When You're Sleeping, page 18
"Am I?" Finn asked, raising an eyebrow, walking around and touching a suit of armor like he was in a museum. "You see, I've been thinking about this whole people trafficking ring and the murders tied to it. You've got yourself quite an operation here. And Bryant..." Finn turned his gaze to the stone-faced killer, noticing a flicker of unease in his eyes. "He's your fixer, isn't he? Cleaning up after those poor girls who manage to escape. Or anyone who might find out about your little operation like Helen Baxter and Dolores Mayweather."
"Very perceptive," Drake said, his voice dripping with condescension. "And what makes you think you can do anything about it?"
"You might be surprised," Finn pressed on, resisting the urge to clench his fists. "I think Helen and Dolores stumbled upon something they shouldn't have, or maybe they came to warn Joseline about what was happening in this castle. What her uncle was really up to after inheriting the castle years ago. How did Edward's father die again? A freak hunting accident? Seems about right."
"Bravo, Finn," Bryant sneered. "You've got it all figured out. But it doesn't matter. You're not leaving this room alive to tell anyone."
Finn's mind raced as the threat loomed over him. He had to stay focused and find a way to turn the tables on these criminals. His eyes drifted to the ceremonial daggers displayed next to a suit of plate armor, and a plan began to form.
"Tell me, Drake," Finn said, trying to stall for time. "Why go to all this trouble? Why not just run your twisted business quietly?"
"Ah, Mr. Wright," Drake chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "It seems you underestimate the grandiosity of men like us. It's all part of the thrill, you see. We get to enjoy the spoils as much as our clients." He looked at the three women lustfully.
"Joseline must have come to you to let you know Helen and Dolores were onto you, being a loyal Keatings and all. Then, you ordered Bryant here to silence them both," Finn said, his voice steely as he stared down the elderly man in the chair.
"Am I close, Bryant?" he asked, shifting his gaze to the fixer. Bryant's eyes flashed with anger, but he nodded curtly, confirming Finn's suspicions. "Yeah, you're right. But it doesn't matter, because you'll be joining those dead girls soon enough."
Finn couldn't let fear show on his face, so he masked it with a smirk. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Backup is on the way."
Drake and Bryant exchanged amused glances before bursting into laughter. The sound was chilling, echoing throughout the opulent room. Finn felt sick. He realized they must have done something to Constable Mulberry, whom he had sent to get help earlier.
"Where is Mulberry? What did you do to him!?" Finn demanded, trying to keep the concern out of his voice.
"Ask Mulberry yourself," Bryant replied dismissively, his grin darkening.
Finn's mind raced as he processed the implications of Bryant's words.
The door creaked open, casting an ominous shadow across the plush room. Finn's heart sank as Constable Mulberry stumbled in, his eyes wide with fear. He trembled, unable to meet Finn's questioning gaze. With a sinking feeling, Finn realized that Mulberry had been compromised.
"Mulberry," he whispered, barely audible. "What did they do to you?"
"Th-they threatened my family, Finn," Mulberry stammered, tears welling in his eyes. "I had no choice."
"Damn it, Mulberry," Finn said, shaking his head in disbelief. The corruption ran deeper than he ever imagined.
Drake smirked at Finn's distress. "You see, Mr. Wright, even your allies can't be trusted. You're all alone here. I am the boss here. Bryant, I want you to go and take care of Amelia Winters and that other girl in the tunnel. They haven't escaped yet. Make sure they never leave those tunnels alive."
"Of course, boss," Bryant replied, his voice cold and emotionless. He turned to leave, but not before shooting Finn a sinister grin. He then exited through another door with two of the guards.
Finn's mind raced, his thoughts a whirlwind of strategy and desperation. He couldn't let anything happen to Amelia or the other girl. But how could he save them when he was surrounded on all sides by enemies?
"Mulberry, listen to me," Finn urged, trying to make eye contact. "You know this isn't right. You can still help us stop this madness."
Mulberry hesitated, his eyes darting between Finn and the dangerous men around him. His face contorted in anguish, torn between loyalty to his duty and the safety of his family.
"Can't you see, Mulberry?" Finn continued, his voice soft but urgent. "These people will never stop threatening your family, even if you do their bidding. We need to take them down together."
"Time's up, Finn," Drake taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "You've played your cards, and it seems they are all jokers."
"Game's not over yet," Finn muttered under his breath, his resolve hardening. If there was one thing he knew, it was that he wouldn't go down without a fight.
Finn's eyes moved around the room. He stared momentarily again at the collection of ceremonial daggers hanging on the wall beside a suit of armor. They gleamed dangerously in the dim light, and he knew they would have to suffice.
"Drake," Finn called out, drawing the old man's attention as he eyed the daggers. "You know, I've always found it funny how rich criminals like yourself love to grandstand. It's like you're not satisfied with just being evil; you have to put on a show too."
"Is that so?" Drake replied, unfazed by Finn's comment. "Well, if you're so eager for this to be over, why don't we get on with the killing?"
He waved his hand, and the two remaining guards began to raise their guns.
"Lets go!"
As soon as the words left his lips, Finn sprang into action. He leaped toward the suit of armor and grabbed two of the daggers from the wall, concealing himself behind the metal figure. The remaining guards realized what was happening and sprayed bullets in Finn's direction.
Finn hurled one dagger at the nearest guard, but the man dodged it. He wasn't so lucky with the second. Finn hurled it straight at the man, who stared in shock as the blade sank into his throat. The man dropped to the floor, blood gushing from the wound, and chaos erupted in the room.
The three women dived for cover on the ground.
The second guard opened fire, bullets ricocheting off the suit of armor as Finn crouched low, trying to avoid being hit, but many of them pierced the suit, splintering into the wall next to Finn's head. The guard then closed in, as soon as he had eye line on Finn, Finn was a dead man. Finn readied himself to try his best. But amid the noise and confusion of more gunshots from the guard, Mulberry lunged forward and grappled with the gunman, trying to wrestle the weapon from his grasp.
"Mulberry!" Finn shouted, hope surging through him at the constable's sudden change of heart. He took advantage of the distraction and sprung from his hiding spot, charging headlong toward the armed guard.
Finn tackled the man to the ground, they struggled, and the guard smacked Finn's jaw with an uppercut. He fell to the ground, momentarily dazed as the guard readied his shot. Finn staggered to his feet, but he was too slow. The guard pulled the trigger, and Finn watched in horror as Mulberry leaped in front of the gun to protect Finn.
A single shot rang out from the guard's handgun, and time seemed to slow down as Finn saw Mulberry crumple to the floor, blood blossoming across his chest.
"No!" Finn cried out, regaining his focus and lunging towards the guard. He grabbed the gun and used his elbow against the guard's nose. It broke, and the guard gasped. Finn then levied another strike with his fist and another until the man was unconscious.
"Mulberry...,” Finn said softly, turning to the constable, his heart sinking. He cast a furious glance at Drake, who stared back at him with a cold smile.
In a flash, Finn noticed Drake attempting to hobble out of the room, using his cane for support. With lightning speed, Finn sprinted towards the old man and threw him back into his chair.
"Going somewhere?" Finn snarled, securing Drake's hand onto a railing with a zip-tie from his pocket.
"Peasant!" Drake spat, weakly, glaring at Finn.
Ignoring him, Finn looked over at Mulberry, who lay sprawled on the floor, blood pooling around him. He rushed to the constable's side, his heart pounding in his ears.
"Mulberry... hang in there, buddy," Finn said, his voice cracking. Mulberry opened his eyes, struggling to focus on Finn.
"Sorry, Finn..." he rasped, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Inspector Winters..."
"Amelia? What about her?" Finn asked urgently, his hand shaking as he applied pressure to Mulberry's wound.
"Still... Time..." With those final words, Mulberry's eyes glazed over, and his body went limp. Finn's throat tightened, fury boiling within.
"Rest easy, Constable," Finn whispered, gently closing Mulberry's eyes.
Finn looked over to the three women. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," one of them said.
Standing up, Finn found a door that led into a smaller room.
"I need you to stay here, okay?" Finn said. "I'll phone the police to come and get you. Barricade the door, okay?"
They nodded and instinctively ran inside, closing the door behind them
Dismayed but determined, Finn grabbed one of the guard's guns and checked its ammunition. He then turned it on Drake.
"Tell me there's a shortcut to reach Amelia in time..."
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
“Cursed days,” Finn whispered to himself, checking the gun in his hand was ready.
As he moved into the bleak nothingness of the tunnels, he thought again about Amelia's words, and about the dreams. He had a horrible feeling they were a warning – a strange premonition that something awful was going to happen to Amelia.
Finn's heavy breathing echoed through the dark, eerie tunnels under St Martins Castle. The damp, musty air clung to his skin as he raced against time, trying to prevent Bryant from killing Amelia and Sheryl. He was fully aware of the danger that lurked in these ancient tunnels, but his determination outweighed his fear.
"Close," he muttered to himself, his phone casting a dim light ahead.
As Finn navigated the labyrinthine passageways, his gun gripped tightly in his hand, he listened intently for any signs of movement or danger. His mind raced, thoughts of his suspension from the FBI and his broken heart fueling his urgency to save the women he had grown close to during his time in the UK. He couldn't afford another failure. He couldn't afford another loss.
"Amelia... Sheryl..." he whispered under his breath, feeling an odd mix of despair and hope. They had to be close.
"Finn?" came a faint, cautious voice.
"Amelia! It's me, Finn!" he called out, trying to pinpoint the direction her voice came from. "Where are you?"
"Over here!" Amelia shouted back, her voice clearer now.
"Stay calm; I'm coming!" Finn reassured her, his gut twisting as he realized how dire the situation was. He turned a sharp corner, following the sound of her voice, and suddenly found himself face-to-face with Amelia and Sheryl, both trudging through a water-logged tunnel
"Thank God," Finn breathed.
"You're alive..." Amelia said, embracing him.
"I think so," Finn said. "Mulberry didn't make it, Amelia. But I phoned Rob to alert people he trusted down here. Backup is on the way."
"Mulberry?" Amelia's eyes teared up. "He's so young."
“I know,” Finn said. “But we have to focus on getting out of here.”
“Is someone on your tail?” Amelia asked.
Finn knew there wasn't time to get into the details. He'd only made it down there before Bryant found them because of the shortcut Drake had shown him, another staircase only known to the Keatings family.
"Are you both alright?" Finn asked urgently. "Can you make it out with me?"
"Did you find the other girls?" Sheryl asked.
"Three of them, yes," Finn said. "But listen, I came back down here... The killer's name is Bryant. Ex-military. Extremely dangerous, and he's down here looking for you. We need to move now!" Finn gripped his gun and led the way.
They moved through the tunnels, but the place seemed less certain this time, the path unsure. Too many winding tunnels led off before them. And now, about half a foot of water laced the floors.
Finn's ears picked up the faint sound of echoing footsteps, growing louder and more distinct with each passing second. He knew it could only be Bryant closing in on them.
"Amelia, Sheryl," Finn whispered urgently. "We need to move fast."
"Try this way," Amelia said, pulling the map out of her pocket that she took from the cellar. She ran her finger along one tunnel on the map as they moved.
"This way?" Finn said, his eyes scanning the darkened tunnels as he tried to recall the path he took earlier.
Amelia nodded.
Finn led them through the twisting passage, praying they'd soon see the night sky.
"Is he close?" Sheryl asked, her voice barely audible.
"Too close," Finn replied, feeling a cold shiver run down his spine. He pushed himself harder, urging Amelia and Sheryl to keep up with him. Every second counted now.
"Can you hear that?" Amelia whispered, her breath ragged from running. "It sounds like more water."
"Must be one of the castle's underground streams," Finn commented, listening to the soft, eerie gurgle of water somewhere nearby. The tunnel curved ahead, casting an even deeper shadow than before.
"Quickly, around this bend," Finn ordered, his pulse surging with adrenaline as they navigated the narrow turn. And then, just as they rounded the corner, Bryant rushed out from a shadowy side tunnel, his sinister gaze locking onto them immediately. He smacked Finn in the face and then grabbed Sheryl, putting a gun to her head.
"Ah, there you are," Bryant sneered, his malevolent eyes narrowing. "Thought you could get away, did you?"
"Let her go, Bryant," Finn growled, his grip on his gun growing tighter. "This is between you and me."
"Is it, now?" Bryant taunted, stepping closer. "Seems to me your little friends here are part of the equation too."
"Leave them out of this!" Amelia shouted, her eyes blazing with anger. "It's over!"
"Shut up, Inspector," Bryant spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "You're in no position to make demands."
"Neither are you," Finn retorted, his mind racing as he tried to figure out the best course of action. He couldn't risk Amelia and Sheryl's lives, but how could he get close enough to disarm Bryant?
"Tick-tock, Agent Wright," Bryant mocked, taking another step forward. "What's your move?"
"Alright, Bryant," Finn said, making a decision. "Let them go, and we'll settle this like men."
"Ha!" Bryant laughed, amused by Finn's bravado. "You think I'm that much of an idiot. Why fight, when you can shoot?"
Finn suddenly kicked at the water on the ground, splashing it up onto Bryant's face. At the same moment, Sheryl clawed at his face and fell to the ground. Amelia thrust forward with a punch, but Bryant smacked her against the wall, dazing her.
With a sudden burst of speed, Finn closed the distance between himself and Bryant. He pulled the trigger of his gun, but Bryant grabbed the gun, pulling it to the side so that the bullet embedded into the tunnel walls, splintering the rock. He then pulled at Finn's wrist, bending it back. The gun then dropped from Finn's grip, splashing into the water at their feet.
Finn grappled and threw a punch, glancing Bryant's chin. But it felt like it was made of stone, forged from years of combat. Bryant was relentless. He stepped forward, raising his gun, and Finn rushed at him once more. Finn grabbed the gun and bashed Bryant's hand against the wall. Now, it was Bryant's gun that fell into the dark waters at their feet.
Their movements were swift and precise, both men having been trained in hand-to-hand combat. But Finn could feel it. He was out of his depth. Bryant was faster, stronger, more skilled. It was only a matter of time before he got the better of him.
"Is that all you've got, Wright?" Bryant taunted, landing a punch on Finn's jaw.
"Hardly," Finn replied through gritted teeth, his focus unwavering as he dodged an incoming blow and countered with a strike to Bryant's ribs. Somewhere beyond them, Finn saw Amelia struggling to her feet. She was still dazed, Sheryl helping her.
"Give up, Bryant!" Finn growled, attempting to gain the upper hand. "The police are on their way. And it's no one on your payroll this time. Your time is up."
"Like hell it is," Bryant spat back, his eyes blazing with malice. The two adversaries continued their brutal dance, each one trying to best the other.
As they fought, Bryant unleashed a volley of punches as quick as lightning. Finn found himself knocked down into a section of the tunnel filled with half a foot of water. Disoriented, he struggled to regain his footing as Bryant towered over him, a wicked grin on his face.
"It's your time that's up. you piece of..." Bryant snarled, pushing Finn's face into the murky water. Panic set in as Finn gasped for air, his lungs burning, his need for oxygen growing desperate.
Finn couldn't escape Bryant's vice-like grip, and so all he had were his hands. They grasped and searched blindly underwater. Any longer, and he was going to pass out. His fingers brushed against the cold metal of the firearm, but it remained just out of reach. Seconds passed like eternal pockets of time, and Finn knew he was moments from death.
Finn's body went limp, his desperate attempts to grab his gun underwater ceasing. Bryant, finally defeating the resilient agent, laughed maniacally as he stood up. Water dripped from his clothes, darkening the damp tunnel floor.
"Pathetic," Bryant sneered, fishing a knife from his pocket. The blade glinted menacingly in the dim light, reflecting the twisted satisfaction in his eyes.
"No! Leave him alone!" Amelia screamed, finally regaining her orientation, her voice echoing through the tunnel. Fueled by anger and vengeance, she charged at Bryant, landing a solid punch on his jaw. He stumbled back, momentarily stunned by her unexpected attack.
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