The warehouse smelled like wet concrete and rust, the kind of smell that gets into your lungs and refuses to leave. I crouched behind a stack of crates, listening. Footsteps echoed, distant voices murmured, and every shadow seemed alive. My heart pounded, adrenaline flooding my veins.
I had no idea what I'd find inside. Ben could be anywhere. Worse, whoever had him could be armed. Or dangerous. Or both. I checked the flashlight in my hand, made sure the batteries weren't dead — couldn't risk being caught in the dark.
Then I saw her — a movement in the corner. Ella Gray. She wasn't supposed to be here. My chest tightened. "Ella?" I whispered.
She froze, then glanced over her shoulder. "Jamie? What the hell are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same," I muttered, trying to keep calm. "We need to find Ben."
Her eyes narrowed. "You're reckless. You don't know what you're getting into."
I shrugged. "Neither do you. But we don't have a choice."
She studied me for a long moment, then nodded. "Fine. But follow my lead. Don't touch anything unless I say so."
Together, we crept inside. The warehouse was huge, empty in parts, stacked with crates and abandoned machinery. Shadows stretched across the walls, twisted by our flashlights. Every corner felt like it could hide someone ready to jump out.
"Did you see anything?" I whispered.
Ella shook her head. "Not yet. But there's someone here. I can feel it."
We moved cautiously, checking every dark corner. That's when I noticed it — a door slightly ajar, light seeping out in a thin line. The voices were louder now, arguing.
"Stay here," Ella said, but I wasn't about to let her go alone.
Inside, the room was small, stacked with boxes. And there he was. Ben. Tied to a chair, bruised but conscious. Relief flooded me, but it was short-lived — there was someone else in the room, a tall bloke with a hoodie, face shadowed.
He noticed us immediately. "Oi! What are you doing here?"
Ella and I froze. My mind raced. We were outnumbered, outmatched. But we had one thing they didn't — the determination to save our friend.
I swallowed. "We're taking him out," I said quietly, more to myself than anyone else.
Ella smirked, even in the tension. "Finally, some backbone."
The bloke advanced. I clenched my fists, ready for a fight. The warehouse was our battlefield now, and only one side would walk out.
Somewhere, in the shadows, I felt the thrill and fear mix — this was Eastbridge. This was real. And nothing would be the same again.