The Accountant

Chapter 27

When Selena regained consciousness, she was lying on a hard and cold floor. She was sure her eyes were open, but she couldn't see anything. She started to panic. Had she gone blind? Slowly, she willed her eyes to focus on something, trying to really look at her surroundings. Finally, she can make out what seems to be fog around her - dark, thick fogs. She tried to stand but her legs felt weak. She fell to the floor again. Where was she? Where was Hunter? Where are everybody? She outstretched her hand and tried to feel her surrpundings. Nothing. She tried to crawl, hoping to bump or touch something, anything. Still nothing. She wanted to cry. She felt alone.

She closed her eyes, she tried to calm down and think about her situation. Memories started to flood her mind. She remembered going to Mermaid Lake to meet Lizzy. She remembered almost hitting Hans' car. Hans had kidnapped her. He then took her to the edge of the jetty, saying that was where they're going to meet Hunter. Grief and panic washed over her when she saw Hunter coming down towards the jetty, alone.

Hans and Josef had planned to make her a hostage. They knew Hunter would hesitate to fight Hans back, knowing that Josef was pointing a gun at her head. Hans had talked about beating Hunter to a pulp while she watched.

When Hunter arrived, she wanted to scream to tell him to go away, but Josef prevented her from even standing up. She couldn't hear what Hans and Hunter talked about. They were at the lakeshore while she and Josef were at the farthest end of the jetty, but she saw Hans suddenly lunged at Hunter. She cringed when she thought Hans had hit him. The two of them fought, but Hunter easily overpowered Hans.

Seeing that Hans was down, Josef took his gun away from Selena and aimed at Hunter, who was on his knees, continuously hitting Hans. He didn't have any idea that Josef was about to shoot him. Selena feared for Hunter's life. Without thinking, she stood up and threw herself at Josef, her right shoulder first, using all her weight. Josef staggered but had fired a shot, thankfully he missed Hunter. Selena's hands were tied behind her back, her feet were tied together as well, and she had no way of balancing herself up again. She had hit Josef with her body, but aside from making him stagger a little, Selena's tiny frame was no match for Josef's big build. Her body bounced and she helplessly fell to the water.

As Selena was falling, all she thought of was how thankful she was that Josef hadn't hit Hunter. At least she had bought Hunter some time. She just hoped that no matter what happened to her, Hunter would survive. Now that Hans and Josef didn't have her as leverage against him, Hunter would have a better fighting chance against the two.

When she fell in the cold water of the lake, she only had a few seconds to hold her breath. Looking at the surface of the water above, she saw the light from the sun that seemed to dance as it hit the water. Dying in order to save the one you love was the better way to go, than losing your life in the hands of someone who might take away the life of your loved one. Hunter's face was Selena's last vision before blackness took over.

'Am I dead?' Selena thought to herself. The fog was too thick she can't even see her own hands and body. She tried to stand again. She managed to walk a little before her knees started to wobble.

"Anybody here? Hello?" Selena shouted, hoping someone would hear her. Silence. There wasn't even an echo of her voice.

Suddenly, she heard a faint cry, so faint and vague that she couldn't be sure if it was an animal or human sound. Was she just imagining it? She stopped and listened intently. There, she heard it again. A baby? A crying baby? Selena couldn't be sure. She wanted to follow the sound's direction, but it was too faint, she wasn't sure what direction it was coming from.

"Selena..." A woman's voice called her. The voice was cool and deep, like it came from a cave.

"Hello? I'm here! Who are you? Please help me! I can't see anything." Selena called out to the woman.