Chapter 7: Found

Back at the cabin, Elizabeth stirred awake. It had been a long time since she'd slept that soundly. The morning light streamed through the window, piercing her eyes. She squinted against the brightness, slowly sitting up on the creaking bed. For a moment, she just sat there in silence, her mind foggy with sleep.

Then, shaking off the drowsiness, she got up and made her way to the sitting room.

"Good morning," a familiar voice greeted her.

Her eyes snapped open fully, and fear shot through her veins. It was Ray.

Elizabeth's breath hitched as she took in the scene, Ray's men were scattered across the room, their presence suffocating. And then she saw Jerry. He was on his knees, his hands tied, a gun pressed against his head.

And there, sitting in the very chair she had occupied the night before, was Ray.

"Oh my God… Ray, please, let Jerry go," Elizabeth pleaded, her voice shaky.

Ray chuckled darkly as he stood, his towering frame looming over her.

"You really thought you were smart, huh, Elizabeth?" he said, taking slow, deliberate steps toward her.

Her heart pounded. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ray tilted his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Want?" He let out a low chuckle. "It's funny, isn't it? No one's here to save you now. Not even Gunther."

Elizabeth swallowed hard, the memory of what she had done to Gunther flashing before her eyes.

Ray leaned in, his breath hot against her skin. "You always had a big mouth, Elizabeth. But now?" He lifted a finger, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Now, there's nowhere left to run."

Her fists clenched at her sides. "What do you want from me, Ray?" she asked again, this time forcing the fear out of her voice.

Ray's smirk widened. "Oh, sweetheart… you'll find out soon enough."

"Please let him go, he's innocent," Elizabeth pleaded, her voice trembling as she looked at Jerry, who was already battered and barely holding himself up.

Ray turned to him with a smirk, tilting his head as if considering her request. "This old fella over here?" he mused, amusement flickering in his cold eyes.

Then, with a small chuckle, he said, "Fine."

Before Elizabeth could even react, Ray raised his gun and pulled the trigger.

The deafening gunshot shattered the tense silence.

Jerry's body jerked as the bullet tore through his chest. Blood bloomed across his shirt, trickling from his mouth as his eyes rolled back. A weak gasp escaped his lips before he collapsed onto the floor, lifeless.

Elizabeth's world stopped.

Her body locked in place, her breath caught in her throat.

She wanted to scream, but nothing came out.

She wanted to move, but her limbs wouldn't obey.

Ray had killed Jerry. Right in front of her.

And now, she might be next.

Elizabeth watched in horror as Jerry's lifeless body collapsed to the floor, his blood pooling beneath him. Her breath hitched, her hands trembling at the sight. An innocent man…gone. Because of her. If she hadn't run to him for help, he'd still be alive.

She swallowed hard, guilt constricting her throat. "You… monster," she whispered, her gaze fixed on the ground.

Ray's head snapped toward her. "What did you just say?"

Elizabeth lifted her eyes, rage burning through her fear. "I said, you mon—"

Before she could finish, Ray swung his gun, the heavy metal cracking against her cheek. She hit the floor hard, pain exploding through her skull.

The room spun, but she could still hear his voice,calm, almost amused.

"You were saying?" Ray taunted, towering over her.

Elizabeth coughed, spitting blood onto the cold floor as she struggled to push herself up. Her arms trembled, pain radiating through her body, but she refused to stay down.

Ray stood over her, his expression unreadable. "You don't have the right to talk to me like that again," he said, his voice calm but laced with warning.

Elizabeth glared up at him, wiping the blood from her lip.

Ray smirked. "You did a good job killing Gunther. He can't save you anymore." He crouched beside her, lowering his voice. "I always wondered why he kept you instead of selling you like the rest."

Elizabeth froze. The words felt like a slap, her breath catching in her throat.

"Sell?" Her voice wavered. "What do you mean, sell?"

Ray let out a low chuckle, standing back up. "Oh, Lizzy. You can't really say you didn't know what Gunther was up to?" He shook his head. "Gunther sold girls like livestock. But you… you were different. He protected you."

Elizabeth's heart pounded. Protected her? Why?

A chilling realization crept into her mind, but she shoved it away.

Ray leaned in close, his breath warm against her ear. "Ask yourself, Elizabeth..what made you so valuable that he refused to let you go?"

Her stomach twisted as puzzle pieces she hadn't even known existed began to fit together.

Gunther had always been ruthless. A monster. A man with no mercy.

So why had he spared her?

Elizabeth kept quiet, her mind racing. All these years, Gunther had kept her by his side, exploiting her powers for his own gain. He had controlled her, used her, but never allowed anyone else to lay a hand on her except him.

Now, with him gone, she was just another tool to be claimed.

"What do you want from me?" she asked again, her voice steadier this time.

Ray smirked. "It's simple… You're going to work for me. Just like you did for Gunther."

Elizabeth let out a small chuckle, catching Ray off guard.

"You went through all this trouble just to make me your puppet?"

Ray's face darkened. "You should be grateful I'm giving you a chance to live. You killed Gunther, the only man who truly saw me, who believed in what I am." His grip on the gun tightened. "So don't mistake this for kindness. It's an order."

Elizabeth's eyes burned with defiance. "Enough with the speeches. Over my dead body will I work for you."

Before Ray could react, her eyes darted around the room, desperate for any clue that could help her. That's when she saw it….on the table beside one of Ray's men, half-covered by a stack of papers. A map.

The words "South Pier Warehouse" were scribbled in red ink.

Elizabeth's pulse quickened. That had to mean something.

Taking a deep breath, she focused all her energy. The world around her blurred as a surge of power rippled through her body.

Then…she vanished.