(Ava’s POV)
Consciousness came back in fragments.
Sound first, and muffled voices, the crunch of gravel, the low thrum of an engine. Then pain, blooming hot and bright at the base of my skull. I tried to move and discovered I couldn’t. My wrists were bound behind me, ankles tied, body slumped awkwardly against cold metal.
I opened my eyes.
I was in the back of a vehicle, an SUV, judging by the cramped space and reinforced panels. No windows. Just dim red emergency lights running along the ceiling like a warning meant for someone else.
Panic surged, sharp and suffocating.
Brian.
I twisted, heart hammering. “Brian!” My voice cracked, raw and hoarse.
No answer.
A sharp knock on the partition made me flinch.
“Easy,” a man’s voice said from the front. Calm. Almost bored. “You’re awake
