I’m Going Myself

The news hit like a physical blow: my little brother, barely a freshman in college, had been sold to a cartel-run scam compound by his girlfriend for ten thousand dollars. The shock sent my parents into a dead faint.
By the time I rushed home from my surgical residency, my mother was staring at her phone, a horrific video playing on the screen. It was my brother, Leo. Only nineteen, and he was beaten black and blue, his body a canvas of bruises. He was already deaf.
His girlfriend, Rina, clutched at my sleeve, her face streaked with tears as she pleaded with me.
Ava, what are we going to do? she sobbed. They want fifty thousand dollars to let him go! You have to save him, please!
I scoffed, shoving her hand away with disgust. My brother has been hitting our parents up for cash ever since he met you. This is just another one of your scams to milk us for money, isnt it?
I leveled a cold gaze at her. Ill get the money. But Im going myself.
1
Rina crumpled to the floor, her sobs echoing through the room. Ava, hes really been taken! You have to save him! You cant just walk into a place like that!
I ignored her, helping my parents, who were still pale and trembling, to the couch.
Like I said, Ill bring the money, I repeated, my voice flat. But I have to see him with my own eyes.
It was the only way to ensure they wouldnt torture him to death. They wanted money, after all. Keeping him alive was their only leverage.
Rinas eyes darted around for a moment before she feigned resignation. Okay then Ill take you. But you have to promise youll get Leo out!
A cold, bitter laugh rose in my throat.
Oh, Ill get him out. And Ill make sure you go in.
I withdrew fifty thousand dollars in cash from the bank, packing it into a hard-shell briefcase as Rina watched my every move. She thought she was hiding her triumphant smirk, but I saw it clear as day.
Go ahead and smile, I thought. Smile while you still can.
The moment our plane touched down in the lawless border region, Rinas patience evaporated. She shot me dirty looks, her frustration palpable. She had wanted to book a direct flight, but Id insisted we follow the exact travel itinerary she and Leo had taken on their vacation, claiming it might reveal clues.
In reality, I just wanted to watch her squirm.
Throughout the journey, her eyes were glued to the briefcase, practically burning a hole through the metal. I could tell she was itching to knock me out and run with the cash. But she didnt dare. She needed to deliver me to the compound first and let her people handle me.
After three grueling days of travel, we finally arrived.
The second I stepped through the gates of the compound, a dozen burly men swarmed around me. Their leader, a brute with a jagged scar bisecting his face, sneered at Rina.
This is the prime cut you promised to bring us? Just some skinny broad?
So, they were in on it together. Just as I suspected.
Before Rina could answer, a blood-curdling scream echoed from deeper within the compound. It was followed by a chorus of agonizing cries, and among them, I recognized Leos voice.
My eyes locked onto Rina. Let my brother go, I said, my voice dangerously low. And the money is yours.
Rina waved a dismissive hand, and a few moments later, two men dragged out a figure so broken he couldnt even walk.
The man they threw at my feet was barely human. His face was a swollen, bloody mess. He pried open a single, slit-like eye and stared at me. A few seconds later, a tear of blood trickled down his cheek.
Ava
My heart stopped. It was really him.
This mangled thing, this creature that could hardly be called a person was this really Leo? The little brother I adored?
His right leg was bent outwards at a sickening, unnatural angle. His left hand was a mangled pulp of flesh and bone, two fingers completely gone. Blood oozed from every feature on his face.
I tried to speak to him, but his eyes were filled with a distant haze. He raised his mangled left handthe one with only three fingers remainingand shook his head, pointing to his ears.
Ava I cant hear his voice was a raw, broken whisper.
Tears welled in my eyes as I reached out to touch his face. He winced in pain but leaned into my hand, a ghost of his old affection.
Were going home, I choked out. Im taking you home.
With that, I kicked the briefcase toward the scarred man.
Heres your money. Im taking him.
I tried to help Leo to his feet, but before I could turn, several thugs blocked our path.
Not so fast. Who said you could leave?
They roughly tore Leo from my grasp. Rina stepped forward, her sweet facade gone, replaced by a cruel smirk. She patted my cheek. Ava, a pretty face like yours is a top-tier asset here. Youll earn them way more than that useless piece of trash ever could!
Two men seized my arms. Nearby, another guard deliberately pressed down on Leos wounds, making him cry out in agony.
The scarred man, Scar, opened the briefcase with a wicked grin. His face fell the instant he saw the contents.
What the hell? Its all paper!
2
The thugs crowded around the case. Sure enough, it was filled to the brim with worthless blank paper.
The next thing I knew, a stinging slap sent my head reeling.
You bitch! You trying to screw me over? Ill kill you both!
Scar grabbed me, ready to drag me into the main building. Leo, though he couldnt hear, knew exactly what was happening. He thrashed wildly, trying to break free, earning him several more savage blows.
I grabbed Scars wrist with one hand and made a quick sign to Leo with the other, telling him to stay calm.
You might want to think this through, I said, my voice steady despite the ringing in my ears. Your people had eyes on me the entire trip. She, I said, nodding toward Rina, watched me pack the cash herself.
I let my words hang in the air. She never left my side. The only time that case was out of my sight was when I went to the restroom, and I always left it with her. If there was a switch, Im not the one who made it.
Scars gaze shifted to Rina.
She took a moment to process my words, then waved her hands frantically. No way, Scar! I would never cheat you!
The money was with her the whole time! I never touched it! she shrieked. Dont you trust me? Ive brought you so much prime stock! Im loyal!
I feigned confusion. Thats odd. You were watching me like a hawk. If Id swapped the money, wouldnt you have noticed?
I then pointed to Rinas pocket.
Scar, my phone is in her pocket. She would know if I tried any tricks. But you know, my phone accidentally recorded a very interesting video. Maybe you should take a look.
Scar didnt hesitate. He strode over, snatched my phone from Rinas pocket, and found the video I mentioned.
On the screen, Rina was shown furtively fiddling with the briefcase while I was in the restroom.
Her eyes went wide with panic. No! Ava, you set me up, you bitch! she screamed, lunging for the phone. You framed me! Ill kill you!
She swung her hand, aiming for my face. A loud smack echoed through the yard.
But it was Scar who had hit her, a backhand so vicious it sent her sprawling.
Damn you, I always knew there was something off about you! he roared. You dare steal from the Compound? You think youre something special because you have a pretty face? Let me tell you something! Around here, Im the one in charge!
He gestured to his men. Take her and this one down to the Studio! Both of them!
The moment Rina heard the word Studio, she began to struggle and scream as if it were the most terrifying place on earth.
It wasnt until they threw me into a cell that I understood her fear.
We were in a basement, a dark, damp space filled with strange, unsettling noises. The area was divided into cells fenced off with iron bars. But inside, each cell was a themed setsome cozy, some seductive, some garish.
And every cell had a camera rig and a man.
The other end of the cameras fed into the darkest corners of the internet. The mens job was to manipulate the women in the cells, using props or their own bodies, all for a live audience on the dark web.
Upstairs, the building echoed with the pained cries of men. Down here, it was the rising and falling screams of women. The louder they screamed, the more tips they earned, and the more excited the men in the cells became.
Rina and I were shoved into two cells facing each other. Fortunately, mine didnt have a camera rig yet.
Her eyes burned with hatred as she gripped the bars.
Are you happy now that youve dragged me down with you?
I leaned against the bars of my own cell, crossing my arms and offering her a small, cold smile.
Happy? Oh, not yet.
3
That night, they came for Rina. They forced her into a bizarre costume and set up the camera equipment in her cell. She tried to fight back at first, but they beat her into submission. Soon enough, she started cooperating with the man who was directing her performance.
Four hours later, the live stream ended.
Rina was tossed aside like a broken doll. Her voice was raw and hoarse, but she still managed to crawl to the bars and glare at me with venom in her eyes.
Why? she croaked. Why arent they coming for you?
I turned my head on the small cot to look at her, a broken, pathetic mess. I almost felt like laughing.
Take a guess.
Just then, a blond thug came down the hall, rapping his club against the iron bars.
Shut it! People are trying to sleep! he snarled. Looks like someone needs to be taught some manners!
Rina let out a spiteful laugh. Heh, you really think youre getting out of this? Youre next. Youll be just as ruined as me!
The blond thug whistled as he unlocked my cell, his eyes meeting my icy stare. He scowled and swung the club, striking me hard in the side.
What are you looking at, bitch? Youll be begging me not to stop soon enough!
He reached out to grab my hair. I let him pull me forward, using his own momentum as I tilted my head back and plunged the black hairpin Id been holding deep into the side of his neck.
Close-quarters combat. The basics.
He gasped, clutching his throat, unable to make a sound.
I kicked him into the corner of the cell. As he stared at me in terror, I took the club from his hand for protection.
Across the way, Rina watched the whole thing, her jaw hanging open in disbelief.
I gave her one last chilling look before stepping out of the cell and racing upstairs. I knew the layout of this place like the back of my hand; I had lived here for sixteen years. But it had been a long time, and my memory was a little hazy.
Minutes later, a piercing alarm blared through the building. I could hear Rinas shrill voice from downstairs.
She went that way! Get her! Hurry!
The sound of dozens of footsteps thundered through the halls.
I ran frantically, searching for my brother. Where had they taken Leo?
Dont worry, a calm, menacing voiceScarscut through the chaos. She wont leave without her brother.
You should just kill him already! Rina shrieked.
Shut your mouth, you idiot, Scar growled. Im warning you, if you dont come up with that fifty grand, Ill have you work it off in the Studio and then sell your organs to the highest bidder.
It sounded like hed slapped her and then grabbed her by the throat.
I moved from cell to cell on the upper floors, but there was no sign of Leo. Before I knew it, I had reached the top floor.
Boss, shes headed for the top! What do we do? a thug yelled from below.
Relax. The man upstairs will handle her.
The top floor was pitch black and eerily silent, a stark contrast to the chaos below. As my foot touched the last step, I heard a faint click.
I instantly pulled my foot back as a volley of arrows shot out from the walls. I dodged and rolled, but one of them pierced my left arm.
I grunted in pain, clutching the wound. As a surgeon, I knew better than to pull it out.
Stumbling, I relied on memory to find the last room at the end of the hall. I pushed the door open. It was an office, the layout just as I remembered it, but with a few minor changes.
A large executive chair sat with its back to the door.
A cold, masculine voice drifted from behind it. Someone actually made it this far? Are all my men dead?
I flinched. I knew that voice.
Youre hurt.
The chair slowly swiveled around. In a flash, I wrenched the arrow from my arm and pressed its bloody tip to the mans throat. Blood spurted from my wound, but I didnt have time to care.
The mans eyes widened as he saw my face. He reached up, his hand closing around my wrist.
I narrowed my eyes, aiming the arrow at his carotid artery.
Dont fight me. Come with me.
4
The man I held captive was Kael, the absolute authority here. He was in his forties but looked like he was barely over thirty. In these lawless borderlands, everyone knew his name.
I grabbed him by the collar with one hand and held the arrow to his throat with the other, forcing him downstairs.
The concrete floor of the main hall was already swarming with his men, Scar at the forefront.
You bitch! Let our boss go, or Ill kill your brother! he yelled, his voice raw with fury. Hes barely breathing as it is!
Scar dragged Leo out from behind the crowd. He looked even worse than before. I watched his chest, seeing the shallow rise and fall. He was fading.
I tightened my grip on Kaels throat and whispered in his ear.
You know what to do.
To my surprise, Kael just chuckled. He turned and spoke to Scar, his voice firm. Let the boy go, Scar.
Rina, standing in the crowd, piped up, I say we just kill him! Get rid of the problem! Once hes gone, shell have nowhere to run!
How did she get out? She must be trying to capture me to earn her freedom from the Studio.
Scar frowned, confused. Boss, we have guns! Theres no way shes faster than a bullet!
A smirk played on my lips as I pressed the arrow deeper into Kaels neck. Want to test that theory? I said to Scar, my voice cold. At this range, what do you think is faster? Your gun, or my hand?
Kaels voice sharpened with annoyance. Are you deaf? I said let the boy go! Cant you see my life is in her hands?
His men hesitated, their eyes darting between me and Kaels darkening expression. Reluctantly, they pushed Leo forward.
But Leo couldnt stand on his own. He collapsed to the ground in a heap.
For a split second, my focus wavered. I reached out, wanting to catch him.
Rina saw her chance. She lunged at me, screaming, Kael! Im here to save you!
I had just bent down when she was on me. I saw the glint of a knife in her hand, but it was too late. She was too close.
Instinctively, I raised my arm to block, but Kael moved faster. He kicked out, sending Rina flying. She hit the ground hard, spitting up blood.
Kael looked down at her, his eyes filled with contempt. Do I need you to save me? Or do you just think Ive gotten old?
She had gambled, hoping to win his favor. It was the same damsel-in-distress act shed used to lure my brother, playing on her youth and beauty. But Kael wasnt buying it.
I helped Leo up, propping him against a wall. Scar immediately started to move forward with his men.
Kael just raised a hand, and they froze.
He looked at me, his expression softening. What else do you want? Just ask.
I tore a strip from my sleeve, wrapping it tightly around the arrow wound in my arm and tying it with my teeth. My gaze fell on Rina, who was still kneeling on the ground.
I want her to kneel and bow ten times to my brother.
Then I looked at Scar and his men.
And I want them to slap each other a hundred times.
Scars eyes were wide with a mixture of terror and confusion. He wasnt afraid of me. He just couldnt understand why Kael, who was no longer my hostage, wasnt letting them attack. But what terrified him more was the look in Kaels eyes. In the four years hed worked for him, he had never seen his boss look at anyone with such softness.
Then, Kael smiled. It was a chilling, unsettling smile.
Scar visibly relaxed. Kael always smiled before he killed someone.
The smile lingered for a full ten seconds before it vanished. He looked at me.
My dear daughter, he said. Havent you had enough fun yet?

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