𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒, 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴

𝐱𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐱. P4L

"I'm trying to get us out of here," Red replied, stepping away from the window and making her way to the large white door she hoped the guard would soon step through. "We only have a day to figure this whole thing out."

"Bee, what are you going to do?" Rafe questioned, not having the slightest idea what Red was planning.

"It's sort of a work in progress," Red responded, soon interrupted by the door opening and the guard appearing in front of her.

"What do you want?" The guard asked in his native accent.

"I need to talk to Mr. Singh, it's urgent," Red replied. Rafe shot her a confused look. The guard opened the door wider and grabbed her by the arm. Red looked back at Rafe and gave him an assuring smile. "Trust me, I got this."

With that, The guard shut the door behind the two and walked Red down the stairs and into the dining room, stopping at the doorway for Mr. Singh's nod to let her in.

"Ah, Miss Shoupe, I was expecting to see you, y'know." Mr. Singh spoke. "You can let her go." the guard let go of Red's arm, freeing her to take a seat beside Mr. Singh. "Hungry?"

"No, thanks," Red responded, giving Carlos a sincere look. "Look, I lied. I know about the journal, but I need you to cut me some slack, I don't know a lot, it wasn't really my expertise."

"I was hoping you'd say that, Red." Carlos smiled, leaning forward in his chair and grabbing a strawberry from the antique dish of snacks placed between the two. "It's so much better of you to cooperate. Y'know, You're a smart girl. Valedictorian for the past three years, that's impressive."

"Yeah, everyone seems to think the same."

"So, Miss Shoupe, what do you know about the diary?"

Red took a breath, preparing to be shot down already. "I don't have it on me, obviously. To be honest, I don't even know what Pope's done with it. But they won't give it to you no matter what you threaten them with, but they'll give it to me. The thing is, I need to go alone. They'll see straight through the lie if I don't."

Carlos chuckled coldly, obviously not going to let her go by myself. "I am a lot of things, y'know. I'm a rich and successful man, but a fool I am not."

"Mr. Singh, I get that you don't believe me, that's reasonable, but I promise you I can get the diary."

Just as Carlos was about to reply, a ding on his phone interrupted the two of them. Mr. Singh picked up the phone, smiling at the message on the screen. He handed her the phone. "Look, it's a message from our good friend, Jimmy Portis. From the dead apparently."

Red's heart stopped pounding when she opened the message. On the screen was a picture of John B and Sarah, pretending to be captured in a message from the late Jimmy Portis saying 'I got these two'

"Mr. Singh..." Red's voice cracked as she spoke, handing him back the phone. Mr. Singh didn't respond, but instead signaled the guard to escort her out. "Mr. Singh please just don't touch them! Please don't hurt them." She cried, being carried up the stairs by two guards that threw her back into the room.

Red sat on the edge of the bed, laying her head in her hands silently, fighting the tears that threatened to spill. And she didn't need Rafe Cameron of all people comforting her again.