Crash

Crash
Sarah's POV

The concrete barrier rushed toward us like a giant gray wall.

I took hold of the steering wheel and gave it a forceful leftward yank. David was yelling and attempting to wrestle with me for control of the vehicle.

We were now spinning sideways down a steep hill covered with trees, having narrowly missed the barrier.

I shouted, "Hold on!"

There was a thunderclap as the car struck the first tree. For a moment, everything became hazy as my head struck the side window.

We hit another tree after bouncing off that one. Then another.

Before coming to a complete stop upside down against a large oak tree, the car rolled over twice.

Everything was silent for a few seconds, save for the engine's hissing steam.

My head felt like someone had hit it with a hammer, and there was blood running down my face. However, I was able to move my legs and arms, so I knew nothing was broken.

"David?" I yelled.

No response.

I glanced in his direction. Unconscious, David was dangling upside down from his seatbelt. His left arm was bent in an improper manner, and he had a large cut on his forehead.

My hands were shaking too much for me to unbuckle my seatbelt. At last, I managed to free it and landed on the car's roof, which was now the bottom.

"Elena!" I yelled as loudly as I could.

Her voice called back a few seconds later. "Hey Sarah! "Where are you?"

"Come on down! "In the forest!"

Through the broken passenger window, I slithered out. Although it wasn't broken, my left ankle ached when I put weight on it.

Elena ran toward me down the hill. She no longer appeared see-through; instead, she appeared solid.

She helped me to my feet and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I believe so. However, Elena, we must assist David.

Elena glanced at the car inverted. "Why? He was going to allow your nephew to be killed by Susan Cole.

"Because we won't ever find Tommy if he dies."

Elena's silver eyes widened. That hadn't occurred to her.

"You're right," she said. "He must be alive."

Both of us crawled back to the vehicle. David was moaning and attempting to move as he began to awaken.

"David," I said. "Can you hear me?"

Slowly, his eyes opened. He began to try to flee when he saw Elena, but his seatbelt kept him in place.

He yelled, "Get away from me!"

I said, "David, we're going to help you." "However, you must let us know Tommy's location."

"I'm not telling you anything!"

Elena took David's broken arm out of the car. He let out a painful scream.

"Elena, don't!" "I said."

"Sarah, while we waste time talking to this killer, your nephew might be dying."

David was crying because his arm hurt. "All right! All right! Let me tell you! Please, don't let her touch me once more.

I drew Elena away. "Where is Tommy?"

"The former Johnson storage facility. North of here, about five miles. However, it's too late.

"What do you mean?"

A cruel smile twisted David's bloody face. "If I don't call Susan every hour, she's going to kill the child. Forty-five minutes have passed since my last call.

My heart stopped beating. "Call her right now."

"The crash smashed my phone."

I surveyed the damaged vehicle. David was correct. He had about twenty pieces of his phone.

I said, "Use mine," and then I remembered. "No, David threw mine out the highway window."

Elena took out her phone. "Make use of this."

"Where did you get that?"

"Before I left, I borrowed it from Agent Martinez."

David appeared perplexed. "Martinez allowed you to use her phone?"

Elena flashed that frightful smile that made her teeth stand out. "Martinez will no longer require her phone."

"What did you do to her?"

"She didn't deserve anything. Give Susan a call now.

David used his good hand to pick up the phone. He dialed with trembling fingers.

When she responded, he said, "Susan?" "This is David. I'm all right. Don't harm the child.

Susan's voice was audible over the phone, but I was unable to understand her words.

"Yeah, Detective Chen is with me," David added. "We're on our way to the warehouse."

Susan has more to say.

"How long?" David inquired. Then his face turned pale. "One hour? What do you mean?"

Elena took the phone away from him. "This is Elena, Susan. In an hour, what will happen?

Susan's excited, frantic voice could be heard over the phone. "Elena! I hoped you would arrive! I will force Detective Chen to decide who will perish first in an hour. either herself or her nephew.

"Where exactly are you?"

"Johnson warehouse, as David mentioned. But now for the exciting part, Elena. I have explosives wired throughout the entire place. I'll blow up the entire building if someone tries to enter covertly to save the child.

Elena had a silver flash in her eyes. "If you hurt that child—" Susan said.

"You'll what? Find me? I've spent months organizing this, Elena. I am fully aware of who you are and what you are capable of. I am also aware of your weakness.

"What weakness?"

Susan chuckled. "Elena, you can't save everyone. Detective Chen must decide between saving her nephew's life and saving her own. And you'll feel like a failure regardless of what she decides."

The phone died.

After giving the phone a long look, Elena tossed it against a tree. It burst into fragments.

I said, "Elena, we can still save him."

"How? Susan is correct. She will blow up the building with Tommy inside if we try to enter covertly. She will still kill him if we don't try."

From inside the inverted vehicle, David was giggling. "Detective, that's the plan's beauty. Susan has more in mind than simply murdering you and your nephew. By forcing Elena to witness your deaths, she hopes to shatter her.

I assisted Elena in removing David from the vehicle. He was barely able to walk due to severe bleeding from his broken arm.

I said, "There must be another way."

For a minute, Elena was silent, reflecting. "There may be. You won't like it, though, Sarah.

"What do you mean?"

"I could break up once more. While one aspect of me diverts attention, the other helps Tommy.

"Elena, the last time you split yourself, you nearly died."

"I understand. However, there is no other way to save your nephew.

David, looking pale from blood loss, was leaning against a tree. "Anyway, it won't work. Susan has installed motion detectors throughout the warehouse. No matter how many pieces she breaks into, she will know Elena is coming.

Elena stated, "When I'm in mist form, motion detectors don't work on me."

"Mist form?" I inquired.

"I've never shown you anything like this before. I have the ability to transform into fog and squeeze through even the smallest gaps.

David's eyes widened in terror. "That isn't feasible."

Elena's silver eyes glowed as she gazed at him. "You've murdered eight innocent people, David. You no longer have the authority to determine what is feasible.

Elena faced me once more. "Sarah, I might not be able to transform back into solid form if I split myself and turn into mist. I might be trapped in fog indefinitely.

My eyes began to well up with tears. Even though Elena hardly knew Tommy, she was prepared to put everything on the line to save him.

"There has to be another way," I repeated.

"There is," David muttered.

I looked at him, and Elena did too.

"What?" I inquired.

David's eyes were fixed on the floor. "Susan is unaware of my pain. She won't be expecting Elena if I give her a call and let her know that I will be taking her to the warehouse as we agreed.

"Why would you assist us?"

David's eyes were filled with tears as he gazed up at me. "Because, Detective, I just realized something. I no longer wish to be a monster.

Elena took a step toward David. "If you're deceiving us—"

"I'm telling the truth. I'm sick of murdering people. I'm sick of constantly being afraid. Additionally, I'm sick of Susan and Martinez treating me like I don't exist."

Elena caught my eye. "Is he telling the truth, in your opinion?"

Elena gazed for a long time into David's eyes. "Yes. However, Sarah, Susan still has enough explosives to destroy the entire warehouse even if David assists us.

"So what do we do?"

Elena's silver eyes became more radiant. "We do something that Susan won't anticipate."

"What?"

"We don't try to save Tommy."

"What are you talking about?"

Elena flashed that frightful grin once more. "We gave Susan the impression that she had won. We immediately fall into her trap. After that, when she feels secure and secure..."

"Then what?"

"After that, I demonstrate to Susan what I am capable of doing when a child is harmed."

David trembled. "Elena, Susan doesn't know what she's doing, does she?"

"No, David. She doesn't.

Elena headed for the street. "Come on. It will take us forty-five minutes to reach the warehouse.

"Elena," I called after her. "What do you not tell me?"

Elena halted her stride and pivoted. The entire forest was now illuminated by the brightness of her silver eyes.

"Sarah, I've been hiding my actual strength from you the entire time because I thought it would frighten you."

"What kind of power?"

"The kind that, if I'm furious enough, could level an entire city block."

A shiver w
ent down my back. "And are you sufficiently enraged?"

Elena's eyes were like silver fire as she gazed at me.

"A six-year-old child has been abducted and is being threatened with murder, Sarah. What are your thoughts?