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Voices in the Dark

last update Last Updated: 2025-07-02 22:58:07

(Andrew Dole’s POV)

The cloth came down hard over my face.

Oil. Sweat. Something chemical. The stench hit me first, sharp and acrid, burning my nose. A rough hand gripped the back of my head, forcing it down. Another pair of arms shoved me forward. My feet dragged, soles scraping against tile, then thudded against metal.

A van door slammed shut behind us.

Mr. Chang’s voice came through the dark: “Where are you taking us?!”

A fist silenced him. I heard it land—wet, thick, and final. Then a low whimper. His, maybe. Or mine. Hard to say.

The engine rumbled to life.

And then the ride began.

I tried to map it in my head. Left. Right. Long stretch. A sudden swerve. A bump. Another turn. But my brain was still echoing from the rifle blow, thoughts spinning loose.

The van reeked of blood and rust. Some of it was mine.

A voice from the front: “Still breathing?”

Another replied, lower, colder. “They better be. We can’t lose them… not before we’ve finished the job.”

The hood came off. And then a
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