Capítulo 2: (The Encounter)
Mariana was bound with duct tape, her mouth sealed shut. Dizziness washed over her, as if she were suffering from a severe case of vertigo. Her vision was blurry, but she could just make out Mr. Harden lying beside her, unconscious. The van jolted as it sped along, and she had no idea where they were being taken.
"What are we going to do with her?" asked the masked man in the passenger seat, his voice dripping with disdain.
Mariana strained to hear, determined to remain silent as she listened to their conversation.
"Ransom?" the driver replied, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Her fiancé is a billionaire. We'll make a fortune off this one."
"Kill two birds with one stone," the deep-voiced man chimed in, echoing the driver's cruel enthusiasm with a chilling laugh.
Their laughter filled the van, echoing off the walls, and for a moment, Mariana's terror subsided. They were only interested in money, not in harming her. The men hadn't noticed she was awake. She studied them, forming conclusions in her mind.
They resembled thugs from a drug syndicate, and she wondered why they had chosen to kidnap Mr. Harden. What did they stand to gain from him?
As she pondered this, the van came to a sudden, jarring stop, hitting something with a sickening thud.
"What the hell was that?" the driver yelled, panic creeping into his voice.
The tallest man jumped out to investigate. The air was thick with tension, and their fears were confirmed when two gunshots rang out, followed by a heavy thud. The tall masked man fell to the road, blood pooling around him.
Mariana's heart raced as she fought to stay calm. Her chest felt like it was about to explode. This was a nightmare, and perhaps being late to her appointment had been a sign of things to come.
"Damn it! We're stuck!" the driver shouted, slamming his fists against the steering wheel. He tried to restart the engine, but it sputtered, refusing to budge. The tires were flat.
"Get your gun!" the passenger barked, his voice rising in panic. "We need to find out who's shooting at us!"
The masked men scrambled for their weapons, searching the darkened surroundings, but the mysterious shooter had vanished, leaving chaos in his wake.
Mariana wished for the ground to swallow her whole, to escape whatever horrors awaited them. Mr. Harden stirred next to her, his eyes blinking open in confusion.
"Where are we?" he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with weakness.
Mariana couldn't answer; her mouth was still sealed shut.
Cold sweat broke out on her forehead as she caught sight of a figure outside the van. Another masked man stood there, clad in black jeans and a leather jacket, gun in hand. He pulled Mr. Harden from the van, dragging him away.
Mariana's instincts kicked in. She remained still, hoping he wouldn't notice her if she pretended to be unconscious. The man closed the van door without a glance back. Her heart raced as she watched him disappear into the woods with Mr. Harden.
A flicker of hope ignited within her. She had to find a way to escape, to free herself from the duct tape. Surely, someone would come to save her.
But as she struggled with the tape on her hands, a car appeared on the road. Desperation surged through her. She couldn't open the door, so she slammed her body against it, creating a noise loud enough to break through the chaos.
But as she looked closer, terror gripped her. It wasn't just one car; five vehicles approached, parking strategically around the van. Her heart sank as masked men emerged, circling around like vultures. Her hope evaporated, leaving her trembling with fear.
A man opened the van door and barked, "Crow wasn't here! Damn it!"
He slammed the door shut with frustration, realizing they hadn't found what they were looking for.
Mariana closed her eyes, praying for a miracle. These men were dangerous, and she could feel her hope dwindling.
"Get the girl!" another masked man commanded, his tone chilling.
The man near the van opened the door and yanked Mariana out. She cried out, her eyes still shut in terror. The man ripped the tape from her mouth, and she gasped, feeling the cold blood rush through her veins, her nerves on fire.
"Please, let me go!" she pleaded, her voice breaking, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The man laughed cruelly, dismissing her pleas.
"Let me go! I have nothing to do with this!" she repeated, her voice trembling with desperation.
Impatience flared in the man's eyes as he slapped her hard across the face. He grabbed her hair, pulling her head back painfully.
"Shut your goddamned mouth!" he snarled, his breath hot and menacing.
Mariana felt the midday sun beat down on her as she lifted her head. She closed her mouth, trembling in fear.
Suddenly, the sound of gunfire erupted, and they ducked behind a nearby car. Mariana caught a glimpse of the masked man who had taken Mr. Harden. He was firing relentlessly, taking down the armed men one by one, his movements swift and precise.
Mariana screamed in terror, her heart racing. The man beside her wrapped his arms around her neck and pressed a small towel over her nose.
"Stop!" she cried, struggling against him, but she was too weak. Darkness crept in, and she lost consciousness, overwhelmed by the chemicals in the towel.
As she slipped into unconsciousness, the masked man fell to the ground, shot in the head.
The man who had taken Mr. Harden approached her, lifting her onto his broad shoulders. He carried her to his car, drove off, and disappeared into the unknown.
***
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