The shrill sound cut through the silence, sending a shiver down everyone's spine. Anderson's hand reached out towards the phone, but he hesitated, fear etched on his face.
Erik observed the scene; he knew this was bound to happen. Mikey glanced at Floyd and noticed his eyes wide with apprehension.
"Answer the phone," Floyd said.
Anderson and Mikey exchanged anxious glances but nodded in agreement. They both picked up the receiver with trembling hands, and Mikey hovered close by, both of them steeling themselves for the unknown.
The voice on the other end of the line was distorted, and their hearts clenched with fear. They strained to listen; their breathing was shallow and rapid. The conversation quickly went on for both of them.
Anderson's grip on the phone tightened visibly, his knuckles turning white as he struggled to keep his voice steady. Rage was in his eyes. Mikey's eyes were wide with anxiety, and he instinctively moved closer to Aaron, seeking comfort in his friend's presence.
The others, who were standing nearby, looked visibly shaken. Even Gwen was tense as the situation shattered her usual calm demeanor. She clenched her fists and jaw as she tried to keep her composure for her friends.
As the call ended, Anderson and Mikey both hung up the phone, their hands trembling uncontrollably.
"They told us to go to a club named the Red Lotus Lounge; they are keeping my parents there."
Anderson muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I got told the same thing. They also said not to alert the police or anyone else, as that would mean they would kill my parents, and said to go there in forty minutes or they would be killed."
"What do they want from us? Why is this happening?" Amber asked.
"Nathaniel's father wanted revenge for his son's death," Erik said.
"What?! But he has been killed by the thaids!" Benedict replied.
"Yes, but he does think he has been assassinated. He is crazy and wants to kill us all," Erik added, clearly lying.
"What now?" Amber asked. "We can't let them do as they want," she added.
The awakener took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "First, we need to stay calm and think rationally," he said, trying to mask his own apprehension. "We can't let fear control us. We need to come up with a plan to save your parents."
Amber then reminded the others, "I already contacted my father and told him about the situation. He said he was going to send a squad, but I don't know how good this will be, and it will take an hour at least to get them ready."
"If this is the situation, then we must go! We can't wait an hour if they are going to be killed in 40 minutes!" Mikey said.
"Guys, the problem is that we are their targets, not our parents. If we go there, we will be killed," Erik said.
"We can't stay here and wait for them to die!" Mikey replied back. Erik then turned to look at Aaron; he didn't receive the call.
"Aaron, any news from your mother?" he asked.
"Not yet."
***
Amelia's heart raced as she saw five men coming out of a black car and stopping in front of the building. They were armed to the teeth, and since Aaron had just called her to tell her to get out of the house, as soon as she saw the men, she immediately understood that the situation was dangerous. Her instincts kicked in, and she knew that something was terribly wrong.
Her mind raced as she realized that she had to leave and do it fast. She grabbed her phone, slipped it into her pocket, and hastily made her way to the door, trying to get out of the apartment as fast as possible.
As she stepped into the hallway, she could hear the men shouting, their voices filled with urgency. Her heart pounded in her chest as she silently slipped into the shadows, moving stealthily along the corridors, careful to avoid detection.
Amelia's adrenaline surged as she spotted a window at the end of the hallway. Without hesitating, she made a split-second decision and went for it. She swung the window open and climbed onto the ledge, her heart in her throat as she carefully balanced herself on the narrow ledge.
She moved cautiously, her eyes scanning her surroundings for any sign of the armed men. She saw them moving through the hallways, their guns at the ready, searching for something or someone.
Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what was happening. She found it weird that her son knew about this and wanted to know what was happening. However, she was now in a precarious situation and needed to be silent and get out of the building quickly.
Amelia felt her fear intensify with every step she took on the eaves. One wrong move could make her tumble down, and the consequences could be dire. But she had no other choice.
The woman moved swiftly, her body tense due to fear. She kept close to the building, using the bricks to her advantage and being careful not to make any noise that would draw attention to her. Her heart pounded in her ears as she tried to stay focused, her mind racing with thoughts of what could happen if she was caught.
As she made her way along the narrow ledge, Amelia's mind raced with questions. Who were these men? Why were they after her? What had she stumbled upon that had put her in such danger? But there was no time to dwell on the answers.
The woman noticed that the adjacent building was almost close enough to jump on it. If she managed to enter the premises, she could hide or at least run through the streets, maybe finding the police or someone else.
After what felt like an eternity, Amelia finally reached the end of the building. Her eyes widened in fear as she stared at the gap between the buildings. The ledge she was on ended abruptly, and she had no choice but to make the daring leap to the other side. Her heart pounded in her chest as she assessed the distance, her palms sweaty with anxiety.
The height was dizzying, and Amelia felt a wave of vertigo wash over her. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but her legs felt like jelly. She couldn't afford to falter now, not with the armed men hot on her trail.
She looked over her shoulder and saw the armed men getting closer to her apartment, their shouts growing louder. Time was running out, and she had to make a decision. Taking another deep breath, Amelia summoned all her courage and gathered her strength.
With a leap of faith, Amelia pushed off the edge of the ledge, her heart in her mouth as she sailed through the air. For a brief moment, it felt like time had slowed down, and she could feel the rush of wind against her face as she crossed the gap.
Her heart skipped a beat as she reached the other building, her fingers grasping for purchase on the ledge. She landed with a thud but managed to steady herself and avoid making too much noise. Her knees wobbled with the impact, and she felt a surge of relief for having made it across.
The woman quickly scrambled to her feet, her breathing ragged as she searched for a way to hide. She spotted an open window and wasted no time diving inside, hoping it was empty. She found herself in a small apartment.
She pressed herself against the wall, her heart still hammering in her chest, as she listened for any signs of the armed men. They just arrived in front of her apartment's door and heard them busting the door open.
THUD
She could hear their voices outside and their footsteps waning inside her apartment. Amelia's mind raced as she tried to find the best thing to do. Stay inside or run out into the city's streets? If they noticed she walked on the ledge and came inside here, it was clear they would search this building too. So the best thing to do would be to get out unnoticed.
Amelia left the apartment, going out from the main door, and spotted a staircase leading down. Without hesitation, she began to descend, her steps as light as possible, trying to make no sound. She reached the ground floor and cautiously peered out into the corridor. It was clear.
She saw the building's open door at the end of the hall and quickly made her way toward it. She peeked outside and saw her opportunity to escape.
Amelia slipped out, keeping an eye on the armed men as they continued their search nearby.
She was now outside the building, but the danger was not over yet. She needed to find a way to get to safety and get help. She couldn't make a phone call now because she couldn't trust anyone around her.
Aaron's mother spotted a nearby alleyway and quickly made her way toward it, staying in the shadows with her senses on high alert. Her mind raced with fear and uncertainty but she refused to get caught. However, her mind wandered to Aaron; what was happening to him? How could he know she was in danger? Was he safe?
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