'There is no way I can survive with these many people surrounding me'

Adrenaline flooded her system, it pumps and beats like it's trying to escape. The little organ on the left side of her chest were showing all signs of exploding anytime yet Ella struggled to keep her fear from showing up.

Ella's limbs begin to tremble as the mans surrounded her in the wide space.

Her mind and body wanted to run fast and hid herself for safety but instead she remain rooted to the ground.

She knew there is no option left. She can't call for help, the entire place was fixed with device jammer and even if she screams for help no one would come for rescue.

'There is no way out, Ella. You are trapped. face it' she tried to reason herself and prayed they don't end her life.

-----

'How stupid can I be? Stupid! Stupid!' Diego rebuked himself ever since he found out the big mistake he had done.

Thomas and Diego had been trying their best to reach her for the past few minutes through every possible ways  yet there was no sign of her nor was her location was detectable under the network radar.

He felt like his heart would leap out of him soon, feeling distressed and angry over himself. Diego kicked the small table in Thomas's office in frustration.

"I can't just sit and wait for her to come back. I need to go out and find her" Diego storm to the door.

Just before he reached for the handle the door swung open.

"Ella is in danger!" yelled the man who barged into Thomas's office.

"How do you know?" Thomas and Diego both asked.

"I spoke to her just few minuted before the line cut of and I think I know where is she. By the way, I'm Lazaro. We have met before in a similar situation" Lazaro spoke as three of the men rushed out of the building.

Diego was in no state of driving thus it was Thomas behind the wheels. Diego sat anxiously all the way to the location hoping for Ella to be safe till they reach for her. His hands trembled with sweat beads formed as fear creep in through all kinds of negative thoughts bubbling in his mind.

All he wanted was to bring her back safe and because of his one mistake. Just one mistake, is about to cost a lot for them.

'It's my mistake and I will take any measure to bring her back safe.' He took pledge as he wiped off his sweaty palms and forehead.

"Her last location showed here. I see few cars parked. They must be here" Lazaro said, slowly cruising the car to the spot and pulled over right behind one the car parked nearest to a building.

There were no men around meant, they weren't many, Thomas thought.

"We will need all resources to get the lady back. Do you have a riffle with you, Lazaro?" Thomas asked passing one to Diego, the one that had been laying in his dashboard for long.

"Always"

Diego braced himself for whatever was about to come. He knew he could do better than the first attack that came unexpected. He held the cold riffle tight between his palms ready to shoot anyone who comes his way.

They tiptoed avoiding the smallest of the crunch they could as they step the gravel. They scanned around the ground floor and found no one in there. The quiet building convinced them that there were no one in there, except Diego. 

He strongly felt Ella was somewhere around.

Thomas and Lazaro wasn't convinced there could be any human in there, not until they heard a gunshot from the floor above them.

Diego's senses sharpened with adrenaline, he held his breath, strained to hear every ounce of the only voice he wanted to hear. To tell him the gunshot wasn't directed to her. 

There was no reason to make no noise anymore, all three ascended the stairs and were greeted with a number of thugs. The only way they could get to Ella was to go through them. 

Diego was prepared to bash whoever that comes his way.

---- 

 Ella nonchalant facade received an unexpected slap as she remained composed each time they asked about her finding of Ara Agosti. 

That was it, Ella couldn't just wait for them to have mercy on her and let her go. She tried to fight as much as she could, to safe herself out of this bizarre situation and flee from there but it was just a failed attempt. 

The fight went on as much as Ella could go on.

A gunshot followed by a sudden gush of pain jolted throughout Ella's body. Her stomach ached, her arms lost tension and her legs began to weaken. Her tongue was soaked in the taste of blood. She fell on the ground flat on her face. 

It took a few seconds for Ella to realise that the bullet did not pierce through her skin. 

A man crouched down and whispered only for her to hear. 

"Do you think we brought you here to ask about your stupid findings on Ara Agosti?" he laughed. "Tch... tch...tch... Sadly, you people are slow" 

The man pulled her up on her feet and dragged her to a tub filled with ice cold water. 

"Let's assume that you will never find the real Ara Agosti. With you death, no Diego, no Thomas will go ahead with the search. And we will bring in our Ara Agosti" 

"Good bye" whispered the man as he mercilessly dunked her in the ice cold water before she even had time to react.

-----

Diego lost count of the number of people he had punched and shot. He needed to get Ella out of the building and with every second, his fear doubled. The gunshot he heard earlier had him extremely agitated.

Aiming for the last man standing between him and the door, Diego shot right on his forehead ending the life of the hitman. 

Diego was the first among the three to get through the door that had Ella in.

The sight of Ella being dunked in the water mercilessly had him lost all his sense. He was  in such a transport of rage that he remembered nothing and his strength increased tenfold. Fighting away a couple of men that came his way. 

In no time, Diego snatched a gun from the back pocket of one of the thugs and swung the rifle to the man who held Ella in water. 

How many bullets went through the man's body, Diego has no count. 

With the man falling on his own pool of blood, he rushed to the woman, hung weakly over the edge of the tub catching breath.  

A numerous emotions ran through Diego as he held her tight in his arms. He couldn't phantom what he would have done if he came in a little later. He held her in his arms, tears dripping from his cheeks.

There could never be a day in his life, he had ever been so thankful as he was at that moment. 

As Ella lifted up her pale face, she weakly whispered "Stop crying"

"I'm sorry" was the only words Diego could formulate as the tears kept rolling down his cheeks. 

***********

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-Deva