***As I followed Alex into the room, I couldn't help but notice that Drew somehow managed to slip past me and enter first. What was up with that? I wondered, but the sight that greeted me as I pushed open the tiny door quickly overshadowed my curiosity.The array of equipment spread throughout the room amazed me. Though the door to the room was small, it felt twice the size of Alex’s room.In the center stood a staircase leading down to the lower control room. Men and women of all ages sat at computer terminals, their eyes glued to the screens in front of them. The room buzzed with activity, and I could see several CCTV screens showing different locations.“Wow! This is amazing,” I whispered to myself, feeling a mixture of awe and nervousness. But my excitement faded when I noticed the guards glaring at me with suspicion. Their stern looks made me uneasy, like I didn’t belong there.Turning my attention away from the guards, I spotted Alex and Drew at the lower control room, deep in
****As the gunshots continued, I didn’t just end the call, I couldn’t move. My eyes were closed; I could visualize my parents on the ground bleeding to death, crying for help as their enemy stood close to them with bloody guns and knives in their hands ready to end them completely.My heart was hurting. I’ve never felt this much pain before. I suddenly grabbed my chest as an overwhelming emotion took over me. It was so strong; that I felt dizzy.Was it pain, anger, sadness? I do not know, but it felt so strong that my brain froze, panting heavily.Alex, who suddenly saw Sophie's pained expression, took the phone from her.“Hello!” he spoke into the phone.“Sophie, I can’t talk now…” There were multiple gunshots heard in the background,“Mrs Rust, this is Alexander Kova,” he introduced himself and halted,They were in a long pause. “Oh! Mr Kova, It's been a while, thank you for taking care of my daughter,” Wild Cat breathed into the phone, “But I’ve got to go now, it was a pleasure kn
***Nobody was saying anything, and that was fine with me. I welcomed the silence with open arms. I held onto my father's hand, our smiles mirroring each other's. The last time I saw him was the morning of the attack that led to this mess. You can imagine just how much I missed him."Sorry to disturb your reunion, but if you don’t mind, I need to check up on him," Drew suddenly announced, breaking the peaceful moment and disturbing our bonding time.I glared at him. "Seriously, right now?" I snapp"It's okay, dear," my father said with a gentle smile, seeing my expression. I moved away only an inch, and he just laughed. "Stubborn as ever," he added."You've got no idea," Drew replied as he began his checkup.Everyone stood by and watched. The fact that my family was here, safe and sound, was all that mattered. I couldn’t believe my parents were here, alive and well. I turned to the men responsible, my voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for saving my parents," I exclaimed, wiping the
The saga continues---The room fell silent, at Alex's words. Em and Daniel exchanged wary glances, realizing the dangerous game they were being dragged into, forced to confront secrets they had long kept hidden.Sighing, Emily blurted out, “I can’t believe they’ve already started with the experiment.”“What?” Drew asked, surprised.Daniel nodded to his wife in agreement, ready to reveal a national secret. “It all started with the creation of MANA.”“Huh? What is that, a person?” Rick, who had been silent until now, asked, confusion clouding his features.Not just him, the whole group was confused.“No, it's a psychotic drug that was meant to make one superhuman. Or at least, that's what it was supposed to do,” Daniel explained, his voice tinged with dread.Alex met Drew's gaze, his expression unreadable. “Excuse me?” he i
***The long pause was filled with tension as everyone stared at Alex. He understood their confusion but saw an opportunity and took it.Under normal circumstances, people like the Rusts would never want anything to do with him, let alone give their daughter to a gangster, an outlaw. No way in hell.Emily's gaze remained fixed on Alex, her confusion palpable. “And I’m asking again, why do you want my daughter?” she demanded.Alex leaned in, his expression inscrutable. “You’ll know when the time is right. Agree to my terms, or the deal is off,” he said, turning on his heel and walking toward the door.“Wait a minute,” she called after him. He halted. “You cannot just declare something so confusing and not explain yourself. I know we came to ask for help, but the least you can do is tell us what you mean and what you want her for.”Daniel, who had been silent in his bed, understood what Alex was implying, though he was somewhat surprised. How did the relationship between Sophie and this
****Continuation****Rick stared after Drew, stunned, as a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. The sterile white walls of the Kovas hallway seemed to close in around him. “He just punched me!” he sputtered, his voice a mix of shock and indignation.Avanska, stood nearby with an amused glint in his eye. He tilted his head slightly, studying Rick's incredulous expression. "I have a feeling he's more pissed by you calling him an old man than by the comparison to your dead father," he remarked, his voice carrying a hint of dry humor.Rick's mind raced, replaying the moment when his careless words had slipped out, and he had called Drew an old man. He barely had time to process Avanska's comment when a sharp, stinging pain in his jaw reminded him of the punch's brutal reality. "What the fuck..?" He muttered pissed.The few Kovas guards and personnel in the hallway began to murmur, eyes darting between Rick and the direction Drew
***My mother's gaze bore into me, and I could sense the confusion swirling in her eyes. Yet, I hesitated to speak the truth. Despite knowing the mess it would cause, I couldn't bring myself to reveal the truth just yet."What's wrong, cat got your tongue?" she probed, breaking the silence."Are we really going to do this now?" I countered, my voice trembling. "I mean, Dad is still recovering, and…" I trailed off, unable to continue."That's all the more reason we need to talk about it," she retorted sharply. "You're not a child anymore. You're at that age where you can date, fall in love, go on dates, party, and whatever else," she continued, she was frustrated and I knew it but.."Mom, wait!" I interjected, urgency creeping into my tone. "Do you think he's asking for my hand?" I blurted out, unable to contain the rush of happiness that filled me. Despite the chaotic atmosphere, I needed to confirm if Alex had truly proposed."Your hand? Is that what you think he's asking for?" she r
**The Continuation**Ah! This woman..."I couldn't wrap my head around the sudden shift in her attitude. It was as if she had transformed into someone else entirely, someone accusatory and suspicious, rather than the loving and understanding mother I knew.But one thing that was diffinitly changing was the level of my anger and right now.... it wasn't in her favour."Wow..." I continued to stare blankly.Right now, I was at that point, where I couldn't care less who was speaking to me. I could feel the bolting sparks inside me rising to the surface. "You’re so fucking unbelievable, Emily Rust," I snapped, calling my mom by her full name—something I had never done before. It was coming. "For you to think Alex could be such a person, it's unforgivable." I stared coldly at her.Mom stared at me, speechless, shaking her head. "The Sophie I know and raised would never speak to her parents like that. Who are you, an