Maya woke up with a throbbing headache, her mind foggy and disoriented. She tried to move, but her hands were tied to the arms of a chair. Panic surged through her as she realized she couldn't see anything; a blindfold was tightly secured over her eyes. She strained against her bonds, her heart pounding in her chest.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself and think. She needed to get out of here. Maya wriggled her hands, feeling the rough rope bite into her skin. She managed to loosen the knots just enough to free one hand. Quickly, she worked on untying the other hand, her fingers trembling.
As soon as she was free, she yanked off the blindfold. The room was dimly lit, and she could barely make out her surroundings. There was a door at the far end, slightly ajar. Maya stood up, her legs shaky, and made her way towards it as quietly as possible.
She opened the door cautiously, peeking out. The hallway was empty. She could hear distant voices, but she couldn't tell which direction they were coming from. Taking a deep breath, she chose the path to her right, moving swiftly but silently.
Meanwhile, Alex paced back and forth in his office, his anger simmering just below the surface. One of his men burst in, looking frantic. "Boss, the girl… she's gone. She managed to escape."
Alex's face darkened. "What? How did you let this happen?"
"I-I'm sorry, Boss. We're looking for her now."
Alex slammed his fist on the desk. "Find her! Now! She can't have gone far. Search every inch of this place, and don't come back until you have her!"
Maya continued down the corridor, her pulse racing. She could hear footsteps behind her and knew she didn't have much time. She spotted a stairwell and hurried down, her breath coming in quick gasps. Reaching the bottom, she found herself in a dimly lit basement filled with storage boxes and old furniture.
She hid behind a large stack of boxes, trying to steady her breathing. The footsteps grew louder, and she knew they were close. She needed to think of something fast.
Alex's men fanned out, searching every room and corridor. He followed behind them, his expression cold and determined. He couldn't afford to let Maya escape. She knew too much.
.