CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

RICHARD'S POV

A prickling sensation crept up my spine, like the eerie feeling of being watched. Instinctively, I glanced around, my senses on high alert. There was something off about the atmosphere, a tension hanging in the air like a thick fog. As I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle with unease, I knew I had to act fast. Jenny needed to know where I was. At least someone who cared about me, needed to know. Whatever was happening, I needed backup, and fast.

My hand automatically went to my pocket, where my phone rested. Without hesitation, I tapped out a quick message to Jenny, my fingers flying over the screen as I relayed my location and the urgent need for security. I knew I needed extra set of eyes, maybe a way out, but time was a luxury I no longer had. Before she could reply, the Line went dead, swallowed by a sudden, ominous silence that enveloped me.

No sooner had I slipped the phone back into my pocket than four hulking figures emerged from their hiding spots. E