PLAN BACKFIRED

"Great. I sent, it to Drew right away. We should check the room fast so that we catch up with them, to make sure everything goes well." Damian says.


"Let's go." I say as I find Drew's contact.

Sent! The end and the beginning are forming an eclipse tonight. Everything ends tonight, and a new beginning starts tonight.

I grab the key that Nelly gave me and clench it into my hand, and we set out. The clouds are dark and heavy, but thanks to the lights of the castle, the compound is well-lit up.


After the long, hallway, we halt in front of Gracia's door. We unlock it and light up the room with the torch as we tiptoe inside.

Like Nelly said, there sure is a computer here, the footage of the place where Rose and Sherry are held is clear on the page, but something is weird. Their freshly bruised faces are on the screen, but the footage is paused. That monster is hurting them! Didn't we have a deal?


"Something is odd," Damian says after trying to play the footage to no avail.

"What..what do you think happened?" I ask, worry getting the best of me.

"Whatever this is, it doesn't look at all. We have has been compromised," he says, and I feel a cold chill running down my spine.

"What? No! We can't afford to make a mistake, Damian." I cry.

"Don't worry. Let's leave. We have the location. We can still fix this."

We start out, but just as we are about to get to the door, the sound of a phone ringing inside the room stops us.

"Whose phone is that?" I whisper, searching for the switch.

I flicker the lights on and rush to where the ringing is echoing from. It's from the drawer of the table where the computer is. I pull out the drawer and grab the cell phone.

"It is a set-up. She knows we are here. Do you think Nelly was playing with us?" Damian speaks.

Nelly? She is quite a bitch, but not an actress, or at least that is what I know. "I doubt it, but let's find out."

"Okay. Put it on loudspeaker." Damian says, and I do as he asks.

I receive the phone and wait.

"When a dear tiptoes into a lion's cage, it ought to be looking for one thing - death!" Gracia's low murderous tone echoes in our ears.

"You sneaked into my territory first, Gracia. So what do we say when a monster sneaks into..."

"Its prey's territory? It ought to be looking for blood to satisfy its thirst. Only you are remaining, and my thirst will be forever quenched, Ellie!"

"Then sorry, because you are not going to see even a drop of my blood, you monster!" I challenge her, and I can feel her frightening chuckles on the line before she speaks.

"It seems you still don't understand who calls the shots in this game, Ellie. So, listen carefully to what I am about to say and listen well. Your life, your husband's, those of these pesky low lives you call your friends, and even that of your new cheap ally, are in my hands, and only you can save them, or sacrifice them."

New ally? Damian and I trade a confusing glance. Nelly?

"Nelly? Your own flesh and blood?" I ask.

"When loyalty is compromised, all ties get cut, including blood ties."

Hell no! Don't tell me this woman is this heartless! She values nothing but herself.

"What do you want, Gracia?" I ask.

"Now we are talking. I know you know the location of this place. Bring your despicable face here, and bring your husband along. NO ONE ELSE. Let's see if you can save the four lives."

"Alright. Time to end this, Gracia." I respond.

"I want to see your face right before mine in one of your. If I see anybody else with you, you will find your friends' bodies drenched in blood, their flesh torn by bullets."

"Don't do anything, Gracia. I will be there asap." I state between gritted teeth.

"Hurry. The. Fuck. Up! Because time is already ticking, and after one hour, I will be firing a bullet at your friends with every passing minute. Time starts now! Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock! Tick!"

The call ends.

"Let's face that woman once and for all." Damian says, pulling me out, but I yank my hand away.

"You ain't going anywhere!" I state this, earning a confused look from him.

"Sorry?" He queries me, gripping my hand tight.

"I won't risk the lives of us both. I will go there alone."

"There is no fucking way in hell am I letting you go there alone. Unless you kill me first."

Damn! Time is ticking. I don't even know the way to this hell of a place. And now I have this beast to calm down first? Please, God, hold the time still for a moment.

"Listen, love. One of us needs to stay behind and bring ourselves back up just in case." I start, but who am I fooling?

"Then I will go. You stay back, Ellie! I am your protector, and I would rather die first than see you get hurt or humiliated."

"She made it clear, Damian. It's my face she wants to see. If she doesn't, then"

"I will kill her first before she touches even the hairs of your friends. Trust me, Ellie. I got this."

"No, Damian. It's too much of a risk. She won't even allow you to get into that building without me; trust me."

"Then let's go. It's either me alone, or both of us, against that woman!"

"Not even if I ask you to put your trust in me, love?"

"I do trust you, but that woman who doesn't care about her own daughter? No, Ellie."

"That woman has wiped off my entire family, Damian. She still wants to claim your life and those of my friends. Do you honestly think I would allow my family's name to go down like this? To lose you when we haven't even started to enjoy life together. For you, my love, I will come out alive. I promise!"

"I'm sorry, but still, no, love! This is not me not trusting you and your capabilities, but me being a true gentleman, a fiance, and a person fulfilling the wish of a man I considered my father. So chose. We both go there, or I go alone."