Chapter 7 - THE NIGHT BALTIMORE WENT DARK
The plane landed in New York just after midnight.
Mara had not slept.
Adrian had barely spoken.
The city lights glittered below them.
But something about the darkness felt wrong.
When they reached the hotel, Adrian's men were already waiting.
“Blake is here,” one of them said.
“Where?”
“Penthouse.”
Adrian looked at Mara.
“Stay in the car.”
“No.”
“Mara.”
“You need me.”
“I need you alive.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
His eyes hardened.
She stepped closer.
“I know Vanessa.”
Adrian said nothing.
“She knows how Blake thinks. I know how Vanessa thinks.”
Adrian stared at her.
Finally, he nodded.
“Stay beside me.”
They entered the hotel.
The lobby was empty.
Too empty.
Adrian immediately noticed.
“Where is everyone?”
The lights went out.
Mara froze.
The entire building went dark.
Then the emergency lights flickered red.
A gunshot exploded.
Adrian grabbed Mara and pulled her behind a marble pillar.
“Stay down.”
People shouted in the darkness.
Mara heard footsteps.
Several.
Adrian drew his weapon.
Mara's heart pounded.
A man ran across the lobby.
One of Adrian's men fired.
The man fell.
Mara pressed herself against the pillar.
Adrian looked at her.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Good.”
A second shot struck the marble.
Adrian pulled her toward the service hallway.
They ran.
Mara's shoes slipped on the polished floor.
Adrian caught her hand.
For one second, she looked at him.
His fingers were wrapped around hers.
Then he released her.
They reached the service elevator.
The doors opened.
Adrian pushed Mara inside.
A man appeared at the end of the hallway.
He raised his weapon.
Adrian fired.
The doors closed.
Mara stared at him.
“You shot him.”
“I missed.”
She looked at him.
“You missed?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn't want to kill him.”
The elevator began moving.
Then stopped.
Mara's breath caught.
The lights went out again.
Adrian looked at the control panel.
“Someone stopped the elevator.”
Mara's breathing became faster.
The walls seemed to close in.
Adrian noticed.
“Look at me.”
She did.
“Breathe.”
“I am.”
“No, you’re not.”
Mara pressed her hand to her stomach.
Adrian stepped closer.
“Look at me.”
She did.
“Breathe in.”
She inhaled.
“Slowly.”
She followed his instructions.
The elevator remained silent.
Then a voice came through the intercom.
“Adrian.”
Mara froze.
Blake.
Adrian looked up.
“Where is she?”
Blake laughed.
“You brought her with you.”
Adrian said nothing.
Blake continued.
“I'm impressed.”
Mara stepped toward the intercom.
“Blake.”
Adrian caught her wrist.
She looked at him.
He shook his head.
Blake laughed.
“Come on, Mara. Say hello.”
She pulled free.
“You’re a coward.”
Silence.
Then Blake said, “You always did like pretending to be brave.”
Adrian's eyes darkened.
Mara continued.
“You ran.”
“I had to.”
“You abandoned everything.”
“I left because of you.”
Mara froze.
“What?”
Blake laughed.
“You think Adrian is protecting you?”
Adrian moved toward the panel.
Mara listened.
Blake continued.
“He wants the files.”
“What files?”
Adrian looked at her.
Blake said, “Ask him.”
The elevator suddenly dropped.
Mara screamed.
Adrian grabbed her.
The emergency brakes engaged.
The elevator stopped violently.
Mara hit Adrian's chest.
His arms closed around her.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Adrian slowly released her.
“You okay?”
Mara nodded.
The intercom crackled.
Blake was gone.
Adrian opened the emergency panel.
“We’re getting out.”
“How?”
“Climb.”
Mara stared.
“Absolutely not.”
He looked at her.
“You have a better idea?”
“No.”
“Then climb.”
The doors opened halfway between floors.
Adrian climbed first.
Then turned.
“Your turn.”
Mara looked down.
The gap below made her dizzy.
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.”
“I can’t.”
Adrian reached up.
“Take my hand.”
Mara stared at it.
Then took it.
He pulled her up.
She climbed onto the floor.
They entered an empty hallway.
Adrian's men were nowhere in sight.
Mara looked around.
“Where is everyone?”
Adrian checked his phone.
“No signal.”
“Why?”
He looked at the ceiling.
“Because someone is blocking the building.”
Mara's stomach tightened.
Then she saw a door at the end of the hallway.
It was slightly open.
A light shone beneath it.
Adrian raised his weapon.
They approached.
Mara heard voices.
Vanessa.
“Blake, we need to leave.”
Mara recognized her immediately.
Adrian looked at Mara.
She nodded.
He pushed the door open.
The room was empty.
A phone lay on the table.
The screen was playing a video.
Mara watched herself.
A recording.
She was sitting in the kitchen of her old home.
Talking to Blake.
The wedding ring had been listening.
Adrian watched the footage.
Mara felt sick.
The video changed.
Another recording.
Then another.
Two years of her life.
Captured.
Stored.
Used.
Then the final video appeared.
Mara saw herself asleep.
In bed.
Blake standing beside her.
Holding a camera.
Mara covered her mouth.
Adrian's expression became murderous.
The screen went black.
A message appeared.
YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED IN BALTIMORE.
Then the hotel lights came back on.
Adrian's phone rang.
He answered.
“Cross.”
The voice on the other end said something.
Adrian's face changed.
“What?”
Mara watched him.
“What happened?”
Adrian slowly looked at her.
“Your mother has been taken.”
Mara's blood went cold.
“What?”
“Blake has her.”
Mara shook her head.
“No.”
Adrian grabbed her shoulders.
“Mara.”
“No!”
She pushed him away.
“He wouldn't.”
“He did.”
Mara's breathing became frantic.
Adrian's voice hardened.
“Look at me.”
She did.
“Blake wants you to come home.”
Mara stared.
“Where?”
May you like
Adrian's eyes turned cold.
“Baltimore.”
