CHAPTER 266: TENSION IN STEEL WALLS

Abby sat curled up in the corner of the cold shipping container, her back pressed against the wall and her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. The thin mattress beneath her, while rough and stiff, at least wasn’t dirty. For some reason, that felt like a small mercy.

But no amount of relative comfort could settle her mind. Her thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind, spinning, crashing into one another, no clear path, no answers, only fear and confusion.

Max... are you dealing with dangerous people again? she thought, staring blankly at the metal floor in front of her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks before she even realized she was crying again. With a trembling hand, she wiped them away with her sleeve, trying to pull herself together. But even as she did, her mind drifted to something else, something that began to piece things together.

It had been over an hour since she was thrown into this container, and in that time, the terrifying truth had become clearer.

I’m being used... used as leverage to get to Max.

The thought hit hard. Her stomach turned.

Is this why he started acting so distant? Is this why he told me we couldn’t be together? she wondered. Was it a lie to protect me? Was he afraid something like this would happen if I got too close?

Her heart clenched with guilt and helplessness. If there was a group powerful and bold enough to kidnap her in her own home, how far would they be willing to go?

What about Jay? she suddenly thought. The hit and run... what if that wasn’t an accident? What if it was because she was involved with Max too?

Abby’s chest felt tight. She couldn’t breathe properly.

It’s no wonder he pushed me away...

A single thought echoed louder than the rest.

This is my fault.

I didn’t listen. I kept pushing. I wanted to be with him even when he warned me not to. And now look where I am... and worse, Max is going to get dragged into this all over again because of me.

Time moved slowly, painfully. With nothing to distract her, no sound but the occasional footsteps beyond the metal walls, Abby was left alone, drowning in her thoughts.

Eventually, she lifted her head and noticed movement outside the small grated vents in the container’s door. A few figures passed by, four men dressed in military uniforms. She didn’t recognize their faces, but she noticed something that made her skin crawl.

They walked past her container at least four times, each time slowing just enough to peer in at her through the small window.

And unlike the look Na had given her earlier, cold, calculating, but controlled, these glances made her blood run cold.

Their stares weren’t curious. They were invasive, hungry. The kind that made her feel exposed despite being clothed. Vulnerable despite the guards posted outside.

Eventually, the group stopped walking. They gathered near the container, right in front of the two guards stationed at her door.

"Hey," one of the men said with a smug grin. "It’s been a while since we’ve had a prisoner."

He leaned in closer, his voice low but not low enough to miss.

"You mind letting us in for a bit? Just a quick one..."

Abby’s heart dropped.

Her fingers curled tightly into the mattress, nails digging into the fabric as panic surged through her veins.

The air inside the container suddenly felt suffocating.

"It won’t be long, and she won’t give us any trouble... right?"

The words hung in the air, thick and heavy. The four men grinned, their eyes gleaming with something dark. Abby couldn’t fully understand what they meant, but deep down, she feared she already knew.

The two guards stationed outside the container turned and looked over their shoulders. But they didn’t speak. They didn’t move to stop them.

Why would they? Abby wasn’t one of them. She wasn’t in the gang. She wasn’t family. To them, she was just a problem dumped into a box.

Slowly, the guards stepped aside.

The door opened, and the four men entered the container like wolves closing in on cornered prey.

"No... No!" Abby shouted, her voice cracking as she scrambled backward. Her hands pushed against the floor, trying to put space between her and them, until her back slammed against the cold steel wall.

"NOOO!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing violently in the cramped space. It was a raw, piercing sound, desperate and terrified.

"Damn, that noisy little b*tch!" one of the men growled, sneering. "But hey, makes it more exciting."

He licked his lips, eyes never leaving her. The others moved to block the door, making sure no one could see what was happening inside.

Abby’s entire body trembled. Her fists were clenched tight at her sides, knuckles white. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.

But then,

"What do you think you’re doing?"

The voice cut through the tension like a blade.

Every man in the room froze.

That voice, they knew it well. Slowly, they turned around.

There, standing in the open doorway, was Chrono.

Their leader.

"Did I say you could act as you pleased with her?" Chrono asked coldly, his expression unreadable.

One of the men, braver, or more foolish, than the rest, stepped forward. "But... we were just trying to help. We brought her here to teach Max a lesson, right? Well, this’ll teach him. If he finds out what we did, he’ll be too traumatized to step out of line again."

Chrono’s gaze sharpened. "Push a man to the edge... and you might just create someone dangerous."

The room went silent.

"Not everyone reacts the way you expect," he continued. "I want Max to understand what we’re capable of, not to turn him into an enemy. There’s a difference."

He took one slow step forward, his presence filling the space.

"Now," he said, his voice low and threatening, "are you going to continue to disagree with me?"

The four men exchanged glances. One clicked his tongue in irritation, but none of them said a word. One by one, they turned and filed out of the container, returning to their posts like nothing had happened.

But something had happened.

Abby’s heart was pounding so hard she could feel it in her ears. Her body was still trembling, still frozen from fear. But the worst had been avoided. For now, at least, they had listened to Chrono.

Time passed.

Outside, members of the Rejected Corps continued their work, moving cargo, checking weapons, maintaining vehicles. The steady rhythm of the operation resumed, as if the last ten minutes hadn’t happened at all.

But inside the container, the atmosphere was still suffocating.

Elsewhere in the compound, Na made his way toward Chrono, who was standing near a communication panel, frustration clearly etched on his face.

"Did you manage to get in contact with him?" Na asked.

Chrono didn’t look away from the screen. "No," he said sharply. "Not getting through, not even a little. I don’t know if he’s avoiding me or if something’s wrong. I’ve tried multiple numbers. All dead ends."

Na nodded solemnly. "There are two things I wanted to talk to you about," he said, lowering his voice slightly. "Things I noticed during the job."

Chrono finally turned to face him.

"First," Na continued, "while we were at the girl’s place... I noticed something. She wasn’t alone."

Chrono narrowed his eyes.

"She had guards. And not just anyone, they were professionals."