Darkness

The car slowed as they neared the warehouse. Elijah’s eyes narrowed as he scanned large warehouse up close. There were no cars parked in front and no movement in the windows. 

But there was something about the place… something off.

He could feel the tension building in the air, the atmosphere heavy with the promise of a confrontation.

“We will go in the back here.” Elijah ordered the last of his men.

Elijah checked his phone for any new messages, but it was silent. He shoved the phone back into his pocket and got out of the vehicle. They loaded their pistols and put a spare magazine in their pockets.  

“Stay sharp.”, he instructed. His voice low but commanding. “We’re not walking into this blind, but this could still be a trap. We don’t know what we’re dealing with inside.”

His bodyguard nodded. Their hands instinctively gripping their weapons tighter. They knew how to handle themselves in situations like this, but Elijah wasn’t going to take any chances. 

They began walking toward the front of the building, every step measured and calculated. Elijah’s mind was already a step ahead, planning the next move, watching for any sign of danger. He couldn’t afford to make a mistake. Not now. Not when Jasmine was still out there, still at risk.

“Elijah.”, one of the bodyguards called quietly. His voice tense.

Elijah turned. The bodyguard pointed out a shadow headed their way. Elijah nodded toward the front of the building.

Elijah whispered, “Stay close. And don’t engage unless I say so.”

Elijah quietly approached the warehouse doors, gently pulling them apart. He peered inside, locking eyes with Jasmine. Before he could signal her to stay silent, her voice rang out. 

Panic in her tone, “Elijah!” 

His pulse quickened, and before his bodyguard could stop him… he was already through the door. His eyes wide as he saw her sitting there.

“Jasmine.”, he called out.

But something was wrong.

“Elijah! Get out. Leave. Save yourself. I love you.” she cried. Her voice hoarse.

“Jasmine!”, Elijah rushed forward.

But before he could reach her, a shot sounded before a cold laugh rang through the air. And then door slammed shut behind him. The sound of the door slamming shut echoed through the room, the heavy thud reverberating in Elijah's ears. 

He didn't flinch. His gaze remained steady, scanning every inch of the room as his breath quickened. Clara stood at the door, her presence colder than the metal walls that surrounded them. She had shot his bodyguard and locked them inside the warehouse.

Jasmine was tied to a chair in the center of the building. Her face pale. Her eyes wide with fear, but her body still contained the same unshakable strength Elijah had come to know. 

And beside her… was Benjamin, barely alive. His body slumped forward, blood staining his shirt. His ragged breathing was the only sign that he was still alive. It looked like he had been beaten within an inch of his life.

Clara paced the building, the clicking of her heels echoing. She looked different, older perhaps. She had the same hunger in her eyes. The hunger for control… for power… for him.

Clara let her eyes linger on Elijah, and for a moment, there was no need for words. He could feel her eyes piercing him, assessing him. He refused to show any signs of weakness or interest in her.

She moved closer to Jasmine. The taunting smile on her lips never wavered. Her steps were calculated and methodical. Evil perhaps. 

“We could have been so good together, Elijah.”, Clara cooed. Her voice dripping with mock affection.

Elijah didn’t respond. His jaw tightened, but he stood still. Unwilling to let her words get under his skin. He could already feel the rage boiling within him, but he had learned long ago that responding to Clara’s provocations only played into her hands.

“But no, you chose that peasant. This weak and filthy excuse of a woman.”, she continued, her voice turning spiteful. “She has nothing, Elijah. She’s just a pawn. You had everything with me. And yet, you chose her.”

Every word felt like an attack, but he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing it. His eyes never left her as she circled around Jasmine. His body was ready. Every muscle tight, every sense on high alert. He couldn’t allow himself to slip, not now, not in front of her.

She walked near Jasmine, running the tip of her gun across the back of her shoulders. Jasmine sat strong, not letting Clara see her fear. The sight of it set Elijah off. 

“Don’t you fucking touch her.”, he growled. 

“Or what?”, Clara teased.

“I’ll fucking kill you with my bare hands.”, he promised. 

“Move an inch, I shoot her in the head.”, Clara warned.

Elijah’s gaze darkened. Evil thoughts seeping in as he was planning his next move. He would make good on his promise if she hurt Jasmine. 

“We could have ruled this territory together.”, Clara said. Her voice dangerously low, “My family offered you everything, and you… you rejected me.”

He didn’t respond.

“Now I guess I’ll be a widow”, she added. Her lips curling into a cruel smile as she leaned closer toward Jasmine’s ear. “My father will forge our marriage license, and the coroner will print me a death certificate. After today, I’ll be the most powerful woman from coast to coast. And I will own all of your shares. And to think… we don’t even have to fuck to make the deal.”

She spoke as if it were already done, as if she had already won. As if Elijah was nothing more than a mere obstacle in her path. But there was something in her eyes, something that flickered with doubt. Even if she refused to admit it. 

Clara had a plan, but Elijah wasn’t just going to roll over. Not now. Not when Jasmine and Benjamin’s lives hung in the balance.

With one last look, Clara turned, walking toward the back of the room. “Now you get to deal with him.”, she said as she disappeared into what looked like an old office. The door slamming shut behind her.

The air in the room grew still. The hitman. Elijah’s gaze flicked toward him. The man had barely moved. Standing tall and dressed in all black, he almost blended in with the shadows in the room. 

He was the picture of calm. Sizing Elijah up, just as Elijah was sizing him up. This wasn’t about words. There was nothing to be said.

“I am not one to turn down a fight.”, the hitman teased.

Elijah’s instincts kicked in. He was no stranger to situations like this. Hand-to-hand combat. It was inevitable. But before he made his move, he had to wait. It wasn’t his style to rush into a fight.

The hitman took the first step by tossing his gun on the ground and Elijah followed suit. The air shifted as his eyes locked onto Elijah. He lunged, Elijah unaware of the knife in his hand.

Elijah barely managed to sidestep in time. The hitman’s fist swung through the air, missing him by mere inches. Elijah moved with practiced precision, using the momentum to his advantage. Bringing his elbow down into the hitman’s back. The man grunted, but he didn’t falter.

The fight was on.

Elijah’s body was ready. Every muscle he had honed over years of training kicked in. He ducked as the hitman’s foot swung toward him, barley avoiding it. A quick jab to the hitman’s ribs, but the man absorbed the blow with a grunt before spinning around with a backhanded hit to Elijah’s face. 

The strike caught Elijah across the cheek, a sharp sting that sent a bolt of pain through his skull. His body staggered for a second, but his vision never blurred. Blood ran down his cheek as he noticed the knife.

He retaliated immediately, stepping into the strike. Throwing a right hook that landed with a satisfying crunch against the hitman’s jaw. The man staggered back but recovered quickly before coming at him again.

They exchanged blows. Punches landing on each man and both bodies crashing against the walls. Elijah could feel the sweat dripping down his back, but he didn’t slow down. He couldn’t afford to. Not now. Not with Jasmine and Benjamin’s lives hanging in the balance.

The hitman was skilled, no doubt about it. But Elijah had been in worse situations. His mind was clear, every move calculated. He let the hitman think he had the advantage for a moment, letting him press the attack. 

When the hitman moved in for another strike, Elijah sidestepped. The step wasn’t quick enough. The hitman grabbed Elijah’s arm and twisted it behind his back with force. A loud crack echoed through the room, as the hitman stabbed Elijah repeatedly in the stomach.

Elijah grunted in pain, but he didn’t give up.

With a sudden shift, Elijah slammed his knee into the hitman’s side. A strong pain flared up, but Elijah wasn’t done yet. He spun, slamming the hitman’s head against the steel wall with a sickening thud. The man groaned, blood trickling from a gash in his forehead.

Elijah knew the fight was nearing its end. The hitman was slowing, his movements growing more sluggish as the pain took its toll. Elijah seized the opportunity, grabbing the man by the collar and slamming him down onto the cold concrete floor. With one final punch to the throat, Elijah left the hitman gasping for air.

The hitman was barely able to lift his head as blood flooded the floor. The room was silent. The fight had ended.

Elijah’s breath came in ragged gasps as he started to take notice of his pain. His body bleeding, but his focus never wavered. His eyes immediately found Jasmine again. She was still sitting there, bound to the chair. Her face pale but relieved to see him alive. Benjamin’s barely audible breathing echoed in the stillness, his condition worse than Elijah had realized.

But there was no time for that. Elijah wasn’t done yet.

He wobbled over to the door, his legs shaky from the adrenaline. With a grunt, he fumbled for the lock. His hand trembled as he worked the mechanism, the door creaking open with a low groan.

The moment the door swung open… Elijah collapsed in the doorway. His blood loss to severe to get back up. The team rushed in, led by his second-in-command.

“Elijah!”, one of the men shouted, rushing to his side. “We’ve got you. Hold on.”

But Elijah couldn’t hold on much longer. His vision blurred and his strength gave out. His body was finally giving in to the pain. He leaned heavily on his team as they pulled him away from the door.

"Get Jasmine and Benjamin out of here. Now!”, Elijah muttered. His voice weak but resolute.

The men moved quickly, not wasting a moment. Jasmine was freed from the chair, her arms gently untied as one of the bodyguards moved to Benjamin’s side, checking his vitals. 

He was still alive. Barely.

As Elijah was half-carried toward a vehicle, his consciousness began to slip away. The last thing he remembered was the sound of his team getting Jasmine and Benjamin to safety. His purpose fulfilled.

And then… darkness.