Chapter 7: Waiting for Death
1788 Words
Aron
After that brutal punch, my lip was split open and blood was dripping down my chin. I was completely exhausted, and my throat was parched with a desperate thirst. My voice barely came out, sounding like a faint whisper.
"Where... where is Raven?" I asked.
Viktor chuckled coldly. "Don’t worry, your girlfriend is safe and sound. But whether she stays that way is entirely up to you. Bring me Elena, and you can take your girl."
"She is not my girlfriend, you bastard," I spat back.
Because of that one word—bastard—the guards standing next to him started beating me mercilessly again. The chair I was tied to tipped over, and I crashed heavily onto the cold floor. Two of them kept kicking me as I lay there, as if they were wiping their boots on my body. I began coughing up thick clots of blood. At that exact moment, I wished for death so deeply. I prayed to just die right there on the concrete, putting an end to all of this madness. Eventually, my body went completely numb; I couldn’t even feel the pain from the blows anymore. I was only half-conscious.
My body was on the verge of giving out. With a small wave of Viktor's hand, his men finally backed off. They dragged me up from the floor and threw me back onto the chair.
"I’m asking you one last time," Viktor said, leaning in. "Are you going to bring me Elena or not?"
I shook my head from side to side. No. I couldn't do it. I couldn't hand an innocent girl over to this monster.
Seeing my refusal, Viktor drew his gun and pressed the cold barrel directly against my temple. Even though my face didn't show it, a wave of relief washed over me. I was so tired. Tired of this life, tired of the injustice, and tired of the constant struggle I had been fighting since I was a kid. I closed my eyes, completely ready for death.
But then, Viktor roared, "Bring this bastard's girl in here!"
Suddenly, Raven’s terrified screams echoed through the damp basement. "Help me! Please, let me go!"
I didn't even have the strength to lift my head and look at her. One of the guards grabbed me by the hair, violently pulling my head back.
"Watch closely," Viktor sneered. "I’m going to kill your girlfriend right in front of your eyes, and then I’ll finish you."
"No!" I tried to protest, but the gun was already pointed directly at her.
Raven was in tears, looking back and forth between me and Viktor with absolute terror. "Stop! Don’t do it, Viktor, please! I’ll do whatever you want!" she begged.
A sickening, smug smile spread across Viktor's face. "See? Now you're starting to smarten up." He turned back to me. "Well, Aron? It seems she's willing to do whatever it takes. What about you?"
"Fine..." I whispered. "Just let her go."
"No, no, no," Viktor laughed. "If I let her go, how do I know you won't just run away? The girl stays with me. Once you deliver Elena, she goes free. I’m letting you go now, but your time is ticking, Aron. Try to play any games, and she dies."
With a nod from Viktor, they dragged Raven away into another room. They shoved the black bag back over my head, dragged me out, and threw me into the back of a car. My legs had absolutely no strength left.
When I finally opened my eyes, I was back at Jace’s place. Jace was standing over me, alongside the nanny, both of them looking extremely worried.
"Jace... buddy... I’m so glad to see you," I managed to croak out.
"Aron! I thought you were dead!" Jace breathed, his voice shaking. "I thought I’d never see you again. I tried to follow you, but I lost you. Why did you go without me, man? I’m the one who introduced you to that monster in the first place!"
I didn't even have the energy to answer his questions. "Water..." I whispered.
"Get some water, quick!" Jace yelled to the nanny. He gently lifted my head from the bed and helped me drink.
I had mentioned Raven to Jace before, but he didn't fully understand the situation—he didn't know she was being held hostage. "Buddy, I have to give him that girl. I have no choice," I muttered.
Jace and I had met in prison years ago. He knew exactly how stubborn I was; he knew that if I didn't want to do something, nobody on earth could force me to do it. Simply put, he knew me better than anyone.
When I said I had to hand Elena over, Jace brushed it off, not wanting to stress me further. "You're right, buddy. We'll figure it out. Just get some rest now, it's late. We'll talk in the morning."
My entire body was aching and throbbing with pain. My face was covered in dark bruises. I was used to physical pain—I had crawled out of plenty of near-deadly underground fights in my life—but this felt entirely different. In those fights, I walked away with my pride, my head held high in victory. That pride was what kept me on my feet. But this time, I felt utterly defeated. With those heavy thoughts weighing on my mind, I finally drifted into a deep sleep.
When I opened my eyes, the morning sun was already lighting up the room. With great difficulty, I forced myself to sit up and stand. My body felt even heavier and stiffer than the night before; my legs simply refused to obey me.
"Jace!" I called out toward the door.
Instead of Jace, the nanny walked into the room. "Aron, Jace isn't here," she said softly. "He told me to tell you to wait for him when you woke up. He said not to go anywhere."
Just then, the phone Viktor had given us started ringing. It was him. A sudden weight of dread and anxiety pressed down on my chest because Raven was still in his clutches. I quickly answered.
"Well, Aron, how are we feeling today?" Viktor's smooth voice came through the receiver. "I think it's time to get to work."
"Give me some time," I growled. "I can barely stand on my feet. How is Raven? I want to speak to her."
"Time is a luxury you don't have, Aron. And you've done enough talking."
The line went dead.
I collapsed back onto the bed, burying my face in my hands, trying desperately to think of a way out. Just then, I heard the sound of Jace's car pulling up downstairs. Jace got out and rushed into the house with hurried, heavy steps.
I could hear him talking to the nanny in the hallway. "How is Aron? Is he awake?"
"Yes, he just woke up."
"Make him something to eat," Jace instructed.
A knock came at my door. "Come in," I called out.
Jace walked in, looking at me with intense focus. "How are you feeling, buddy?"
"I don't know, Jace. I honestly don't know anymore."
Jace smiled, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "Don't lose hope just yet. I came back with some massive news. Based on what you told me yesterday, the background noises you described, and the smell of the air, I figured it out. They took you to the old industrial docks down by the harbor—over near Pier 42. That's where they beat you up."
"Okay... and how is that massive news?" I asked, frowning.
"Because that's exactly where they are keeping Raven! She's still there," Jace said, leaning in close. "I just came from there. I watched the place from a distance. I saw the same two guards of Viktor's hanging around. Buddy, we can pull her out of there."
My heart started hammering against my ribs so hard I thought it would burst. I stood up instantly, barely even realizing how I did it.
"Whoa, hold on, buddy," Jace said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You can't do anything in this state. But I have a better plan. I know some tough guys from the streets. For a bit of cash, we can get them to join us. Just three or four extra guys. If it's just the two of us, especially with you banged up like this, we'll end up putting her life in serious danger."
Jace was right. In my current condition, I wouldn't stand a chance against them alone.
"Jace, I don't want to drag you into this danger," I said, looking him in the eye. "You stay here. I'll take the men and go save Raven myself."
Jace frowned, looking offended. "Since when is it 'you' and 'I', Aron? We've always been 'us'. We started this together, and we're going to finish it together."
A profound sense of pride swelled inside my chest. I stepped forward and hugged Jace tightly. He hugged me back, and for a brief second, we both let out a small, breathless laugh.
"But for now, you need to eat something and get your strength back," Jace said, breaking the hug. "Let's go to the kitchen."
I tried to argue that I wasn't hungry, but Jace was incredibly stubborn. We went down to the kitchen and grabbed a quick bite.
A few hours later, we drove out in Jace's car and met up with a few heavy-hitters we knew from the streets. These were the types of guys who would do anything—street fights, robberies—as long as the pay was right. While I waited in the car, Jace closed the deal with them.
Now, we just had to wait for nightfall.
Our plan was simple: once darkness fell, we would quietly slip in and neutralize those two guards outside. But a cold knot of anxiety was twisting in my stomach. Were there really only two guards? What if there were more men waiting inside? We had planned to take out the two lookouts as silently as possible, but the uncertainty was eating at me.
As the sky slowly bruised into darkness, Jace went over the plan and positions with the men one last time, handing them the first half of their cash.
- Writer
