"Put the phone down."
I didn't.
"Put it down," he said again.
I looked l at him. "No."
"Vanessa"
"Don't." I tightened my grip on the phone. "Don't just start saying my name like we're on the same side. Someone just sent me that and you want me to act normal?"
"That message was not meant for you."
I let out a chuckle . "Yeah? But, it got to me, didn't it?"
No one said anything.
I looked at the screen. The words were still there.
Wrong girl.
Fix it.
Or she dies.
It doesn't feel real.
"Who is she?" I asked.
Silence.
I looked up again. "Seriously. Who is she?"
The woman did not rush to answer. She just stood there, watching me like she was trying to figure out how much I mattered.
"This isn't something you need to worry about," she said.
. "Are you okay?"
She didn't react.
"No, seriously," I continued. "Because someone might die and your response is 'don't worry about it'? What is wrong with you?"
Her expression didn't change. "Panicking won't help you know right?."
"I am not panicking," I snapped. "I'm asking a simple question."
"You're asking the wrong question ."
"Then give me the right one."
She didn't.
Of course she didn't.
I turned to him. "Are you going to say something or are you just going to stand there?"
He looked like he was thinking about something. That annoyed me more.
"They were expecting someone else," he said finally.
"I know," I said. "I'm the wrong girl. You've all made that very clear."
"Yes."
"Okay. So where is the right one?"
No answer.
I stared at him. "You people really love not answering questions."
"But it's not that simple."
"It could be," I said. "You just don't want it to ."
I dragged my fingers through my hair, trying to think. My head still felt light, like I hadn't fully woken up yet.
"So let me get this straight," I said. "I go out, I get drunk , I wake up here, and now someone's life depends on… what? Me?"
No one said yes.
But no one said no either.
That was enough.
"That's insane," I said.
"You're now involved ," the woman said.
"I don't care," I said back. "I didn't sign up for anything."
"That doesn't matter."
"It matters to me."
She just looked at me.
I took a deep breath "You know what? I'm leaving."
I turned toward the door again.
The two men were still there.
Exactly where they were before.
Like they hadn't moved at all.
I walked up to them this time without stopping.
"Move," I said.
Nothing.
"Move," I repeated.
One of them looked at me properly now. Not just a glance really looked.
Then he smiled.
I hated that immediately.
"Step back inside," he said.
"No."
I stood my ground.
For a while , nobody moved.
Then he did.
Fast.
His hand came up not hitting me, but close enough that I felt the air.
I flinched.
I hated that too.
"Don't do that again," he said quietly.
My heart was beating too fast now.
Behind me, I heard him move.
"Enough."
That was all he said.
The man in front of me paused, then dropped his hand.
I didn't turn around. I didn't want to look like I needed help.
"Get back inside," he said to me.
I stayed where I was for a second longer.
Then I stepped back.
Not because I wanted to.
Because I wasn't stupid.
The door shut again.
I stood there for a moment, then turned around slowly.
"This is crazy," I said. "You know that, right?"
No one argued.
"That's your argument?" I asked. "Silence?"
"You're not leaving right now," he said.
"I got that part."
"For your own good."
I gave him a look. "You don't even believe that."
He didn't respond.
Exactly.
My phone buzzed again.
I didn't want to check it this time.
But I did.
A picture loaded.
Dark. Grainy.
I frowned, bringing it closer.
Then I saw it properly.
A girl.
Tied to a chair.
My stomach dropped.
"Who is that?" I asked.
No answer.
I looked up. "Who is that?"
He looked at the screen, then away.
That told me enough.
"That's her, isn't it?" I said.
Still nothing.
"Oh my God," I muttered.
Another message came in.
One hour.
I swallowed. "One hour for what?"
No one answered.
"Say something," I snapped.
The woman finally spoke. "They want this fixed."
"What does that mean?"
"It means the situation needs to be corrected."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you're getting right now."
I stared at her. "You're actually unbelievable."
She didn't react.
Of course she didn't.
I looked back at the picture. The girl wasn't moving. I couldn't even tell if she was awake.
"This is real," I said quietly.
No one corrected me.
Another message came in.
I opened it immediately this time.
Bring her.
I frowned. "Bring who?"
Silence.
I looked up slowly.
At both of them.
And the way they were looking at me
That was enough.
"No," I said immediately.
No one argued.
That made it worse.
"No," I said again . "No, I'm not doing that. I don't even know what this is."
"You don't need to," he said.
"Yes, I do," I said sharply. "You're talking about handing me over to whoever sent that."
"No one said that."
"You didn't have to."
My chest felt tight again.
"There has to be another way," I said.
"We're working on it," the woman answered .
"Work faster."
Another buzz.
I looked down.
I let out a sigh . "I'm not doing this."
No one responded.
"I said I'm not doing this."
Still nothing.
That silence again.
That same silence that felt like a decision had already been made somewhere I wasn't included.
I looked between them.
"You're actually considering it," I said.
No one denied it.
That was it.
That was the moment it really dawned on me
This wasn't just a situation anymore.
It was not something I could just walk out of.
They were serious.
Another buzz.
I didn't want to look.
But I did .
We can see you.
My heart raced.
I looked up immediately, looking through the room without thinking.
Walls. Window. Nothing obvious.
But that doesn't help.
Because now I can't shake the feeling anymore
That someone, somewhere…
Really was watching