Chapter 150 They Found Us
Chapter 150 They Found Us
Darcy's POV
The silence inside the private lounge suffocates me.
It is peaceful. Too peaceful.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, I can see airplanes taking off one after another. Travelers drag their suitcases behind them. Some laugh. Some argue. Some hug their loved ones goodbye.
Life goes on.
Yet mine feels as though it stopped the moment Adrian told me to leave.
I lower my gaze to my hands resting on my lap.
My fingers tighten around each other until my knuckles hurt. I blink rapidly.
Don't cry, Darcy.
If I cry now, Maleek will notice. He has been watching me ever since we got here.
Pretending not to. But I know him.
Every few seconds, I catch him stealing glances at me before looking away.
The poor man probably doesn't know what to say.
Truth be told...
Neither do I.
I slowly lift my head again, the automatic door slides open.
My heart skips.
Only for another airport attendant to walk inside.
It's not Adrian. The disappointment hits harder than I expect. My chest tugs painfully.
Why am I still hoping?
Didn't he already tell me goodbye yesterday?
Didn't I agree to leave?
Didn't I promise not to make things harder for him?
Then why...
Why am I still hoping that he'll suddenly walk through that door?
Even if it's just for one minute.
Even if it's just to tell me to take care of myself..Even if it's just to hold my hand one last time.
I swallow the lump in my throat. This is foolish.
Completely foolish.
"Darcy." Maleek's voice breaks into my thoughts.
"Hmm?"
He walks over with two paper cups. "I got you hot chocolate."
I force a smile. "Thank you."
He places the cup in my hands before sitting opposite me.
Neither of us drinks.
The silence stretches.
Again, I find myself looking toward the entrance.
Nothing.
No one.
Maleek notices. His shoulders rise before falling slowly.
"You've been looking there since we arrived."
I don't deny it. Because denying it would be pointless.
"I just..." The words gets stuck in my throat, refusing to come out.
I look away instead and he sighs. "Adrian isn't coming."
There it is. The truth I already knew. Yet hearing it still hurts.
I bite my lower lip and nod. "I know."
"You don't." He says gently. "If you did, you wouldn't keep looking at that door."
My grip on the paper cup tightens. Maybe he's right. Maybe I have been lying to myself.
Deep down...
I truly believed Adrian would come. He always comes. Whenever I'm scared, whenever I cry and whenever I need him.
He comes.
So why not today? Did sending me away hurt him that little?
No.
Stop it. That's unfair. I shake my head. No one understands Adrian more than I do.
If he isn't here, then there must be a reason. A very important reason.
Still...
Knowing that doesn't stop my heart from aching.
"I just wanted to see him once more." I whisper as my voice breaks.
Maleek lowers his gaze. "So did he." He pauses for a minute and continues. "He wanted to come."
Immediately, I snap my head to look at him. My breathing becomes uneven. "He... did?"
Maleek nods. "But if he came, he wouldn't have let you leave."
The words hit somewhere deep inside me as I blink rapidly.
"He'd change his mind and that would put you in danger." Maleek continues.
Danger.
Everything comes back again.
Camille.
Hazel.
I grip the cup tighter.
"I'll wait." I suddenly say.
Maleek frowns. "What?"
"I'll wait another hour." I blink rapidly as my heartbeat increase.
"Darcy..."
Maleek cuts in. "If he doesn't come..."
I pause as my throat tightens painfully.
"I'll leave."
Maleek doesn't answer.
Instead...
He quietly checks his wristwatch.
The announcement for boarding echoes through the lounge.
Maleek immediately stands. "We can't delay this Darcy. It's time."
Time.
Such a simple word.
Yet it feels like someone just sentenced me. I know Adrian has put in so much effort to keep me safe, repeated argument will make mee seem ungrateful.
I place the untouched cup on the table.
Slowly, Maleek begins pushing my wheelchair toward the exit. Each turn of the wheel feels heavier than the last.
Halfway to the door, Maleek suddenly stops. His grip on the wheelchair tightens.
"What is it?"
He doesn't answer.
Instead, he looks through the small glass panel beside the door. His expression changes, not dramatically but just enough for me to notice.
The color slowly drains from his face.
"Maleek?"
His eyes move from one direction to another. Then back again. Almost as though he's counting people.
No...
Watching people.
His breathing becomes uneven.
"I don't like this."
A chill runs through me. "What happened?"
He crouches beside me. His voice drops almost to a whisper. "Don't look behind you."
Fear immediately crawls into my chest. "What did you see?"
"Just trust me." His hand grips the wheelchair handles again.
Instead of heading toward the boarding gate, he turns into another corridor.
My heartbeat begins increasing. "Maleek..."
He doesn't answer.
We pass two airport employees before stopping outside a small maintenance room. He quickly opens the door.
Inside are cleaning supplies, folded wheelchairs and boxes. "Come."
"What are we doing?"
He kneels before me. "Darcy."
His eyes lock onto mine. "I need you to stay here."
"What?" I raise my eyebrows. I clasp my shaky hands together.
"No matter what happens, don't make a sound."
Fear completely consumes me. "Maleek, you're scaring me."
"I know." He swallows. "But I think we're being watched."
Everything inside me freezes.
Camille.
She found us.
Already?
How?
My hands begin trembling vigorously.
Maleek notices. He gently squeezes my shoulder.
"I'm not sure yet. But I don't want to take chances." He wheels me behind several stacked boxes.
"I'm calling Adrian." He steps outside before quietly closing the door.
Only a small gap remains. My breathing becomes shallow. I hug myself tightly.
Please...
Please don't let anything happen.
Outside, I hear Maleek's hushed voice.
"Adrian."
A pause.
"I think they found us."
Silence.
Then Maleek's expression changes.
His eyes widen.
"What?"
Another pause.
"I understand."
He ends the call.
Seconds later...
The airport speakers suddenly crackle.
"Attention passengers..."
"This airport is temporarily under security lockdown."
My eyes widen.
Lockdown?
People begin shouting outside. Footsteps multiply. Security officers run past. Alarms begin sounding. Someone screams and luggage falls.
The once peaceful airport suddenly turns into complete chaos.
Maleek opens the door.
"They're moving."
"What?"
"The men. They know something's wrong."
He quickly wheels me out. We move through a staff-only corridor. Airport security officers begin flooding every direction.
Passengers panic.
Some cry.
Others demand answers.
The confusion becomes our cover.
Maleek keeps looking over his shoulder. "Hurry."
We reach another restricted exit leading directly toward the aircraft. Just as relief begins settling inside me—
"THERE!"
A loud voice echoes behind us.
Maleek curses under his breath.
"They found us."
Gunshots suddenly erupt.
The sound tears through the air..People scream. Security officers immediately return fire.
Maleek pushes my wheelchair faster.
Bullets strike nearby vehicles.
I instinctively duck.
Another shot rings out.
Maleek suddenly stumbles. My eyes widen.
"Maleek!"
Blood slowly stains his sleeve.
"I-I'm fine."
"No!"
"It's just a graze."
He grits his teeth and continues pushing.
I can see the pain on his face.
His breathing becomes ragged.
Another shot echoes.
Security officers surround the attackers.
The aircraft crew begins waving frantically.
"Hurry!"
Maleek gives one final push. The wheelchair crosses the aircraft door. Airport staff immediately pull us inside.
The aircraft door slams shut.
Outside...
The shooting continues.
I stare through the small window.
The airport grows farther away as the plane begins moving. Only then do I finally breathe.
Tears begin falling uncontrollably. I don't even wipe them.
Instead...
I rest my forehead against the window. "Adrian..."
I whisper weakly. "Please, stay alive."
Because if anything happens to you...
I don't think I'll ever find the strength to come back home.