Chapter One
Risa felt like she was floating. Her eyes were closed, and though she couldn't see anything, she could feel everything around her, a soft wave lulling her into a comforting embrace. The air was warm and thick, carrying a faint, distant murmur that she couldn't quite understand, like a whisper just out of reach.
She didn't know how she had ended up in this state until she sensed a disturbance. The gentle embrace turned cold, the once-soothing waves now shifting beneath her. Though she still couldn't open her eyes or move her body, she could feel it, a slow, relentless pull, like an invisible force suddenly dragging her downward.
Panic surged through her, a fierce, desperate instinct to escape. Her chest tightened, her thoughts blurred, and in an instant, she broke free, gasping as she surged upward.
Risa now found herself sitting on a dirtied floor, her hands sinking into dried mud, dust clinging to her damp skin, and brittle hay poking against her legs. The air was thick with the musty scent of decay and stale earth. It was dark, and she assumed it was nighttime. She could barely see anything, her only source of light being the pale rays of the moon that filtered through the gaps and holes in the weathered walls and sagging roof.
Her eyes darted to the figures huddled in the corner. A woman with long white hair and piercing blue eyes was clutching two small figures protectively. They were children, both with the same pale white hair but striking red eyes.
Though the darkness made it difficult to see their faces clearly, Risa could still make out their condition. They looked exhausted, their cheeks sunken, their clothes dirtied and torn. It was clear they hadn't eaten properly or bathed in weeks.
Risa tried to remember how she had ended up in this place. Her gaze swept around the vast, shadowed interior of the old barn. The rotting wooden beams, the tattered thatch roof, and the scattered piles of dry hay suggested it had been abandoned for some time.
Risa tried to remember how she had ended up in this place. She strained to recall her last memory, but the moments of floating in that vast, empty space slipped away like a fading dream.
Her last clear memory was of an undercover drug bust operation. She and her partner were deep in enemy territory, posing as buyers.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly until one of the dealers suddenly stiffened, his sharp gaze locking onto Risa's partner. A flash of recognition crossed his eyes, and before Risa could react, his expression twisted with fury.
"They're cops!" the man shouted, lunging for his weapon.
Their cover was blown, and chaos erupted in an instant. Shouts rang out, gunfire cracked through the air, and bodies dove for cover.
Risa barely had time to draw her weapon before bullets tore through the air. Her partner reached for his gun, but a round struck his shoulder, spinning him off his feet and sending him crashing to the ground. The cartel enforcers were already on them.
Gritting her teeth, Risa fired back, dropping enemies with sharp, precise shots. But then a bullet slammed into her side, just beneath the edge of her vest. Another tore through her upper thigh, and a third grazed her arm, ripping through fabric and flesh alike. Hot, searing pain exploded through her as she collapsed. The last thing she remembered was the deafening crack of gunfire and the agony before everything went black.
And now she had woken up here, surrounded by people she had never met before.
"What should we do now?" the white-haired woman asked, her voice trembling slightly. "They might find us here soon."
Risa turned to the woman, confusion plain on her face. She could clearly hear the hint of panic in the woman's voice.
"Okay, ma'am, calm down. Can you tell me who's following us?" Risa asked her experience as a police officer kicking in.
The white-haired woman seemed surprised by the way Risa spoke, but she chose to ignore it. In the dim light, Risa couldn't see much of the woman's expression.
"What do you mean, who?" the woman snapped, her voice sharp. "Douglas and his men."
The way she said that name made it sound important, like it was meant to strike fear into anyone who heard it. But to Risa, it meant nothing. She had no idea who Douglas was, so the name carried no weight for her.
Risa was about to ask who this Douglas person was and why he was after the white-haired woman when she heard footsteps crunching on dried leaves.
She saw the white-haired woman's eyes widen in fear as she pulled the children closer, shielding them protectively. The children buried their faces against the woman, trying their best not to cry or make a sound.
Risa acted on instinct. Moving carefully to avoid making noise, she inched toward a broken section of the wall, trying to peer outside and see where the footsteps were coming from.
She spotted three figures approaching, moving cautiously as if scanning the area. Risa assumed they were checking the surroundings before making their move. She counted three men, each carrying blunt weapons, as they headed toward the barn door.
Her hand instinctively went to her weapon. Risa felt a surge of relief realizing she still had her gun. A sudden thought struck her, and she took a moment to examine herself. She was still wearing the same clothes she remembered, a simple black jacket, a red shirt, and jeans.
However, something didn't add up. Risa distinctly remembered being hit, on her arm, on her thigh, and just below the bulletproof vest she had been wearing. Yet now, she saw no bullet holes, no injuries, and her vest was missing.
"We know you're in there." A voice called out from outside which snapped Risa back.
"Just hand over your wife," the man outside called out, followed by a low chuckle.
"Douglas is waiting, you know, and his offer still stands," he continued.
Risa frowned, confusion twisting in her mind. Your wife? she thought.
"Come on, Risa, just hand over your wife, and you'll be part of our group, man," another voice chimed in, trying to persuade her.
Risa's confusion deepened. How did they even know her name? And what did they mean by joining their group? Was this some sort of gang or cult? She had no idea.
Suddenly, one of the men outside swung a bat at the barn door with brutal force. The loud impact startled the children, who began to cry, though they desperately tried to keep their sobs quiet.
"Don't make this difficult. You know how Douglas is. He doesn't like waiting. Just come out, and no one has to get hurt," one of the men called out, his tone trying to sound reasonable but edged with threat.
When no response came from inside the barn, frustration boiled over. With a sharp kick, they forced the door open. It wasn't difficult the old, rotting wood splintered easily, sending the door crashing inward.
Three men entered, brandishing their blunt weapons as a threat. Risa's hand remained on her gun, but she didn't draw it, keeping it concealed from the men's view.
The white-haired woman sucked in a sharp breath, instinctively pressing the children behind her. Risa immediately stepped in front of them, positioning herself protectively.
One of the men smirked as he watched Risa act so protective.
"There's no point in this," he said. "Douglas just wants what's his. Hand her over, and no one has to get hurt."
Risa sized up the men. There were only three of them, all armed with blunt weapons: a bat, a machete, and a crowbar.
The man with the crowbar chuckled. "What's the hesitation? You've had your fun with her, right? Douglas won't mind sharing. Hell, maybe we'll get a turn before bringing her back."
She glared at the man who had spoken, her jaw clenched in anger.
Before anyone could react, one of the men, frustrated by the lack of movement, suddenly lunged forward, swinging his bat toward Risa. It was a quick, desperate strike, an attempt to force her into submission.
In an instant, Risa drew her gun, the sharp crack of the shot ringing out in the silence. The man stumbled back, his eyes wide in shock, before collapsing to the ground.
The other two men froze, momentarily stunned by the sudden violence. Risa's heart raced, but her grip on the gun remained steady.
The second man was still reeling from shock, his eyes flicking from his fallen comrade to her. That hesitation cost him.
Risa pulled the trigger.
The bullet slammed into his chest, cutting off whatever curse he was about to spit out. He stumbled back, mouth agape in a silent gasp, before collapsing onto the dirt floor.
Two down. One left.
The last man barely registered what had happened. His weapon was raised, but he hadn't moved yet.
Risa's gun was already aimed at him.
His eyes widened. "Wait—"
She fired.
A single, precise shot straight between his eyes.
The force snapped his head back, and his body crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
And just like that, it was over.
Three bodies lay motionless at her feet.
Risa exhaled slowly, lowering her gun. She didn't have time to dwell on it.
Turning to the white-haired woman, still clutching the children with wide eyes, Risa spoke sharply.
"We need to go. Now."
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Author's Note:
Hello! This is the updated version of the story. Thanks for your patience!