His eyes, my nightmare

RN

lf-shouting as she jogged back toward the house, her sneakers lightly thudding agains

ercover against powerful international crime syndicates. Though he kept a low profile af

n eyebrow.

like... a thousand grasshoppers out there. It's

to catch her as she ran into him. "Guess I'll ha

head against his chest for a

ormer investigative journalist, known for exposing corrupt politicians and

Elena Vasquez, the well-known, wealthy

her heel and heading toward the dining

le, sat a cake - white frosting, gold

irthday

..." she whispered before

and wrapped her arms arou

er hair. "You're welcom

a pout. "Dad. I'm ninete

resh fruit and coffee, shaking he

t box that was wrapped in sat

Milena said ta

ee for yoursel

quealed, twirling around as Elena

Pedro said and t

nto her room and returned in a croppe

g out!" she

eyebrow but sm

un baby." Her mom winked wh

fore walking out the door, her heart light,

**

smile still lingering from the compliments she got at the

r was w

d. A kicked-in

lipped fro

voice wav

espo

were still on, the hallway cold and quiet - too qui

it: a loud, gut-

legs moving as if they had a mind of their own. She threw the door open, her b

ollen with fear. Standing before them was a tall man in

rs, moved in quickly, their hands grabbing her from behind and forcing

rms pinning her. One of the boys slapped

s words were cut off as one of the boys punched him across the face

d. "Please! Take us! Leave her!"but the masked m

d man did

e gun. Aimed it at Elena, and before anyone could react, the shot rang out, louder

t. She broke free from the boys who held her, stumbling toward h

eckage of the room collided with her head. The world spu

e of her." The masked man's

ir, tried to reach for his daughter, but the masked man didn't hesi

ed, her voice hoarse,

d, his life extingu

dragged out of the room, and she tried to fight, but it was no use. The

t was spilling gas all around the house. The masked man lit

eyes away as the flames consumed

The masked man said, h

and the fire, and her last conscious though