's effects were overwhelming. Her body felt weak, and she stumbled, nearly fainting.

Desperately, she searched for a safe place, but her vision continued to blur. Groping around, she managed to find a wall of an old building and leaned against it, fighting to stay conscious. However, her head grew heavier, and she eventually collapsed onto the ground. In a semi-conscious state, she felt herself sinking deeper into darkness. Her last thought was a hope that Evan would find her before it was too late.

Breathing heavily, she lost consciousness, lying on the ground amid the tense atmosphere, hoping for a miracle to save her. "Evan…"

The SWAT team guarding the area approached her position, moving cautiously with their weapons at the ready. However, before they could reach her, a man emerged from the shadows and quickly grabbed her. He held a gun to her head, using her as a human shield.

"Don't move or she dies!" the man shouted threateningly. The SWAT team halted immediately, realizing the gravity of the situation.

The man glanced at the SWAT members, his face tense with resolve. "Let my friends go safely, or I'll kill her right now!"

Half-conscious, she felt the cold barrel of the gun against her temple. Her head still spun from the chemical powder, but a deep fear began to take hold. She tried to move, but the man's grip was too strong.

A SWAT team member, apparently the leader, stepped forward cautiously, trying to defuse the situation. "Calm down, we can talk this through. No one needs to get hurt here."

"Don't come any closer!" the man barked, pressing the gun harder against her head. "I'm not joking. Let them go now!"

The team leader raised his hands, signaling his team to stay calm and not make any sudden moves. "Alright, alright. We'll let your friends go. But first, let her go. She doesn't need to be involved in this."

The man gave a short, contemptuous laugh. "You think I'm stupid? She's my guarantee. You let my friends go, then I'll release her."

She could only faintly hear the conversation, her head feeling heavy and her consciousness fading. She felt increasingly powerless in the man's grip.

The SWAT team leader took a deep breath, understanding the need for caution. "Okay, we'll do it your way. But you have to promise not to hurt her."

The man nodded firmly but did not loosen his hold. "Hurry up! You don't have much time."

The SWAT team, moving cautiously, began to clear a path for the criminals' associates to exit. They retreated slowly, ensuring no sudden movements that could provoke violence.

A large box truck arrived with a rumbling engine, stopping near the group of criminals and the remaining SWAT team members. The criminals started to board the truck one by one, emerging from their hiding spots. The unconscious woman was being used as a human shield, making the situation increasingly dire.

The SWAT members were reluctant to move, fearing for her safety. Tension mounted when, suddenly, a determined figure emerged from another direction, rushing toward the crowd in an attempt to reach her.

However, one of the criminals spotted him and immediately fired a warning shot. The bullet missed, but it was enough to stop him in his tracks. The sound of the gunshot caused everyone to freeze in suspense.

"Don't come any closer, or the next one won't miss!" the criminal shouted angrily, aiming his weapon back at the newcomer.

Despite his worried expression, he remained motionless. He watched the unconscious woman being tightly held by the criminal, fear and desperation consuming him. "Damn it!" Evan muttered in frustration.

The SWAT team leader attempted to speak again, this time more authoritatively. "Listen, we all want this to end without anyone getting hurt. Let the girl go, and you can leave safely."

Nevertheless, the criminals ignored him and continued boarding the box truck, taking the still unconscious woman with them. He could only watch helplessly. He knew that a single wrong move could put her in even greater danger.

As the truck started to move, despair gripped him. He needed to act. But before he could make a move, a younger, more impulsive SWAT member stepped forward slightly, only to be quickly held back by his leader.

"Don't move!" the SWAT team leader commanded firmly. "We'll lose her if we don't proceed carefully."

Feeling an adrenaline surge through, Adrian called out, "Wait!" This made everyone stop momentarily. "Let her go. I'll take her place as a hostage."

"Why should we trust you?" the criminal asked with a skeptical tone.

He opened the black suitcase he was carrying, revealing stacks of cash inside. "I have money for a trade. Let her go, and I'll go with you."

The criminal's eyes lit up at the sight of the suitcase full of money. "Alright, it's a deal. You come with us."

He directed Adrian to get into the large box truck with the still-unconscious woman. They secured Adrian next to her, making sure neither could escape.

"We have to save them," Evan urged, his voice firm.

The large box truck carrying Adrian, the woman, and the criminals began to drive away.

"Hey, I'm here. We'll get out of this together," Adrian whispered.

Lucia slowly opened her eyes, still disoriented. "Adrian... why are you here?"

"I won't let them hurt you," Adrian replied, tightening his grip on her hand.

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