Chapter 7: The Gathering Storm
"Remember, we have to be quick," Gricks whispered, eyes darting toward the window, almost as if sensing the impending arrival of McAllister's men. "If he finds out what we're planning..."
Before Gricks could finish, a loud crash echoed from the hallway outside, shaking the door violently. The trio froze, their eyes wide, momentarily suspended in fear.
"Did you lock the door?!" Laura hissed, dread pooling in her stomach.
"I thought I did," Alex replied.
"You though? " Laura fearfully replied.
"I think I did" Alex anxiously said in fear, his hands shaking as he scrambled to the door, fumbling the lock. "But I'm not sure!"
Gricks moved closer to Laura, positioning themselves between her and the door. "We need a backup plan. If they breach this door, we may not have time to gather our evidence. We've got to find another way out."
The door was banged on again, sending a surge of panic through Laura. "They're coming!" she cried. "What can we do?"
"Through the fire escape!" Gricks motioned, directing Laura and Markson toward a small window at the back of the kitchen. "It's our only chance."
As they hurriedly opened the window, the loud crash of the door splintering caught everyone's attention.
"Move!" Gricks urged everyone.
With an efficiency borne from desperation, Laura climbed through the window first, followed closely by Markson, and then Alex.
They scrambled down the rickety fire escape, the metal creaking under their weight. Laura glanced upward, seeing people flitting by the window they had just escaped, enforcing the urgency of their retreat.
"Get down!" Gricks hissed as they reached the ground, tugging them into the shadows just as the door burst open above them.
Laura could see figures spilling out into the alley, which she gazed could be McAllister's gang.
"Where did they go?" one of them growled, scanning the vicinity with a predatory gaze.
"I don't know! They can't have gone far!" another replied, the tension thickening as they approached.
Laura felt Markson tense beside her, a tremor running through his body. "What do we do now?" he whispered, eyes wide with fear.
"Let them pass," Graves urged. "We'll wait a moment before moving. The last thing we want is to be spotted."
Holding her breath, Laura nodded, her heart pounding in her ears as the shadows moved like apparitions just a few feet away. The gang members continued to scan the area, their eyes narrowing as they passed the dumpster, frustration boiling in the air.
"Check the bus station. They might think they can hide in plain sight!" one of them suggested before they moved off down the alley.
As soon as they were out of sight, Laura sighed in relief, her heart still racing. "We need to get to a safe place, preferably somewhere far from here."
"There's an old warehouse down by the riverbank," Alex suggested quietly. "It should be empty at this hour."
"Good idea." Gricks nodded, gesturing for them to follow. "Let's move quickly but quietly."
They left the safety of the dumpster and darted toward the darkened street, blending with the shadows.
"Stay alert," Gricks instructed, moving towards a rusted door at the back.
After that, they entered, finding the interior dark.
Dust motes danced in the light coming through the few broken windows.
"Now what?" Markson asked, glancing at the scattered debris littering the ground.
"We lay low for a bit, gather our thoughts, then figure out what to do next," Geicks responded.
They found a makeshift area in the far corner—an old crate turned upended, serving as a crude table. The four of them huddled near it, the air thick with tension.
"Alright," Laura said as she took a moment to collect her thoughts. "We need to focus. What's our next step? We can't keep running. We need evidence, something to show the police that will take McAllister down for good."
"Let's focus on the USB," Alex suggested. "Once we access that and retrieve the data, we can craft a plan around that."
"But what happens if McAllister finds out? He'll kill us," Markson said, frustration clear in his voice.
"Then we make sure he doesn't," Gricks replied, eyes gleaming with determination. "There's a way to get the drop on him. We need to think strategically."
Laura nodded, feeling the excitement build. "We can set a trap. We get him to a location where he feels safe, where we can present the evidence. We can call in the authorities as backup."
"That could work," Alex said. "But we need to be careful about how we set it up. McAllister is not a man to be underestimated.*We still need to be as careful as possible to avoid being trapped because they would stop at nothing to prevent us "
Suddenly, a loud noise shattered their concentration, echoing through the empty space as if the warehouse itself were protesting their presence.
"What was that?" Markson asked, eyes darting toward the entrance.
* * * * * *
Huh! Why can't they just call the police and end all this secret pursue. Well calling the police won't end anything here since Markson used to be a victim. So, he has to play safe so that only McAllister would be arrested at last.
"Shh!" Gricks said, holding a finger to their lips. "Everyone be quiet!"
They strained their ears against the oppressive silence, but nothing emerged. Just as they were about to dismiss it, a loud voice broke through the quiet, sending chills racing down Laura's spine.
"Get out here! I know you're in there!" It was one of McAllister's men, and the implication of being found sent a surge of panic through the group.
"Behind the crates!" Laura hissed, motioning them to the far side of the warehouse.
They scrambled toward the cover just as the door swung open violently, revealing the silhouette of a figure framed against the moonlight.
"No one escapes us," the man shouted, stepping inside. "We will find you!"
Laura's mind raced. "What if we could lead them on a wild goose chase?" she whispered. "Buy ourselves some time."
Gricks nodded, understanding her idea immediately. "If we scatter, they'll have to split up. Then we find a way to regroup later."
"That's risky!" Markson replied, his eyes wide with fear.
"I know, but it's our only shot," Laura insisted, her resolve firm. "We can't get caught. You're with me, and you guys go the other way!" She pointed toward a darker side of the warehouse, where shadows blended seamlessly.
Gritting his teeth, Markson nodded, eyes intense. "Fine. On the count of three, we split. One… two… three!"
As they darted away from each other, adrenaline surged through Laura's veins. She could hear the heavy footsteps pursuing Markson and Gricks.
"Over here!" one of the men shouted, pursuing Markson and Gricks.
Laura sprinted into a different room, her breaths labored as she quickly glanced around. She needed to find something, anything that could help in their escape. Just ahead, she spotted a rickety wooden staircase leading up to a loft area.
Climbing quickly, she reached the top and peered out through a broken window, searching for Markson and Gricks.
Her heart sank at the sight of two men rushing past below, leaving their trail of chaos and anger in their wake.
Suddenly, she heard a creak behind her. Whirling around, she found herself face-to-face with one of McAllister's henchmen—an enormous man with a sneer plastered across his face.
"Thought you could hide?" he said, lunging at her.
Immediately, Laura grabbed a nearby loose board and swung it in front of her as the man charged. It connected with a thud, knocking him off balance, giving her the precious seconds she needed to dart past him.
She dashed along the loft and slid down another set of stairs. It seemed to connect to a series of darkened rooms, leading to an adjacent industrial complex.
Where to go now? she thought frantically. Taking a deep breath to regain her composure, Laura peered around, looking for an exit.
Just as she turned to the door on her right, she suddenly bumped into Markson, who had narrowly avoided a gang member in the maze of crates behind her.
"There you are!" he exclaimed, relief flooding his features. "We were looking for you. We need to get to safety—they split up their search!"
"Where's Gricks?" Laura asked, her heart racing once more.
"They went that way," Markson indicated back toward the direction they had separated. "I think—I think we can get out through that door." He pointed toward an old, rusted exit door with peeling paint.
"Let's go!" Laura whispered urgently.
They moved cautiously toward the door, making sure no one was in sight. Shouldering through the door, they stumbled into the cool night air, momentarily blinded by the brightness of the streetlights.
But as soon as they stepped outside, Laura froze, her stomach sinking like a stone.
"Wait!" Before they could react, a guttural voice came from the shadows, causing every hair on her body to stand on end.
"Going somewhere?"
Another dark figure emerged from the corner, and this one sent chills down Laura's spine. It was Janice, her former friend.
"What are you doing here, Janice?" Laura asked incredulously, fear creeping back into her heart. "You betrayed us!"
Janice smirked, her eyes glinting in the harsh light. "Oh, I'm not here to betray you, Laura. I'm here to finish what I started—and this time, McAllister doesn't even know."
"What do you mean?" Markson snapped, stepping protectively in front of Laura.
"Well, you see," Janice drew closer, a predatory smile on her lips. "While you were busy playing heroes, I've been playing both sides. And right now, I'm in a really nice position."
"Why would you do this?" Laura's voice was shaky, trying to grasp the madness enveloping them.
"Because I want power," Janice replied, folding her arms, enjoying the dramatic tension. "And with your evidence and connections to the cops, I'll finally be able to make a name for myself."
"You're insane!" Markson shouted in disgust.
Just then, the sound of distant voices echoed through the alleyway, snapping Laura into action. "Janice, if you're with McAllister, you know he'll never trust you!" she warned, urgency fueling her every word.
"That's where you're wrong," Janice said, tilting her head thoughtfully. "I know how to make him trust me. And you two—well, you're just a liability now."
Before they could run, she lunged forward, a knife gleaming in her hand, ready to strike.
"Get down!" Markson shouted, instinctively pushing Laura aside as Janice lunged toward them.
In that split second, Laura felt a rush of strength, she grabbed a fallen metal pipe from the ground and readied herself against Janice, just as a shout rang through the alley.
Markson tackled Janice, momentarily destabilizing her, forcing the knife to the side. But then—a sharp pain sliced through Laura's side.
"Laura!" Markson cried out, panic twisting his voice.
Startled, she glanced down to see a trickle of blood seeping through her shirt. The realization washed over her in waves—she had been cut in the struggle.
"Get away from her!" Markson screamed, wrestling Janice to the ground. "You'll pay for this, you traitorous—"
But before he could finish, a loud crash echoed from the entrance of the alley—McAllister's men were rushing in
"Mark! We have to go!" Laura yelled, pain coursing through her as she gripped the injury tighter, attempting to focus through the dizziness.
In a swift motion, she grabbed Markson's arm and dashed toward a side entrance .
"Over there!" Markson pointed toward a narrow alley that led into the depths of the city, a potential escape route.
They bolted down the alley, voices echoing behind them, determination igniting every ounce of their strength.
"Just keep running!" Laura urged, her breath ragged as they rounded another corner.
They rushed through the city, weaving through alleyways and side streets, the thrumming pulse of survival pushing them onward.
"Are you alright?" Markson asked, glancing at her worriedly.
"Just keep moving, Mark," Laura replied, forcing each breath past the pain flaring in her side. "We need to figure out what to do next."
As they reached the clearing near the bank, Laura leaned against a tree, rasping for breath, feeling the adrenaline fading to exhaustion.
"Okay, what's the plan?" Markson asked, glancing up and down the street in a frantic dance.
"We find a place to lay low for the night, then regroup again," Laura said, gripping her side. "But we can't let Janice or McAllister catch up to us."
Suddenly, a shiver coursed through her—a deep and gnawing intuition that something dreadful was still pending.
"Mark, there's something we need to discuss," she began, her voice low.
"What is it?" he responded, brow furrowed with concern.
"I think Janice is more than just a double agent. I believe she has a plan—something bigger than what we anticipated," Laura murmured, the realization striking her like lightning.
"What do you mean?" Markson questioned, frowning.
"I overheard snippets while we were in the warehouse. She mentioned something about a 'larger agenda'—something tied to McAllister's operations that she might leverage for her own gain," Laura replied.
Markson's eyes widened, and a look of realization washed over his face. "You think she's been working with him from the start?"
"Exactly," Laura confirmed, her heart pounding in her chest. "And if she can obscure our evidence or use us as a distraction, she could rise to even greater power while leaving us in ruin."
"Then we can't let that happen," Markson said firmly, clenching his jaw. "We need to find a way to counter her plan."
"Agreed. But we have to be strategic," Laura replied, her mind racing with possibilities.
Their fight was far from over, and as the night deepened, they knew they would face every obstacle head-on, no matter the perilous paths that lay ahead.
Little did they know, Janice's machinations were set in motion, and the challenge awaited them just around the corn
er.
Well, things has gone out of hands and they are actually far from safety and could they be soon?
To be continued...