The Stranger
1167 Words
The search for Aura continued for hours.
Police vehicles moved through the streets.
Helicopters searched from above.
Security teams examined roads, abandoned buildings, forests, and every possible route leading out of the city.
But there was nothing.
No footprints.
No cameras.
No witnesses.
No trace of the little girl.
Eventually, the search command made the decision everyone had been dreading.
"Call it off for tonight."
The officer lowered his radio.
"We've searched every location within the possible radius. There's nothing."
Sterling stood nearby, staring at Aura's photograph on the investigation screen.
"You're stopping?"
The officer looked at her.
"Mrs. Fox, we'll continue tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
Sterling's voice became cold.
"My daughter is five years old."
"I understand."
"No."
She stepped toward him.
"You don't understand."
Her eyes were filled with tears.
"Somewhere out there, my little girl is alone."
The officer lowered his head.
"We'll find her."
Sterling stared at him.
"You'd better."
---
Far away from the search area, a black vehicle moved along a narrow dirt road.
The road became rougher.
The buildings disappeared.
Trees surrounded them on both sides.
Finally, the vehicle stopped.
The location was so remote that even the nearest road was several miles away.
One of the men stepped out.
"Nobody followed us."
The other looked around.
"Good."
They opened the rear door.
Aura was still unconscious.
One of the men lifted her and carried her into the clearing.
He dropped her gently onto the ground.
Aura didn't move.
The man looked down at her.
"She's still out."
The other man removed his mask.
"We were told to kill her."
He stared at Aura.
"But why waste the opportunity?"
"What do you mean?"
The man smiled.
"Look at her."
He crouched.
"She's a Fox."
The other man understood.
"So?"
"Organs."
He shrugged.
"We could make money from them."
The first man looked at him.
"You're serious?"
"Why throw away something valuable?"
He pulled a dagger from his belt.
"Let's finish this."
He stepped toward Aura.
The blade caught the sunlight.
He raised it.
And—
BANG!
The gunshot exploded through the clearing.
The man's leg buckled.
"AAAGH!"
He crashed onto one knee, clutching his thigh.
The dagger fell from his hand.
"What the—?!"
His partner spun around.
A man stood several meters away.
He held a handgun firmly in his hand.
His expression was cold.
"Put the weapon down."
The injured man glared at him.
"Who the hell are you?"
The stranger stepped forward.
"I could ask you the same thing."
He glanced toward Aura.
Then back at them.
"I don't know what you're doing here."
His eyes narrowed.
"But you're on my territory."
The injured man slowly stood.
"Step aside."
The stranger didn't move.
"This isn't your business."
The man took another step.
"Actually..."
His eyes moved toward Aura.
"...it is."
He stared at her.
His expression suddenly changed.
"Wait."
He looked at the two men.
Then at Aura.
Then back at them.
"Is that..."
He swallowed.
"...a child?"
Neither man answered.
The stranger's expression hardened.
"You were going to kill a child?"
One of the armed men pulled out a strange weapon.
The other followed.
Both weapons began emitting a low mechanical hum.
VMMMMMMMM...
The stranger looked at them.
"What are those?"
"Your final warning."
The weapons began charging.
"Mind your business."
The stranger stared at them.
Then slowly shook his head.
"I should mind my business?"
His voice rose.
"That's a child lying on the ground!"
He pointed toward Aura.
"And you were about to put a knife through her!"
His expression became furious.
"Not on my watch."
One of the men raised his weapon.
"You asked for this."
The weapons powered up.
The air began vibrating.
The stranger looked at them.
Then suddenly turned toward Aura.
He ran to her.
He carefully lifted the unconscious girl into his arms.
"Easy..."
He looked down at her.
"You're safe."
One of the armed men shouted.
"Put her down!"
The stranger looked over his shoulder.
"Oh."
He paused.
"I almost forgot something."
The armed men stared at him.
He smiled.
"When I said you were on my land..."
He adjusted Aura in his arms.
"...I didn't mean this little piece of land."
He pointed behind them.
"I mean all of it."
The men looked confused.
The stranger continued walking.
"And there's something else."
He smiled.
"I don't own this territory alone."
He glanced toward the trees.
"I share it with people."
The armed men exchanged looks.
"What people?"
The stranger stopped.
He looked back at them.
"Very angry people."
Silence.
Then he called out:
"Guys."
Nothing happened.
He shrugged.
"Looks like they don't want to leave."
He raised his voice.
"Come on out."
For several seconds, nothing moved.
Then—
THUD.
A foot stepped from behind a tree.
Then another.
Then another.
Suddenly, people began emerging from everywhere.
From behind trees.
From bushes.
From abandoned structures.
From the surrounding hills.
Hundreds of them.
Some carried machetes.
Others carried knives, slingshots, clubs, and firearms.
Their faces were filled with anger.
The armed men stared in disbelief.
"Where did all these people come from?"
The stranger smiled.
"I told you."
He walked away with Aura in his arms.
"You came to the wrong place."
The crowd began moving forward.
"GET OUT!"
"This is our land!"
"YOU'RE TRESPASSING!"
"LEAVE!"
The two armed men raised their weapons.
"Stay back!"
The crowd kept coming.
One of the men fired.
A tremendous sonic blast exploded outward.
BOOOOOOM!
The ground shook.
Several people were thrown backward.
But before the armed men could celebrate—
More people rushed forward.
The second man fired.
BOOOOOOM!
Another wave of force ripped through the crowd.
People fell.
But even more replaced them.
The first man stared.
"There's too many!"
His partner grabbed him.
"We're leaving!"
They ran toward the vehicle.
The crowd chased them.
One man hurled a machete.
It struck the side of the vehicle.
CLANG!
Another slammed a club against the armor.
BANG!
The armed men jumped inside.
"GO!"
The driver slammed his foot down.
The vehicle shot forward.
People surrounded it, pounding against the armor.
"GET OUT!"
"LEAVE OUR LAND!"
The vehicle finally broke through the crowd and sped away.
The stranger stood at the edge of the clearing, Aura still unconscious in his arms.
He watched the vehicle disappear into the distance.
Then he looked down at the little girl.
Her face was pale.
Her breathing was soft.
He gently moved a strand of hair away from her face.
"Who are you, little one?"
He looked at the faint mark on her neck.
Something about it seemed strangely familiar.
He frowned.
"What have you gotten yourself into?"
Aura remained unconscious.
The stranger tightened his hold around her.
"Whatever it is..."
He looked toward the direction the vehicle had disappeared.
"...you're not going back to those men."
He turned and walked deeper into his territory.
And neither John Lincoln nor Aura knew it yet—
But their meeting was about to change both of their lives forever.
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