The first thing Jade noticed when she woke up was the cold. The floor beneath her was hard and unyielding, and the damp air sent a shiver down her spine. Her head throbbed, and it took her a moment to remember where she was—or rather, to realize she had no idea where she was.
“Mia?” Jade croaked, her voice hoarse. She tried to move, but her wrists and ankles were bound tightly.
Beside her, Mia stirred, letting out a soft whimper as she slowly came to. “Jade?” she mumbled, her voice shaking.
“I’m here,” Jade said quickly, trying to sound calm despite the panic clawing at her chest. “Are you okay?”
Mia blinked, her eyes adjusting to the dim light of the room. “No,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I don’t know where we are. I’m scared, Jade.”
Jade’s heart ached at the sound of her friend’s fear. She struggled against the ropes, but they only dug deeper into her skin. “We’ll figure it out,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “We’re going to be okay.”
The room was pitch dark except for a faint sliver of light coming from a crack beneath what looked like a heavy metal door. The walls were concrete, and the air smelled damp and stale. Jade’s mind raced as she tried to piece together how they had gotten here. The last thing she remembered was the parking lot… the van… the cloth over her mouth.
Mia began to cry softly, her shoulders shaking as tears streamed down her face. “Jade, what if we never get out of here?”
Jade scooted closer to her, awkwardly using her shoulder to nudge Mia in an attempt to comfort her. “Don’t think like that,” she said firmly. “The guys will come for us. Milan, Enzo, and Thiago—they won’t stop until they find us.”
Mia sniffled, her voice small. “But what if they can’t?”
“They will,” Jade insisted, though she wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince Mia or herself. “They’ll find us. They always do.”
Before Mia could respond, the heavy metal door creaked open, and both women froze. The light from the hallway spilled into the room, and a tall man stepped inside. His face was obscured by a mask, and his presence filled the room with an oppressive energy.
He carried a small metal tray in one hand, his boots echoing ominously against the concrete floor as he approached them. Without a word, he placed the tray on the ground between them. On it sat two bowls of what looked like dog food, the unappetizing mush glistening under the faint light.
“What is this?” Mia blurted out, her voice laced with panic and disgust.
The man didn’t respond. He straightened up, his gaze lingering on them for a moment before he turned and walked out. The door slammed shut behind him, the sound reverberating through the small room.
Mia’s breathing grew shallow, and she began to sob again. “Jade, what’s happening to us? This can’t be real. This can’t be happening.”
Jade swallowed hard, her throat dry as she stared at the tray in front of them. The sight of the food—or whatever it was—made her stomach churn, but she forced herself to stay calm. “Mia, look at me,” she said softly.
Mia shook her head, her tears falling freely. “I can’t do this. I can’t.”
“Yes, you can,” Jade said firmly. “We’re going to get through this together. I need you to stay strong, okay? Just for a little while longer.”
Mia sniffled, wiping her face against her shoulder. “How can you be so calm?”
Jade let out a shaky breath, her own fear bubbling just below the surface. “I’m not calm. I’m terrified. But we can’t let them see that. Whoever they are, they want us to break. We can’t give them the satisfaction.”
Mia nodded weakly, her sobs subsiding slightly as she leaned into Jade. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispered.
Jade gave her a small, reassuring smile. “We’ll get out of this. I promise.”