Chapter 19: Trap

Bzzzt.

Jayden’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and let out a low, victorious laugh.

He’s on his way.

Jayden stood up, looking down at Chloe with unadulterated malice. "The message was delivered. Your boyfriend is walking right into the trap."

Chloe’s heart lurched against her ribs, but she forced her voice to remain steady. "When he gets here, Jayden, you’re finished."

"No," Jayden smiled, sliding his phone away as he prepared for the final phase of his twisted plan. "When he gets here of which he can’t , I’m going to kill you in front of him. And then, I’m going to make sure the entire academy believes he did it."

The coordinates led Morales and Sophia deep into the desolate industrial fringe of Sector 4. Looming before them against the artificial night sky was a hulking, industrial behemoth known as the Sector 4 Automated Bio-Containment Archive (Facility 704).

A massive, reinforced structure notorious across the country for its automatic, hard-lockdown security protocols designed to seal off entire zones the moment an unauthorized alert was triggered and unfortunately its in the fake city.

Morales stopped at the perimeter fence, his sharp eyes scanning the rusted, heavy-duty doors of the facility. He turned to Sophia, his expression grim.

"Stay right here," Morales commanded, his electric blue eyes locking onto hers with a piercing, badass death glare so intense it instantly froze her in her tracks, making her swallow hard and nod mutely.

Without waiting, Morales slipped through a gap in the security gate, stepped into the gloomy interior of the facility, and began to search.

"Chloe!" he called out, his voice echoing off the damp concrete walls.

"Chloe!"

He pressed deeper into the cavernous, unlit rooms, his boots crunching on the dusty floor. As he searched empty corridors with no sign of a struggle or a captive, a sudden realization hit him.

She isn’t here, he gritted hard trying to break his teeth, he was more pissed at Jeremy for what he was getting at than the kidnap.

It was a setup from the start. A ghost trail designed to pull him away while he was blind with urgency.

Riiiiing.

Morales pulled out his phone. He answered sharply, and Jayden’s smug, arrogant voice hissed through the speaker.

"Enjoying the view, Brown? Consider this the end of the road for your little exam run. Good luck surviving the night."

The line went dead with a click.

"You arrogant prick," Morales cursed aloud, his fist tightening around the phone until the casing creaked.

Before he could turn back toward the entrance, rapid footsteps echoed behind him. He spun around just as Sophia sprinted through the doorway, breathless and wide-eyed.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Morales demanded, his voice sharp.

"I.....I was scared!" Sophia stammered, tears shimmering in her blue eyes as she clutched her arms. "I couldn’t just stay out there alone in the dark..."

"Shit, you never listen," Morales muttered, rubbing his temple. "We have to leave, right now...."

Before he could finish the sentence, the entire facility came violently to life.

WHO-WHO-WHO-WHO!

Blinding emergency floodlights flashed on overhead, washing the concrete interior in a harsh, crimson glare. From hidden ceiling speakers, a cold, automated robotic voice boomed across every room.

[WARNING: UNAUTHORIZED PERIMETER BREACH DETECTED. INITIATING AUTOMATIC FACILITY LOCKDOWN PROTOCOL IN FIVE SECONDS... FOUR... THREE...]

Morales’ eyes widened in absolute shock. Sophia gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as the heavy steel blast doors at the main entrance slammed shut with a thunderous, earth-shaking crash, followed by the heavy thud of digital locking pins sliding into place.

[LOCKDOWN ENGAGED. ALL EXITS SEALED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.]

"Shit... we’re trapped," Morales breathed, staring at the impenetrable steel barrier.

Sophia broke down completely, tears spilling over her cheeks as she grabbed his jacket. "I’m sorry! I should’ve listened to you! I’m so sorry, Morales, we’re going to be locked in here forever!"

Morales softened his expression. He pulled her close against his chest, gently patting her trembling back. "Stop crying. Even if Jayden managed to manipulate the property’s security system, I can fix it."

Sniffling, Sophia looked up at him through her tears, her heart racing. "How? How are you going to open a locked facility system?"

Morales leaned down, pressing a firm, reassuring kiss directly onto her lips to quiet her panic. When he pulled back, a dark, confident smirk played at the corners of his mouth.

"I have skills," he replied smoothly.

Sophia blinked, her tear-stained face tilting in confusion. "Just like how you hacked those guys’ credit cards and stole their money?"

Morales chuckled quietly, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "Well... I haven’t actually hacked the cards yet. But yes, exactly like that."

Jayden stepped up to the chair, grabbed the heavy adhesive tape sealing Chloe’s mouth, and ripped it off with a brutal, violent jerk.

"Agh!" Chloe winced, a sharp tear of pain springing to her eyes as her red, raw lips stung. She glared up at him, her eyes burning with pure hatred.

"Why are you doing this, Jayden?! Why the fuck are you acting so psychotic?! And who is ’her’ that you are taking about."

Jayden’s face contorted into an ugly, unhinged sneer. "Layla fucking dumped me!" he roared, pointing a trembling finger at the wall. "I caught her constantly staring at Morales, that pathetic, broke bastard! How could she choose him over me after everything I’ve done for her family?!"

He took a ragged breath, turning his dark, malicious gaze back down to Chloe. "Well... that’s not your concern anymore. Where should I start with you, now that Morales isn’t coming?"

Chloe’s heart sank, but she narrowed her eyes. "What... what do you mean he’s not coming?!"

"You heard me, sweetheart," Jayden chuckled darkly, tossing a remote onto a nearby crate. "He’s not coming. I baited him straight into an automated containment facility and initiated a complete lockdown. He’s sealed inside."

"You deranged, pathetic fool!" Chloe spat, pulling desperately against her plastic wrist ties.

"Why are you being such a defensive bitch for him?!" Jayden snapped, leaning down until his toxic breath hit her face. "He wasn’t even alone! He walked right into that building with another woman by his side!"

Chloe froze, her breath catching in her throat. "What...? He... he was with another woman?"

"Yes!" Jayden laughed mockingly, thoroughly enjoying the shock in her eyes. "Maybe while they’re trapped in that lockdown together, they’ll fuck like they own each other, leaving you tied to a chair with me. And honestly? I think I’ll take my sweet time fucking you senseless right here."

Chloe leaned forward and spat blood and saliva directly into Jayden’s face.

"Never, you fucking psychopathic bastard!"