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In the Last Instalment:

Hannah was trapped with her mother when a red spot appeared on her forehead. As Hannah ducked for cover, agents who appear to be with her dropped in from the roof and chased Evelyn and the two men away. Hannah and her friend, Stephanie, ran after them and cornered them in the warehouse office. When they entered the room however, Evelyn and company had disappeared.

How did they escape? Can Hannah find them?

 FOUR

“Where are they?” Stephanie asked, agents trailing into the room behind her. Hannah shook her head and tucked her weapon into her waistband. The room had no windows and no doors, but Evelyn and the two men had disappeared.
Several desks sat on each side of the room with a bookcase along the middle wall. Hannah put a hand on her left hip and tried to think like her mother. The warehouse building had been registered in Evelyn’s Shell company for over five years but there was no evidence she had ever been there before.
Hannah tapped her foot. Where had they gone in a room with no windows or doors? Stephanie gave Hannah a slight shove and grinned.
“You don’t suppose it’s a rotating bookcase?” she asked, sparking snickers from the other agents. Hannah rolled her eyes then paused.
“Everyone out.” She said, walking towards the door and opening it wider. The agents trooped out and Stephanie stayed put. Hannah stared at her and narrowed her eyes.
“What? You didn’t mean me did you?” Stephanie asked, putting her gun into a hip holster. Hannah exhaled and shook her head, closing the door. She moved towards the bookcase and bent towards the floor.
“Oh you can’t be serious.” Stephanie said, squatting down next to Hannah.
“I was kidding about the bookcase.” She said, tapping Hannah on the shoulder. Hannah paused and looked up.
“I’m not looking for a revolving bookcase.” She said, turning and moving to the edge of the desk next to the bookcase.
“When I was a girl, I hid in my mother’s office on a dare.” She bent and reached out underneath the desk.
“I wanted to hide under the desk, but when I got there, I found a lever underneath it.” Hannah smiled as her fingers wrapped around the familiar lever. She pulled it and the desk shifted slightly. Stephanie stepped back and whistled.
“A secret passageway?” she asked with a half laugh.
“Evelyn always has been a little dramatic.” Hannah said as she stood and waved for Stephanie to help her. They pulled at the false desk and it lifted, revealing a panel in the floor. Hannah pulled out her weapon and Stephanie pulled at a rope handle. As the panel opened, Hannah peered into the darkness and saw the outline of stairs leading further into the ground. She reached over to take a flashlight Stephanie held out and clicked it on.
Stephanie reached up and clicked her comms on,
“We have a tunnel in the office. Requesting assistance.” Hannah balanced her gun and flashlight and moved down the stairs.
As she reached the bottom a musty smell entered her lungs and she coughed. The floors and walls were crudely dug and the dirt stuck out in obscure patterns.
Stephanie bumped into Hannah as she tripped down the last step. Hannah turned around and frowned as Stephanie smiled and shrugged. Sweeping the room with the flashlight, Hannah located the passageway.
Every step crunched under her shoes and she tried to make herself lighter. The sounds of several agents behind them made Hannah pause. She turned and flashed her light on the five people behind her, putting her hand up to signal a stop. Stephanie turned around and whispered orders to the agents to be silent and Hannah turned back to the passageway.
They moved quietly until a glimmer of light grew brighter. She turned off her flashlight and used the light of the exit. As she grew closer, she noticed the walls were now concrete until she was met with the end of the passageway. She looked up to where a hole with bars was letting in the light. A grate?
She pulled out her flashlight, locating stairs attached to the wall and leading up to the tunnel opening. Hannah turned and handed Stephanie her flashlight, tucking her gun back into her waistband. She started to climb the stairs and cars revving and honking grew louder as she got closer to the exit.
At the top, she looked down to where Stephanie had started to climb. Reaching up, Hannah pushed on the grate until it gave way and she moved it to the side. Peeking her head up, Hannah squinted in the light to see a sidewalk in the city.
She pulled herself up and looked at the buildings and shops for a sign of Evelyn.
Nothing.
Stephanie and the other agents followed and split up in teams of two. Hannah reached out her hand.
“Do you have a phone?” She asked. Stephanie reached into her pocket and pulled out a smartphone, handing it to her. Hannah dialled a number and waited.
She glanced over to the coffee shop across the street and squinted to see clearer.
Dropping the phone, Hannah took off in a sprint to the window and pushed her hand up against the glass.
“Zeke?”

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See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

In the Last Instalment:

Hannah has been taken captive by her Mother, Evelyn, while on the hunt to find the mysterious Zeke. With Evelyn’s goons at her side, she agrees to tell Hannah where Zeke is, IF she tells her where ‘It’ is. Hannah is trapped until she sees a red spot appear on Evelyn’s forehead.

Will Hannah Escape?

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THREE

Evelyn laughed until she saw Hannah’s unwavering smile. She clicked her fingers at the men behind Hannah and they looked over to the red spot on Evelyn. Yelling, they dove at Evelyn, tackling her to the ground.

Hannah ducked to the floor as glass smashed around her and black ropes came falling to the ground. She jumped up and kept her head down as agents in black body armor slid down the ropes. Evelyn and her minions fired shots and ran towards the exit. Hannah reached to click on her earpiece.

“Target on the move!” She yelled, as the agents reached the ground and chased after Evelyn and her company. A woman appeared next to Hannah and took off her helmet. Pulling out a gun she handed it to Hannah with a smile. It was Stephanie.

“All according to plan?” She asked, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a packet of gum. Hannah rolled her eyes and ran towards the back exit to the building. Stephanie followed behind, gun raised. Hannah paused and looked out the small window, the smudges blocking a clear view. She squinted and saw a red and two black figures skulk past.

Smiling, Hannah nodded back to Stephanie and put up her fingers, counting them down from three. She pushed open the door and moved out into the small hallway. Evelyn’s red dress disappeared around the corner and Hannah glanced back at Stephanie, pointing in that direction. She moved as quickly and quietly as she could, throwing her back against the wall.

Hannah peered around the corner and saw two of the men from earlier fiddling with a key to the office door. Hannah pulled back and turned to Stephanie.

“Evelyn and two idiots fumbling with a key to the office.” Hannah relayed.

Stephanie whispered the information into her comms and Hannah took a breath, looking back around the corner. Evelyn spotted her and smiled, lifting a gun and firing. Pulling back, Hannah heard Stephanie shift behind her.

“Shots fired!” Stephanie yelled. Hannah moved around the corner, firing her weapon. Bullets were fired back from the men while Evelyn worked on the key to the door. Hannah moved across to the wall on the other side of the hallway and took a breath. Looking down she checked; they had missed.

Stephanie remained on the other wall and they glance at each other, nodding. Guns raised they turned the corner and advanced, firing their weapons. They paused and lowered their guns.

They had disappeared.

Hannah and Stephanie shared a glance then ran towards the office. With the door wide open, they positioned themselves on either side and Stephanie peered inside. A shot was fired and she pulled back, breathing heavily.

“Give up Evelyn! You are outnumbered and outgunned!” Hannah breathed in deeply between sentences. She leaned forward, trying to look inside the room through the reflection of the window in the adjoining door.

“There is no way out of that room.” Hannah said, her voice calm. A laugh echoed from inside.

“I’ll never tell you where Zeke is!” Evelyn yelled. Hannah looked over to where Stephanie was shaking her head.

Hannah ignored her and breathed in deeply. She turned the corner, gun raised. Clearing the room from left to right, Hannah dropped her gun and sighed.

They were gone.

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See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

TWO

“Hello Dear.” The greeting sounded sincere but Hannah knew better.
“Where is he?” Hannah’s voice squeaked out as a whisper. She felt a tremor in her hand and she tried to keep the gun steady.
“Who darling?” Her mother asked, her smile unwavering. Hannah scoffed,
“You know who!” The strength in her voice returned as the anger bubbled to the surface.
Evelyn Carmichael took a step closer, her eyes on the gun. Hannah looked behind her mother to the open doorway. Two large men stood at her only escape and Hannah took a small step backwards. The smile on Evelyn’s face widened and she took another step closer.
“Stop playing games!” Hannah said, firming her stance. Evelyn stopped, her smile dropping. She motioned for the two men to advance and they slowly took steps forward, hands on their own weapons.
“You’re not going to shoot me dear.” Evelyn said, her smile returning.
“Where is he?!” Hannah’s voice cracked and she fought to keep her hands steady. Evelyn clicked her tongue and shook her head.
“What kind of mother would I be if I knew where Zeke was and I didn’t tell you?” Hannah stepped closer to her mother. The two men stopped moving forward and pulled their weapons from their holsters. Hannah moved the gun from one of them to the other then back to Evelyn.
“Hannah, you are outnumbered and outgunned. Put it down.” Her mother’s voice was calm but harsh. Hannah heard voices outside the small room and knew more were coming. With new light illuminating the room, Hannah searched for a window. Evelyn followed her frantic gaze and chuckled.
“Oh darling. You can’t escape without going through that door.” She pointed behind her and Hannah scoffed.
“I could shoot my way out.” She said, taking a small step closer to her mother.
“Perhaps, but then how would you find Zeke?”
Hannah sighed and lowered her gun. Her mother’s companions grabbed the gun from her and pulled her out of the room. Her eyes readjusted again with the new light and she blinked.
Mannequins were scattered in the abandoned dressmaking warehouse, giving the large room an eerie feel. Hannah was thrown into a chair as her mother moved to a table with a silver tea set. She poured from the teapot and the steam fogged the silver.
Hannah scanned the room for the exits and windows, the nearest being guarded by a muscular woman. Evelyn turned and sipped from the cup, raising her eyebrows.
“Oh! I’m sorry, did you want some tea?” She asked, sipping again.
“Where is Zeke?” Hannah asked, watching her mother carefully. Evelyn smiled,
“What makes you think I know where Zeke is?” She asked, sitting across from Hannah.
Hannah sighed and looked at the ground.
“It’s been ten days.” She said, looking back up with tears forming in her eyes.
“Yes.” Her mother said, sipping her tea. Hannah tried to stand and felt a hand on her shoulder, pushing her down.
“Where is he?!” Hannah yelled, the echo caused heads to turn and hands to position above weapons. Evelyn cleared her throat and stood, walking back over to the teapot. She started humming as she poured more water into her cup and Hannah growled quietly.
“Frustrated?” Evelyn asked, facing away from her.
“He’s innocent. He doesn’t deserve-“
“He’s no more innocent than you are!” Evelyn interrupted and slammed her cup onto the table. Spinning around, Evelyn’s casual smile had been replaced by a scowl. Hannah shifted in her seat and stared straight ahead at nothing. Evelyn sighed and returned to her seat.
“Hannah?” She waited until Hannah turned to look at her. The smile had returned and she reached forward, putting her hand on Hannah’s leg.
“I can help you, but you have to tell me what I want to know first.”
“So you do know where Zeke is?” Hannah asked, leaning forward. Evelyn smiled,
“Let’s say I do.” Evelyn leaned back and crossed her arms.
“You know what I want in return for his location.” Evelyn’s smile disappeared and Hannah glanced back over to the nearest exit. Her mother uncrossed her arms and leaned in closer.
“Where is it?” She hissed. A small red spot appeared on Evelyn’s forehead and Hannah smiled.
“What?” Her mother asked, standing. The red spot followed her. Hannah let her smile fall away and stared at her mother with no emotion.
“Game over.”

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See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

ONE

Hannah Carmichael reached into her bag and fumbled around until she felt the cold steel. Sudden movement to her left triggered a heart flutter and she pulled out the gun. She aimed it in the direction of uncertainty and held her breath.

The small sliver of light from the door edge wasn’t enough to determine what was in the small room. Cautiously she took a step closer to the door and paused to listen. The voices on the other side of the door were muffled and she took another step closer.

The sweat on her hands was loosening her grip on the gun. She wiped her hands on her jeans, trying to keep the gun steady. The next person to enter this room was going to get a bullet.

Slowly she reached into the bag again and felt around for her pocket knife. If she could find it, she figured she could use it to pry open the door. A smile crept onto her face as she wrapped her fingers around the knife. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, Hannah lowered the gun to her side.

She pressed herself up against the door and felt for the doorknob. Her brows raised when she failed to find it and she sighed. Slowly she lowered herself down to the ground and felt for a bolt. She counted;

One, Two, Three

Three bolts on the bottom of the door alone. The voices behind the door began getting clearer and footsteps louder. Hannah pushed away from the door and raised herself up, lifting the gun. The sound of her pocket knife dropping onto the concrete was deafening as she stood; waiting.

Hannah glanced in the direction of the clatter, only the darkness greeting her. The sounds of the deadbolts being released echoed in the small room and she counted.

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six

She gripped the gun tighter and sucked in a quick breath.

Hannah squinted as her eyes adjusted to a sudden burst of light and she tried to keep the gun steady.

“Oh please, put that away.” The voice was cool and collected and Hannah moved backwards. She blinked, trying to see past the red blob walking towards her and cocked her gun. The blob paused and raised its hands.

As her eyes adjusted, Hannah saw a smiling woman come into focus.

“Mother?”

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See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace