Chapter 36 Another Attack
Aiyana’s P.O.V
I woke up to terror crashing into me.
Not gently or gradually.
It was a scream. High, sharp, and panicked, that tore me out of sleep like a blade through silk.
“Aiyana!”
A small body slammed into mine, knocking the air from my lungs. I barely had time to register Noah’s face, white with fear, eyes too wide, tears streaking down his cheeks,before the distant staccato of gunfire reached my ears.
Far away, but it was unmistakable as even though I didn't recognise that sound before Jerome, I sure did now.
The house trembled, not physically, but emotionally.
You could feel it in the walls, in the air, in the way Noah clung to me like I was the only solid thing left in the world.
“They’re shooting.” He cried, voice breaking. “They’re shooting!”
“I know, I know. It’s okay. I’ve got you.” I whispered, sitting up fast, adrenaline flooding my veins.
I scanned the bed instinctively.
Empty.
Jerome wasn’t there.
Of course he wasn’t.
There was no time to think about that, no time to think about the strange normalcy of waking beside a man I wasn’t officially with, no time to question why his absence still made my chest tighten.
All that mattered was Noah.
Gunfire echoed again, still distant, but closer than before, or maybe that was just my fear sharpening every sound.
“Listen to me.” I said, gripping Noah’s shoulders gently but firmly. “You need to do exactly what I say, okay?”
He nodded frantically.
I slid out of bed, heart pounding so loudly I was sure it could be heard over the chaos outside. I grabbed him, lifted him despite his protests, and crouched low.
“Under the bed.” I whispered urgently. “Go under the bed. Stay quiet. Don’t move. No matter what you hear.” I swallowed, knowing that it was one of the hardest things to ask if a child but 8 had to.
“But…”
“Noah,” I said, forcing calm into my voice even as my hands trembled, “this is a game. A hiding game. You’re very good at hiding, remember?”
His lips wobbled.
“I’ll stay right here,” I promised. “I won’t leave you.”
That did it.
He crawled under the bed quickly, curling himself into the corner like a frightened kitten. I yanked open the bedside drawer and tipped it on its side, shoving it partially under the bed so it acted as a crude shield.
Not much.
But something.
I pushed the bedspread down carefully, hiding any sign that someone was underneath.
Then I stood.
Gunfire erupted again, closer now. Muffled shouts followed, indistinct but aggressive. The sound of running boots echoed faintly through the house.
I paced the room in small, controlled steps, forcing myself not to panic. Jerome had said the house was secure. He had said there were layers of protection, men stationed everywhere.
This wasn’t supposed to reach us.
Please don’t reach us.
I positioned myself slightly in front of the bed, heart racing, mind scrambling through every terrible possibility. I had no weapon. Just a little bit of training, fear, and a child hidden behind me.
I listened, and I didn't want to believe it but I heard the light taps of feet on the floor and could tell they were trying to be as quiet as possible.
There was no guessing who it was.
It was definitely them.
My breath hitched.
The doorknob rattled once.
Twice.
I took a step back instinctively, shaking my head like denial alone could stop what was coming.
Go away.
The door exploded inward.
Wood splintered violently, slamming against the wall with a crack that made me flinch. Two figures stormed in, dressed entirely in black from head to toe, faces obscured, guns raised.
“Oh shit.” I breathed.
They froze for half a second when they saw me.
Just long enough.
My hands went up slowly, palms open, body moving on instinct.
“I…I’m unarmed” I said, my voice shaking despite my effort to steady it. As I said that, my head spun with possible ways to get out of this unscathed especially with Noah.
They exchanged a glance.
One of them laughed. Short, sharp, cruel.
“Well, look at this.” the one on the left said, voice distorted slightly by his mask. “Guess Cortez was right.”
My stomach dropped.
Cortez.
“You’re the girl,” the other said, eyes raking over me like I was already property. “The one Black’s been hiding.”
I swallowed hard, mind screaming.
The man lifted his gun, aiming it casually, not at me, but around the room.
“We were told to bring you alive.” He said. “Didn’t say anything about being gentle.” He completed with a sadistic smile that I wanted to wipe out so bad with a punch but there was only so much I could do with my training when threatened with a gun.
My pulse thundered.
“Please,” I said, my voice breaking now. “There’s no need for this. I’ll go quietly.” I said to them, hoping that they would never notice the little boy that was counting on me and just taken me.
The thought of him even experiencing this was heartbreaking, not to talk of being taken.
In their camp, there was nothing
they could not do to him but as usual, my hopes were shattered when I felt movement and heard movement under the bed.
Noah.