35. Eva
CHAPTER 35
EVA
The only sound we hear is the small echo of our footsteps whilst we walk through the warehouse. Flynn leads the way, taking over from Ant while Gunnar flanks the rear, keeping an eye behind us.
I glance over at Mandy, who’s a few steps behind. Her body is tense as she grips on to the gun in front of her like it’s a lifeline.
Panic grows inside of me, this is supposed to be the place, Marco’s hideout, where Axels is meant to be but something feels wrong.
“This place is a ghost town, shouldn’t there be someone here at least?” I whisper to Carter who’s in front of me.
“We haven’t found anything yet,” He replies, “Keep your guard up. You never know what could happen in a split second.”
We enter another abandoned room, the glow of our masks being the only thing to be seen. There is no sign of life, not even a hint of the men we expected to find here. No Marco, No guards. Just… Silence.
“I don’t like this,” Mandy says, “Where the hell is everyone? Why would they leave the place empty?”
My grip tightens around the gun, ready for whatever may come after we round this corner. “I don’t know, but I don’t trust it.”
Ant stops, his fingers moving the screen in his hand. His eyes flicker up at the others before handing it up for us to see.
Carter moves forward, examining it. “There’s no activity nearby. It’s a decoy.”
“No.” Flynn shouts, moving towards a door on the other side, he pushes it open examining the area before throwing his fist against the wall.
“Fuck!”
He isn’t here.
We stand facing each other, waiting for someone to say something. Our whole plan revolved in Axel being here.
Flynn turns to walk back to us but when he does, he stops. Angling his head towards the door he just opened.
“Did you hear that?” He asks.
Nobody talks, waiting for whatever Flynn heard to happen again.
A scream.
Carter's head snaps towards the direction of the noise, “It’s coming from the other warehouse. Move. Now!”
Everyone follows Carter as he heads back into the direction we just came in. The sound of our running footsteps echoing off the walls around us.
We exit the door, ending up back where we started, we listen carefully, waiting for the scream and then it happens.
“This way!” Carter shouts as he leads the way to a warehouse further down. When we approach, two of Marco’s men spot us and raise their weapons. Gunnar pulls the trigger from behind us causing a gush of wind from the bullet as it whips past our heads and into the body of one, sending them to the ground, while Carter takes out the second.
Flynn turns, facing both me and Mandy, “Stay close, both of you.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice as I stand frozen to the spot, I’ve never seen a dead person before. Never mind witnessing a murder. I try to breathe, but the smell of blood and gunpowder choke me. I want to look away, but I can’t. I raise my trembling hand to my mouth, as sickness swims inside of my stomach.
This is not the time Eva.
I didn’t imagine that this is what would happen, I knew it wouldn’t be good but I thought I’d be stronger than this. How can anyone be ready for something like this?
The sound of gunshots echoes through the warehouse an my body flinches, waiting to be hit. Every instinct in me screams to run, to escape but I can’t. I can’t leave them behind. I can’t leave Axel.
I look up, seeing that Flynn and Carter have already opened the door and are shooting inside. I glance at Mandy, her face pale from the side of her mask.
We’ve been thrown into a war zone, unprepared for what is surrounding us.
“You have to keep moving.” Gunnar commands from behind us.
I blink, snapping out of my paralysed state. Gunnar locks eyes with me and I see the urgency under his mask.
Mandy exhales sharply, shaking herself and for the first time, she meets my eyes with a different look. A look of pure determination I’ve never seen from her before. She nods once, before pulling me towards the door.
Everything is moving so fast, but I force my feet to keep moving forward. The others are already in the warehouse, their guns raised as the sound of bullets flying fills the air. In the distance the faint shouts of people calling for backup as we move deeper inside.
I listen, waiting for any indication that Axel is inside but there is too much going on that I can’t think.
Flynn’’s voice cuts through the chaos unfolding in front of us, “Eva! Mandy! Get in here now!”
Without thinking, I break into a sprint, the sound of my heart pounding in my ears as I run. My muscles scream at me to turn around but I don’t stop. Not this time.
Mandy’s right beside me, matching her pace with mine. There’s no time for talking when the only thing that matters is getting Axel out of here alive.
Carter is in front of us, battling his way through a sea of people. The air is thick with the smell of smoke, sweat and blood, making it difficult to breathe while we run towards him.
We spot something in the far corner, away from the scene that is unfolding, I scan the area, trying to figure out who the men are.
Then I see him.
“Axel!”
He’s slumped in a chair, his head hanging low while it rests against his chest. Blood drips from a cut across his forehead. Carter raises his gun, aiming for someone standing next to him, barking orders to others before pulling the trigger.
The sound sent me in motion and I find myself running, needing to be by his side. I shove past Carter urging my legs to go faster before collapsing at Axel’s side.
My hand reaches for his face, blood trails down his cheek, coating my fingers. His skin is cold under my touch and I swallow hard, trying to control the panic brewing inside of me. He’s not moving.
My mind flashes back to the note he left, the image of him walking into this warehouse alone burns in my brain.
“Axel,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I gently shake him.
Carter’s movements catch the corner of my eye as he walks towards the body led nearby, kicking at it with his foot.
“It’s Marco, He’s dead.”
I don’t think about the man on the floor when I look back at Axel.
“It’s me. It’s Eva. Please, look at me.” I beg.
Tears are streaming down my face as I wipe them away with my sleeve.
He doesn’t respond. His head rolls to the side, a pained groan slipping from his cracked lips.
“Help me get him out of this!” I scream at the others. Flynn and Carter race over, cutting through the ropes the moment they arrive.
I cup Axel’s face in my hands, trying to get him to focus on me. His eyes flutter open for a brief moment.
“Buttercup…” He says faintly, so quiet I barely hear it.
“I’m here,” I sob, brushing the blood and sweat from his face. “You’re going to be okay. Just stay with me.”
A deafening bang echoes through the warehouse causing me to flinch.
“More men are on the way, we need to move now.”Flynn barks as he watches the door. Gunnar comes skidding to a halt, picking Axel’s limp body out of the chair.
Carter grabs my arm, dragging me to my feet but all I can do is watch Axel as his head sags against Gunnars shoulder. Only the slight uneven rise and fall of his chest telling me he’s alive.