Chapter 71: Abandoned
Arin and the buffed guy walked briskly to a black limousine parked just around the corner. Without wasting time, the man opened the back door and gently tossed Ruel’s unconscious body into the back seat. He then moved to the front and opened the passenger door for Arin. She slid in calmly, seating herself next to the driver’s seat with a composed expression. After ensuring she was settled, the man sat in the driver’s position and started the engine.
As the car rolled forward through the road, Arin glanced up at the rearview mirror. The reflection showed Ruel’s unconscious body sprawled on the back seat, his head slightly tilted and hair ruffled from the struggle. She adjusted her gaze and asked with a touch of concern in her voice, "Do you think Ruel would not find out about your disguise? Since you were fighting him directly, there is a chance he might have seen your wig shift or something suspicious."
The buffed guy kept his eyes on the road and shook his head with certainty. "I made sure to keep my movements minimal during the fight. I didn’t do anything that would cause the disguise to falter. He would not have noticed anything strange."
Arin did not immediately respond. Her eyes flickered back to the mirror, where Ruel remained unconscious and motionless. After a brief silence, she asked, "How long will he stay unconscious?" Her voice was low but steady, as if she was calculating something in her head.
The man responded with practiced confidence, "He will be out for at least ten to fifteen minutes, maybe a little longer if his system is more sensitive." They did not speak further after that, letting the hum of the engine fill the silence. Approximately seven minutes later, the limousine came to a halt outside an abandoned building. The location was remote and surrounded by silence, a forgotten place tucked far from where people typically passed by.
Without saying anything, the man stepped out and walked around the car. He opened the back door, then carefully picked up Ruel’s body and threw him over his shoulder. With practiced ease, he carried him into the building, climbing five flights of stairs without pausing. On reaching the top floor, he gently lowered Ruel onto the dusty floor. Before leaving, he blindfolded Ruel tightly, making sure it was secure. The man then turned and made his way back down, exiting the building. Arin was already waiting in the car, watching silently. They drove off moments later.
About five minutes after they left, Ruel began to stir. His fingers twitched first, then his brows furrowed as he realized something was off. He reached up instinctively and felt cloth over his eyes. His hands, thankfully, were not tied. He grabbed the blindfold and yanked it off roughly. The sudden influx of dim light caused him to squint. As his vision adjusted, he immediately jumped to his feet, getting into a defensive stance with his arms up and eyes darting around the large, vacant room.
There was no one. No noise. Just the distant creaks of old metal. Ruel slowly relaxed his stance but remained cautious. The place looked like an unfinished construction site, with rusted beams and broken tiles scattered across the floor. Dust floated lazily in the air, disturbed only by his movements. He scanned every corner, alert for any signs of movement. After confirming he was alone, he made his way down the stairwell, still on high alert. Each floor echoed with his steps, but nothing else moved. Once outside, he found himself on an unfamiliar street, desolate and eerily quiet.
He instinctively reached into his pocket to pull out his phone, hoping to contact someone or at least use the GPS. But his heart sank the moment he pulled out the device. It was broken in two, snapped clean at the hinge, as if crushed deliberately. His grip tightened, and in a fit of anger, he hurled the shattered pieces onto the ground with a growl. His breath grew heavier, and he quickly searched his pockets. His wallet was gone too. Whoever had taken him had cleaned him out.