fourteen

The three men lunged.

Adi struggled, thrashing against their grip. 'LEAVE ME!' he shouted.

A sharp fist slammed into his stomach.

The air rushed out of his lungs, and he collapsed to his knees, gasping, coughing, groaning.

One of the men – the leader, the stalker from Anne's window – towered over him, his voice sharp and commanding. 'Stand still.'

His hand slipped into his black coat. A gun.

Click. He pointed it directly at Adi's head.

Peter and Anne stood frozen, staring at the weapon.

The men loosened their grip, letting Adi and Peter go—but there was no escape.

Then, one of them turned his gaze to Anne. His lips twisted into a sick grin. He walked too close to her and grabbed her with her neck.

'Aren't you Anne Miller?' His tone dripped with something dark, twisted. He took a slow step toward her. 'Oh, would you be mad if I touch you the wrong way?'

Anne's face paled. 

'STAY AWAY FROM ME!' she screamed, stumbling backward.

The man only chuckled.

'Don't you like me?' He pulled a knife from his belt and pressed it against her throat. His voice turned into a furious snarl. 'SAY YOU LIKE ME!'

Anne squeezed her eyes shut, trembling.

Then—THWACK!

A sharp crack echoed through the night.

The man screamed.

A sharp rock-like knife had slammed into his eye, blood bursting from the wound.

He clutched his face, writhing, howling. He might have picked it up when he fell on the ground. 

Anne's eyes snapped open—Adi stood a few feet away, his chest heaving, hand still outstretched.

'STAY AWAY, YOU BASTARD!' Adi's voice was raw with fury.

Peter pulled Anne away as the injured man collapsed, shaking, and gasping.

The other two turned to Adi—rage burning in their eyes.

That man with the gun whipped the gun through the air—SMASH. Hit Adi with the back of the gun.

Adi crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Adi's eyes fluttered open, his vision blurry, and unfocused.

His body felt heavy and weak. A dull throbbing pulsed at the back of his head.

'Are you okay?!' A voice—shaky, desperate.

He blinked, trying to focus. Anne.

She was kneeling beside him, her face streaked with tears, trembling.

Adi tried to speak, but his throat felt dry, raw. 'A… Anne… a-are y-you… o-okay?' His words slurred.

She nodded, quickly wiping her tears. 'Yeah…' Her voice broke. 'I think so.'

His vision cleared – white.

Adi started to focus on things around him, it was all white. People were walking around in White coats and some in black.

It was a lab. Scientific lab.

Adi's heart pounded. His breath hitched as he took in the cold metallic tables, the glass chambers filled with strange equipment. The smell of antiseptic burned his nose.

As he was observing the lab, a voice came to him, 'Ah…you are awake' 

Dan's father was standing in front of him in a white coat.

Adi's blood ran cold.

Adi knew he was a scientist and this was a scientific lab…it made sense, but why his own son was saying that he wanted to kill him…or worse he had killed him. Even if he did why a father would kill his son?

Mr. Smith smiled.

But it wasn't a father's smile.

'Oh Adi…we have so much to talk about' said Mr. Smith still smiling but it was the smile some might say – evil.