UNEXPECTED LOVE: In Love With My Bodyguard.

CHAPTER 5: SILENCED

As the morning sun peeked over the horizon, the city gradually awakened from its slumber, with a harmonious buzzing sound that accompanied its usual morning commotion. The sound was a symphony of cars honking, distant sirens wailing, and the lively chatter of early risers bustling about their daily routines, creating a unique and vibrant melody that echoed through the air and infused the city with energy and life.

After a lengthy conversation with Valentina, Ben, a highly proficient IT expert, had just finished devising a plan to trace a burner phone. The phone's connection to a series of incidents within the Williams empire had raised concerns, and Ben was determined to get to the bottom of things. He meticulously went over all the available data and formulated a strategy to track the phone's movements. Given the sensitive nature of the situation, Ben took great care to ensure that the tracing process was done discreetly and without any risk of exposure.

As the day wears on, Ben finds himself engrossed in the task of deciphering the mystery that surrounds the enigmatic burner phone. He spends hours poring over the intricate details of the case, sifting through piles of evidence and piecing together a complex web of clues.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity of work, he decides to call it a day and head back home to rest.

As he unlocks his bike and prepares to set out on his journey, hoping to continue his pending work the next day. With the cool evening breeze blowing past him, he pedals down the quiet streets, lost in thought and reflecting on the events of the day.

As Ben pedaled his bike down the quiet street, he glanced behind him and spotted a gleaming white van slowly trailing him from a distance of two blocks. The van seemed almost too pristine, its bodywork glinting in the bright afternoon sun. At first, Ben's heart raced with fear at the sight of the van, but he quickly reassured himself that it was simply another vehicle using the road. Yet, he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease as the van continued to follow him, its movements slow and deliberate. He kept a watchful eye on the van, his senses heightened, trying to discern its intentions as he rode along. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, the large van came hurtling towards him at breakneck speed. The vehicle swerved wildly and overtook him in a reckless frenzy, almost knocking him off his feet. The van then screeched to a sudden halt right in front of him, leaving him trembling with fear and confusion.

Two ominous figures emerged from the van, dressed in matching black outfits that seemed to blend in with the shadows around them. They were tall and muscular, their faces partially concealed by black masks, giving them an air of mystery and danger. Without a moment's hesitation, they started bounding towards Ben with long, confident strides, closing in on him with alarming speed. Ben's mind raced with questions and fear, wondering what these strangers wanted from him and how he could escape their grasp.

"Who-o a-are yo-ou?" Ben's voice trembled as he asked. However, he received no answer. Instead, the men charged at him and gave him a resounding slap. The sudden assault left Ben dazed and disoriented. He struggled to make sense of what was happening when one of the men pinned him down and the other one produced a white handkerchief and covered his nose with it restricting him from breathing.

Ben was putting up a fight, attempting to break free from the tight grip of his captors. However, their strength was too much for him to overcome, and he found himself unable to escape their grasp. In addition to this, he noticed that the white handkerchief they had pressed against his face was having a strange effect on him. The chemical substance on the cloth was starting to take hold, and Ben could feel himself becoming increasingly dizzy and disoriented as a result. Despite his best efforts, he knew that he was rapidly losing the battle against his captors and the effects of the chemical. After enduring a long and difficult period, Ben eventually succumbed to unconsciousness and lost all awareness of his surroundings.

As soon as he lost consciousness, he felt a strong grip on his shoulders and suddenly found himself being dragged into the back of the white van. The men handling him were quick and efficient, wasting no time before speeding off into the street. As the van jolted back and forth on the road, he struggled to regain his bearings, but the darkness and the motion made it difficult to focus. All he could do was hope that he would be able to escape this terrifying situation unscathed.

The screeching sound of the van's brakes echoed in the desolate landscape as it came to a halt, this made Ben wake up and jolted in fear. The groaning doors opened and revealed a stark and eerie scene. A half-built structure, its skeletal frame looming against the dark and bruised sky, dominated the landscape before them. Ben stumbled out of the van, his legs wobbling as he was pushed forward by a chorus of gruff voices. The towering entrance to the structure seemed to swallow him whole as he slowly made his way towards it.

As he stepped inside, his nose was immediately assaulted by the thick layer of dust that hung in the air. The room was dimly lit by a single bare bulb that cast harsh shadows across the rough concrete floor. His eyes slowly adjusted to the gloom, revealing two figures standing in the shadows. Their faces were obscured by the darkness, but he could sense the danger emanating from them. One of them was tall and whipcord thin, with a cruel smile playing on thin lips, exuding a sense of malevolence that was almost palpable. The other was broad-shouldered and brutish, a silent enforcer, with a menacing aura that made my skin crawl. He couldn't help but feel that he had stumbled into something dangerous, but couldn't wrap his hands around who was behind it.

"So, the little IT guy thinks he can play hero," the thin one drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Heard you been poking your nose in places it doesn't belong."

Ben's throat tightened as he swallowed, feeling the dryness. His heart raced as the fear of danger flooded through his veins, sharp and metallic. He knew the Williamses were under fire, but he never expected to become a victim of the ongoing violence. The sudden realization hit him hard, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was just collateral damage in a war he had no part in.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he croaked, his voice barely a whisper.

A laugh, cold and devoid of humor, erupted from the thin man. He grabbed Ben by the collar, yanking him close. "Don't play dumb, Williams lackey. Do you think you can hide behind servers and firewalls, digging up dirt on Mr. Croft? We know all about your little midnight excursions."

The words confirmed Ben's worst fears. Croft was behind this. His mind raced, searching for an escape, a way to warn Valentina. But there was nothing, just this suffocating darkness and the two menacing figures before him.

A flurry of fists rained down. Ben crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath, his vision swimming. The thin man loomed over him, a cruel glint in his eyes. "Consider this a warning," he hissed. "Back off, or next time, it won't be just a little beating. Understand?"

Ben, his face a mask of pain, could only manage a weak nod. Disgusted, the thin man shoved him towards the bruiser who hauled him back to the van. The drive back was a blur, every bump a fresh wave of agony. When they finally dumped him outside his apartment building, Ben emerged like a broken marionette, a chilling message echoing in his ears: stay silent, or face the consequences.