Rogue agents 1: The prima ballerina

A need to leave

*Karolina*

Panic ignites inside me, setting my heart racing. I can hardly process the scene before me… the imposing figure of my father and the man who has turned my life upside down more than once. "You," I breathe, disbelief mingling with fury. How dare he show up here, after everything he put me through?

My father’s brow furrows as he turns to me, his expression a mix of concern and confusion, apperantly he did not hear me the first time. "How do you know Mr. Blanchard, sweetheart?" His voice is steady, but I can see the tension simmering beneath the surface.

I can’t hold back the truth, so I repeat. "He's the one who stole my necklace and kidnapped me." The words spill out, the weight of my experience crashing over me. I don’t care that I’m in the lion’s den; I need him to understand who this man truly is.

In a split second, Ryan lunges toward me. I feel his grip tighten around my arm as he pulls me back against him, his voice a harsh whisper. "Sorry, but I kinda have to borrow you again sweetheart." My heart races with fear. This cannot be happening. Not again.

“Security!” My father’s voice booms, and the guards begin to move toward us. But Ryan is quick, and I see the glint of a gun in his hand as he presses it against my side, forcing my father to hesitate. “Stand down,” my father commands, his eyes narrowing. “He has a gun on her.”

Ryan takes a step back into the hallway, dragging me with him. I kick and squirm, desperate to break free. “Let me go!” I yell, my voice sharp with anger and fear. “You have no right to do this!”

He presses me against the wall, his hard body a reminder of the danger I’m in. My fear mingles with an unsettling awareness of how close we are. “You need to listen,” he hisses, his breath warm against my ear. “You came in at the wrong time, it is not about you but something much bigger.”

Just then Oliver and Juniper appear at the far end of the hallway, their expressions a mixture of concern and determination. “Ryan, let her go!” Oliver demands, stepping forward, his voice steady but urgent.

Juniper stands beside him, her eyes fierce as she adds, “You can’t do this. This isn’t what we agreed on!”

Ryan’s grip on me tightens slightly, and I can feel the tension in the air thickening. “You two need to decide right now,” he says, his voice low and dangerous. “Either you’re with me, and we get our asses the f**k out of here, or you get out of my way so I can leave.”

I can feel the fear radiating off Oliver and Juniper as they exchange a glance, weighing their options. My heart races as I realize the stakes have just escalated. I am caught up in something I do not quite get, while my father is helpless to intervene without risking my life.

“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be,” Ryan warns, his grip unyielding. “I’m not your enemy, Karolina. But I can’t let your father kill me, I need to stop what is coming.”

Desperation surges within me, and I struggle against him, wishing for a way out. I need to get back to my father, but I can’t let Ryan know that I’m still trying to fight back. “You don’t have to do this,” I plead, my voice shaking. “Just let me go!”

“Decide,” Ryan repeats, his eyes flicking between Oliver and Juniper.

The tension is suffocating as Ryan holds me close, the threat of the gun pressing against my side. I watch Oliver and Juniper exchange a glance, their expressions shifting from concern to determination.

“Fine,” Oliver says, his voice low and resolute. “We’ll go with you.”

Juniper nods, her jaw set. “But if anything happens to her…”

“Just move,” Ryan snaps, urgency edging his voice.

I can hardly process what’s happening. My father’s security is siding with the man who kidnapped me? My thoughts race as Ryan drags me toward the door to the stairwell.

As we descend into the dimly lit space, I glance back at Oliver and Juniper. Their faces are unreadable. What the hell is happening? I wonder, confusion swirling in my mind. Why would they trust him?

“Keep up,” Ryan says, his tone brokering no argument. I can feel his grip tighten as we make our way down the creaking stairs. The atmosphere is thick with uncertainty, and I can sense the danger lurking in each shadow.

“Where are we going?” I demand, anger flaring within me as I struggle against him.

“Somewhere safe,” Ryan replies tersely. He is no doubt the last person I should trust.

I can’t shake the feeling that everything has spiraled out of control. All I know is that I need to find a way out of this, away from him and the chaos he has brought into my life.

As we reach the bottom of the stairs, Ryan halts, scanning the area for any signs of danger. “Stay close,” he warns again, and I can see the tension in his posture.

I glance back at Oliver and Juniper, still following, and the reality sinks in; I am getting abducted for real this time.

*Sebastian*

I can’t shake the unease coiling in my stomach as we follow Ryan down into the basement. I hate that we had to resort to kidnapping Karolina, but I can see it in Ryan’s eyes… he’s not hurting her. Not yet, at least. There’s a tense urgency about him, and I just hope we can keep her, and ourselves safe.

As we reach the parking basement, Ryan pushes open the door to the dimly lit space, and I follow him i side. The stale air hangs heavy, and I can hear the quiet hum of fluorescent lights overhead.

“Get in,” Ryan orders, and I shoot him a glare, but I comply. I slide behind the wheel of the car tucked away in the corner, Holly taking the passenger seat while Ryan climbs into the back with Karolina.

I catch her gaze in the rearview mirror. She looks scared, trapped, but Ryan’s presence seems to keep her in check. I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her. This isn’t how things were supposed to go down.

As I start the engine, I notice Ryan shifting in his seat, the gun slipping out of view. He still holds Karolina close, his arm wrapped around her protectively, and I can’t help but wonder what’s going through her mind.

“Where to?” I ask, my voice steady despite the chaos swirling around us.

“Out of the city,” Ryan replies, his tone clipped. “Go North. We need to stay off the main roads.”

I nod, turning the car around as I pull out of the parking space, my heart racing. The weight of the situation presses down on me, and I can feel the tension in the air as we navigate through the dimly lit basement.

As I maneuver the car toward the exit, I catch a glimpse of Karolina in the mirror again. She’s clearly trying to process everything, and I can’t help but feel a surge of anger that we are putting her in this position.

With a final glance back at the parking basement, I push through the exit and into the sunlight, the city flickering by as we drive north into the unknown.