The place she was in looked like a small house, a place where Viviana would have never come on her own accord. "Let go of me! Who are you? Why are you dragging me like this?" The confusion was getting the best of Viviana, and she couldn't help but stop in the middle of the staircase to question the woman.
"Miss?!" The woman looked at Viviana as if she were an idiot. "This is no time for stupid questions! Your life is in great danger! You need to run away!"
"Why am I in danger? Could you just explain things to me before you drag me places? How can you do as you please to me?" Viviana was annoyed by the woman's forceful actions and lack of explanation.
The woman's eyes filled with urgency. "There's no time for this! They will be here any minute. Please, just trust me!" She tugged Viviana harder, desperation evident in her voice and eyes.
Viviana's stubbornness got the best of her, demanding explanations when the situation allowed no time. The tension in the air was suffocating, and her irritation knew no bounds. She wasn't leaving this place without answers. But her plan miscalculated, and within seconds, men in black stormed the house, cornering them. The woman who had been trying to help stood in their way, ready to protect Viviana with her life.
"Hand her over, and you go free," one of the men demanded, stepping forward.
"Over my dead body," the woman responded with unwavering confidence. She turned to Viviana. "There's a door at the back of the kitchen. Miss, you run and don't look back. I will cover for you as long as I can." Her gaze was unfazed, filled with a dedication Viviana had never witnessed before.
Viviana felt her limbs swell up; she couldn't move. "Run!" the woman urged, but Viviana was paralyzed, her heartbeat ringing in her ears, too loud to comprehend the woman's words. She stared blankly at her.
"I can't," Viviana uttered. The last thing she clearly remembered was the men rushing up the staircase. The woman fought them off, kicking and punching, causing a few to fall unconscious. "Run!" she screamed again, but Viviana stood frozen until a man grabbed her from behind, placing a knife at her neck.
"I think it's time you stop resisting, Joy, and let me take her for old times' sake," the man with the deep, threatening voice said.
The cold blade against Viviana's neck was surreal. She had never anticipated a situation like this.
"No! Miss! I told you to run!" Joy looked broken, shattered. She was bleeding but seemed unfazed by the pain.
Tears dripped down Viviana's cheeks as she muttered, "I am—scared."
"I will kill you!" Joy growled at the man holding the knife. But it was too late. He threw Viviana off the railing onto the floor below. Joy screamed, lunging towards him, but a man behind her pulled out a gun and pointed it at her.
"We gave you a choice. You made yours." With a smooth press of the trigger, the man shot Joy twice in the back, causing her body to fall down the stairs.
Viviana lay on the floor, gasping for breath, her body aching from the fall. The room spun around her, and she struggled to focus on the chaos unfolding above. The men in black were ruthless, their movements coordinated and precise.
Joy's body tumbled down the stairs, lifeless. The men stepped over her without a second glance, their attention now fully on Viviana. She tried to crawl away, but her body felt heavy and unresponsive.
"Get him," one of the men ordered. Two of them moved towards her, grabbing her arms and hauling her to her feet. Viviana struggled weakly, but it was no use. Her eyes were filled with horror, she couldn't look away from the freshly dead corpse of the woman before her. THis was no joke. Whatever she had gotten herself into was not a joke and this was clear.
"Let me go!" she cried out, but her voice was weak, drowned out by the adrenaline and fear coursing through her veins.
"Quiet," one of the men hissed, tightening his grip on her arm. "A wild one, this is," he grumbled, while another man stepped forward, looking down at her with a sneer.
"He made us chase after him all over the city. He deserves a gentle beating before we hand him over, don't we?" He grabbed Viviana by the shirt, lifting her effortlessly.
"Let go of me!" Her voice shook. "You don't know who you're messing with," she threatened, but the man scoffed.
"Yeah, I know who you are. And that doesn't change the fact that I'm gonna punch you in the face now for your arrogance." He ended his words, and before Viviana could process anything, a punch landed on her cheek. Her skin hit against her teeth, causing it to tear from the inside, her mouth instantly filling with blood. She fell to the floor, gasping.
"I hate arrogant brats." The man came to Viviana's side, who was on the floor, trying to catch her breath. "Arrogant bastards deserve a sound beating so they can be set on the right path." He stated and slammed his leather shoe into her abdomen, causing her to throw up blood.
"Cough, cough, cough." Viviana thought she couldn't breathe. And that was the last thing she remembered before passing out completely. But the men didn't stop kicking her until they were content. Only after they were satisfied did they drag her out of the house.
The world was a blur of pain and darkness for Viviana. She felt each brutal kick, each stomp, as her consciousness faded in and out. Her body was a canvas of agony.