Chapter 17

Frank drives the Jeep on a thin, cracked road surrounded by trees on both sides. Just like the GPS instructs him to do.

He pushed down the gas pedal, causing the car to speed up. His grey eyes were focused on the cracked road, trying to evade any potholes that were in his way.

He can't stop thinking about the exchange he had with Gillian. He does feel angry at her for not telling him, though her reaction was strange. She seemed shocked and surprised, rather than guilty and surrendering.

Maybe he shouldn't have reacted the way he did towards her. He might have been a bit too harsh, but he can't risk it, he can't risk anything right now.

Reaching a crossing, the GPS tells him to turn right, which he does, and just to continue driving forward. The mansion should be close by.

Maybe he shouldn't have left her home alone, he begins to worry if she is okay.

But the sight of the big mansion suddenly causes him to brush off his concern about Gillian.

He drives the Jeep onto the driveway before exiting the car.

He reaches the stairs that lead to the entrance and exit of the mansion. That is when he realises that the door is open.

He pulls out his pistol that was tucked into his jeans, aiming it forward, getting ready to shoot anyone in his way.

He opens the door farther so that he can walk in, but when he does the door releases loud creaking noises.

He opens the door and walks in. He walks into the hallway of the mansion, forward is the kitchen, to his left two doors leading into two different rooms. To his right is a door, open wide, showing off the luxurious living room.

Walking forward, Frank decides to go into the kitchen.

His attention was caught by some rattling and shifting from around where the kitchen is.

Upon entering the kitchen, the sound and rattling become louder. He becomes extremely cautious, gripping the pistol that is in his hands.

He walks a few more steps before noticing another door wide open, the rattles confirm that someone is in there.

He walks forward, reaching the open door but is put off by the sight of stairs leading down. This is a cellar.

He begins heading down the stairs, his breath slowing down, he can feel his heart beating harder and harder with every step he made down the stairs.

There are a few more steps left but as he took one more step, the stairway creeks.

"Fuck!" Frank mutters under his breath, he can feel sweat accumulating on his forehead.

That was when the rattling stopped, everything became silent, but Frank decided to continue walking down the steps, reaching the bottom of the wooden steps within seconds.

He walks into the cold, dimly lit, stone room. He could see many things on the ground as the mood in the room slowly began to change as he can sense eerie feeling created by the room.

He suddenly heard a voice behind him.

"Put your gun down...".

he felt something cold on the back of his head.

"I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I need to..." the female voice behind him adds.

Rolling his eyes he slowly lowers his hand before dropping the gun.

But he has a plan.

He swiftly turns around, grabbing the hand of the woman that pointed her pistol at him. He twists her arm before hitting her wrist causing her to drop the pistol.

He quickly grabs both her and his pistol before closing in on her.

"Please... don't shoot me..." the woman pleads as her hands are on her head.

"What are you doing here?" Frank asks her.

She suddenly drops her hands before looking him in the eyes.

"Isn't it obvious... my... my home town is destroyed, my friends died, my parents died... everyone I have loved... died. They died in this hole of a town... All because of that stupid fucking project.".

"That does not tell me why you are here..." Frank replies.

She rolls her eyes before taking in a deep breath.

"I am trying to find who did this..."

Frank looks at her, confused.

"What do you mean by that?".

"What I mean is that I think that what happened in Armull was a deliberate act. Maybe a plan of some sort.".

"Why was it then classified as an accident?" Frank asks.

But all that the woman does is look at him before letting out a slight chuckle.

"You working for one of your 'safety' organisations, did they send you here?" she asks him.

"Yes... Yes, I do and yes they sent me here," Frank answers.

"They didn't tell you, did they?"

"Tell me what?" He asks.

"I mean, why would they? It is too much of a risk..." the woman says.

"Woman... tell me..." Frank insists, getting more and more frustrated.

"I believe I have a name..." she tells him.

"What is your name then?" Frank asks her.

"Alex, my name is Alex.".

They were interrupted by a call on Frank's walkie talkie.

"Frank! Frank!?".

He can hear Gillian's voice.

"Gillian!?" Frank calls back on the Walkie Talkie.

"Frank I- I- c- me- h-"

Gillian's voice was soon to be substituted by the sound of nothing.

He roars into the Walkie Talkie, hoping that she will be able to hear his message.

"Stay safe, don't go anywhere we are coming!?".

He turns back to Alex who seems to look relived.

"She is still alive..." Alex mutters under her breath.

"Not for long, come on we need to get a move on..." Frank replies.

"Where is she?" Alex questions.

"Her old house..."

Alex looks up at Frank, she cannot believe what she heard.

"You left her on her own!?".

"She is old enough to take care of herself, I am pretty sure she does not need another twenty-seven year old to look after her," Frank answers back.

"This is what I mean, you don't get it... She is the daughter of the fucking scientist who made this treatment.".

"What do you mean by that?" Frank asks.

"They wanted you to deliberately come here and leave her behind, alone, so that they could kidnap her. Since she's the daughter of the scientist. They can bribe whoever the fuck they want with her! Do you understand now!?". Alex explains to Frank.

Things now seemed to make more sense...

He begins to run his hands through his hair before heading upstairs.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!?" Frank rushes out of the mansion alongside Alex.

"Drive! I am going to tell you where to go, I know a few shortcuts." Alex says.

Immediately, Frank pushes the gas pedal down, driving off.