Chapter 45

Chapter 45 (Eleanor’s POV)

My heart slammed hard against my ribs as the door creaked slowly open. I stumbled backward, pressing myself into the wall, trying to become invisible. Every nerve in my body screamed at me to run, to hide, to do something. But I was trapped.

A figure stepped through the doorway.

I held my breath, ready for anything—except what actually came next.

“Nell?”

Rick’s voice echoed softly in the quiet room. My eyes widened in shock.

“Rick?” I whispered, my voice shaking. “What… what are you doing here?”

Rick moved closer, hands raised, palms facing me as if to calm a frightened animal. “I’m here to help you.”

“How did you find me?” My voice was barely audible, trembling in confusion and anger.

Rick hesitated, taking another careful step forward. “I followed you. I’ve been worried.”

“You followed me?” My heart was pounding harder now, anger mixing with my fear. “You’ve been following me?”

“I know it sounds bad—” Rick started, his voice cautious.

“No, it sounds creepy,” I interrupted sharply. “Why would you follow me here?”

He lowered his hands slowly, sighing. “Because you’re in trouble, Nell. More trouble than you realize. And because I care about you.”

My jaw clenched tightly. “I can’t trust anyone right now, Rick. Especially someone who’s been lying to me.”

“I haven’t lied,” Rick said, taking another cautious step toward me. “I swear. I’ve never lied to you.”

I took a deep breath, the room spinning slightly as adrenaline surged through my veins. “How did you know about this place?”

Rick hesitated again, running a hand through his messy hair. “I’ve known more than I’ve said. But I’m not working with Reed, I promise.”

“Then who are you working with?” I challenged, my voice low but firm.

“Myself,” Rick said simply. “I’m on your side. Please believe me.”

“Why should I?” I asked bitterly, gripping my backpack tighter against my chest. “You’ve been keeping secrets. You’ve been following me around. How do I know you’re not just trying to turn me in?”

“Nell, if I wanted to hurt you, I’d have done it already. I’ve had plenty of chances,” Rick argued, stepping forward again, his eyes pleading with me. “I care about you. More than you realize.”

I stared at him, unsure of what to believe. Rick had always seemed sincere, caring even, but so had everyone else. I’d already trusted too many people. And each time, it had ended badly.

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” I admitted softly, my voice barely audible.

Rick’s expression softened. “I get it. I really do. But you’re not safe here. We have to move.”

Before I could respond, the distant sound of voices echoed through the halls again, louder this time. Closer.

Rick tensed, grabbing my wrist quickly but gently. “We have to hide. Now.”

I wanted to resist, to pull away, but the urgency in his voice was undeniable. I nodded silently, allowing him to lead me swiftly out of the room and into another empty, darkened hallway.

He guided me toward a small room at the far end of the corridor, pulling me inside and carefully shutting the door behind us. The room was tiny, barely bigger than a closet, filled with old medical equipment covered in dust. We stood in silence, breathing quietly, straining to hear any sounds from outside.

The voices returned, clear now. Footsteps moved closer.

My breath caught painfully in my throat. My pulse thundered in my ears, louder than ever.

Rick pressed a finger to his lips, motioning me to be silent. I nodded, my eyes wide in the dark. My heart was racing so fast I felt dizzy. I could hear them clearly now—two men speaking in low, harsh voices.

“Reed said she’d come. She can’t have gotten far.”

“Check every room. Every closet.”

My entire body went cold at their words. They were here for me, and they knew exactly where to look.

Rick reached out and took my hand gently, squeezing it in silent reassurance. But I wasn’t reassured. Not yet.

The footsteps approached our hiding spot, closer and closer. I squeezed Rick’s hand involuntarily, panic rising fast.

“Trust me, Nell,” Rick whispered so quietly I barely heard him. “I won’t let them take you.”

My chest tightened painfully, conflicted and afraid. But Rick didn’t let go of my hand. His grip was strong, steady, comforting.

We stood together in the suffocating silence as the footsteps paused just outside the door.

I held my breath.

“Nothing here,” one of the men finally said, irritation clear in his tone.

The footsteps slowly retreated down the hall. After what felt like hours, the quiet returned, broken only by the distant sound of a door slamming shut.

Rick exhaled slowly, carefully releasing my hand. “They’ll be back soon. We need to leave right now.”

I stared up at him, heart still racing. “How do we know they’re gone?”

“We don’t,” he admitted honestly. “But we don’t have a choice. We can’t stay here.”

I nodded silently. He was right. We couldn’t wait here for them to return.

Rick cautiously opened the door and peeked outside. The hallway was empty. He stepped out, holding the door for me. “Let’s go.”

We moved silently through the dark corridors, every shadow and sound making me jump. Rick’s presence beside me was reassuring, but my trust in him was fragile. Everything felt uncertain.

When we finally reached the exit, Rick paused, looking carefully around before pushing the door open. The cool night air hit my face, sharp and refreshing. I breathed deeply, trying to steady myself.

“Where do we go now?” I asked softly, staring at Rick uncertainly.

He hesitated, looking around nervously. “We need to get somewhere safe. My car is close by.”

I followed him through the shadows, the streets quiet and empty around us. Rick’s car was parked a block away, hidden behind a row of tall trees. He opened the passenger door, waiting for me to get in.

I hesitated, meeting his gaze. “Tell me the truth, Rick. Why are you really helping me?”

He sighed softly, eyes sincere. “Because this is bigger than you realize. It’s about Alex.”

My heart jumped painfully. “What do you know about Alex?”

Rick glanced around nervously, then leaned in closer. “There’s something about him you don’t know, Nell. Something important.”

“What?” My voice trembled slightly.

Rick shook his head. “Not here. Get in the car. I’ll explain once we’re safe.”

I paused, torn. I didn’t trust him fully yet, but I had no other choice. I climbed inside reluctantly, watching as he moved quickly around the car and slid into the driver’s seat. He started the engine quietly, the sound comforting yet tense.

We drove through the silent streets, neither of us speaking for several minutes. My mind raced with possibilities, with questions, with fears.

“What don’t I know, Rick?” I asked again, my voice low but firm.

He kept his eyes fixed on the road, his jaw tense. “Alex isn’t who you think he is. At least—not completely.”

My heart skipped painfully. “What do you mean?”

Rick sighed deeply, glancing briefly at me before looking back at the road. “Alex isn’t just a victim, Nell. He was a part of this experiment willingly, at least at first.”

Shock hit me hard. I shook my head. “No, he wouldn’t—”

“I’m sorry,” Rick said softly. “I wish it wasn’t true. But it is. And Reed knows you’re close to finding out. That’s why they’re after you.”

Before I could respond, bright headlights suddenly filled the rearview mirror. A car raced up quickly behind us.

“Rick!” I gasped, panic surging again.

Rick glanced back quickly, eyes widening. “Hold on.”

The car behind us sped closer, dangerously close. I clutched the seat tightly, heart hammering.

“They found us,” Rick muttered, his voice tight. “Hold on tight, Nell.”

The other car’s engine roared loudly as it pulled alongside us, dangerously close.

“Rick!” I shouted in fear.

“Get down!” he yelled back, just as the car swerved sharply into us.

The impact slammed through me, throwing me violently against the door.

The world spun, metal crunching, tires screeching.

Then everything went black.