Underground Meeting

Underground Meeting

Emma's POV

Emma's phone buzzed as Vincent pushed her down the dark train stairs. The text message made her heart stop: "Emma, don't go down there. Vincent is leading you into a trap. This is Detective Chen. Ryan is already caught."
Vincent saw her reading and snatched the phone away. "No more games," he growled.
But it was too late. Emma had seen enough. Ryan was in trouble, and she was walking straight into Vincent's trap.
"Let me go," Emma said, trying to pull away from Vincent's grip. "You got what you wanted. You can use me to hurt Ryan without dragging me down there."
Vincent laughed. "Oh, sweet Emma. You still don't understand, do you? This isn't about Ryan. This was always about you."
They reached the bottom of the abandoned subway station. Emma could see a person tied to a chair in the shadows ahead. Her heart broke when she realized it was Ryan.
"Ryan!" she called out, running toward him.
"Emma, stop!" Ryan's voice was weak but desperate. "It's a trap!"
But Emma was already there, trying to untie the ropes around Ryan's hands. That's when she saw his FBI badge on the ground next to the chair.
"So it's true," she whispered, picking up the badge. "You really are FBI."
"Emma, I can explain everything," Ryan said quickly. "But first, we need to get out of here. Vincent has been planning this for years."
"Planning what?"
"To destroy the FBI from the inside. He's been using corrupt officers to traffic children across the country. Rebecca found his network and tried to stop him."
Emma's hands shook as she worked on the ropes. "So Vincent killed Rebecca because she was going to expose him?"
"Yes. But that's not the worst part." Ryan's eyes were filled with pain. "Emma, Vincent didn't just kill Rebecca randomly. He killed her because she looks like you."
Emma stopped untying the ropes. "What do you mean?"
"Vincent has been hunting you for five years. Ever since the night you watched Judge Morrison's murder. Rebecca was going to be you."
Emma's world spun. "Vincent killed my cousin by mistake?"
"He thought he was killing you," Ryan confirmed. "But when he realized his mistake, he decided to use Rebecca's death to draw you out of hiding."
Emma felt sick. Rebecca had died because Emma lived. Because Emma had saved a stranger on a bridge five years ago.
"I should have let you jump," Emma whispered. "If I'd let you kill yourself that night, Rebecca would still be alive."
"Don't say that," Ryan said angrily. "You saved my life, Emma. You gave me a reason to live. Everything I've done since then has been to make myself worthy of your kindness."
"Even lying to me? Even trying to love me?"
Ryan's eyes filled with tears. "I wasn't acting. I fell in love with you the night you saved me. Every day since then, I've been trying to find you again. When the FBI gave me this task, I thought it was fate."
Emma finally got the ropes free. Ryan rubbed his wrists, trying to get feeling back in his hands.
"We have to go," he said, standing up. "Vincent's men will be back soon."
But as they turned to leave, slow cheering echoed through the tunnel.
"Beautiful," Vincent's voice came from the darkness. "Absolutely beautiful. Young love conquering all."
Vincent stepped into the light, and Emma gasped. He wasn't alone. Three men with guns stood behind him.
"You knew we were here the whole time," Emma realized.
"Of course I knew. I wanted Ryan to explain everything to you. I wanted you to understand exactly why you're both going to die tonight."
"What do you want?" Ryan ordered, moving protectively in front of Emma.
"Justice," Vincent said simply. "Five years ago, you killed my partner, Judge Morrison. Tonight, I kill you and the woman who made you into a killer."
"Morrison was trafficking children!" Ryan shouted. "He deserved to die!"
"Morrison was making me rich," Vincent responded. "And you took that away from me. But tonight, I take everything away from you."
Vincent raised his gun, pointing it at Emma's head. "Say goodbye to your precious Emma, Agent Webb."
That's when Emma heard footsteps running down the stairs behind them.
"FBI! Drop your guns!"
Detective Chen emerged at the bottom of the stairs, her gun drawn. But Emma's happiness turned to confusion when she saw who was with Sarah.
Agent Thompson, Ryan's FBI boss, was pointing his gun at Sarah's back.
"Lower your weapon, Detective," Thompson directed. "This is FBI business now."
Emma's heart sank. Thompson was working with Vincent. The corruption went all the way to the top of the FBI.
"Thompson?" Ryan stared at his boss in shock. "You're working for Vincent?"
"I'm working for myself," Thompson responded. "Vincent pays better than the Bureau."
"How long?" Ryan asked, his voice broken.
"Since the beginning. Who do you think told Vincent that Emma watched Morrison's murder? Who do you think planned for you to get this assignment?"
Emma felt like she couldn't breathe. Everything had been planned. Ryan's task, their meeting, their relationship - it was all part of Vincent's revenge.
"So what now?" Emma asked. "You kill us all and walk away?"
Vincent smiled. "Not quite. You see, Emma, there's something else you watched that night on the bridge. Something your wounded mind blocked out."
Emma's head started hurting. Flashes of memory tried to break through.
"You didn't just see Marcus kill Judge Morrison," Vincent added. "You saw who was with Marcus that night. You saw his partner."
"I don't remember any partner," Emma whispered.
"Look around this room, Emma. Look at everyone here. Your mind is trying to tell you something."
Emma looked at Ryan, at Detective Chen, at Agent Thompson, at Vincent's guys. Something was familiar about one of them, but she couldn't place what.
"The man who helped Marcus kill Judge Morrison is standing in this room right now," Vincent said. "And when your memory comes back, you'll understand why you had to die."
Emma's head burst with sudden, painful memories. The night on the bridge. Marcus with the gun. Judge Morrison begging for his life.
And standing next to Marcus, holding a second gun, was...
"No," Emma gasped, looking at Detective Chen. "It can't be."
Sarah's face went white. "Emma, I can explain—"
"You were there," Emma whispered. "You helped Marcus kill Judge Morrison. You're his partner."
The truth hit Emma like a truck. Detective Sarah Chen wasn't trying to save her.
Sarah was Vincent's real goal all along.
And Emma was the only person who could prove it.