AUTHOR'S POV

The tension was thick. The question from Rayleigh was unanswered. Silence was never louder than this for Elaine.

"Answer!" She shouted. The kidnapper flinched, shook his head.

"You know you are answering us with your silence, right?" Rayleigh used the tactical route to gain the upper hand in the situation. The kidnapper shook his head again, swiftly bringing the duffel with Jean inside closer to the gun.

Elaine knew her actions would only prompt this man to press the trigger. No one wanted that to happen. With stakes so high, anger clouding all her functioning, Elaine had to depend on Rayleigh. Only for a brief moment.

But her...