Alleviating the heat

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"Hey, Victor... Victor, wake up!"

Victor's eyes slowly opened to find Thomas leaning over him, worry etched on his face as he gently shook him.

"Are you awake now?"

Victor gave a slight nod, still disoriented, and began to take in their surroundings. The room was dim and dusty; it seemed like they were in an old storage space.

"How long was I out?"

"I'm not sure," Thomas replied, his voice strained. "Maybe about an hour. After they knocked us out and beat us, I have no clue where they brought us. But we need to get out of here fast before they come back and recognize us!"

Thomas quickly patted his pocket, searching for his phone.

"Damn it! They took our phones. If they manage to unlock mine, they might've already gone through all our messages," he said, his concern growing. "What about your phone, Victor? Do you still have it?"