The 7th Aykeh

Chapter 1

Author's note: See the second picture in this chapter to visualize the main characters of this book.

It was late at night when a young couple, somewhere in their early twenties, strolled through the parking lot of a big shopping center. There weren't many people around anymore and they were just about to head home. They had been celebrating their recent engagement and laughed out loud, discussing the funniest scenes from the movie they had just watched.

Some of the lights flickered as if they were about to go off, while others had already done so. Carrie stopped beside a sporty older-model sedan, lovingly buffed to a deep blue shine and brushed her long fringe off her eyes as Alex walked to his side to unlock the car. She glanced at the deserted lot, holding tightly to her phone.

Alex smiled as his eye caught Carrie's and he placed one hand on the car, digging around in his black leather jacket pocket for the car keys with his other hand.

Carrie heard steps stomping down to her right and turned to look at who was coming. She saw a small group of fierce-looking men, running at them wearing strange armor like outfits. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized they were coming straight towards her.

"Alex!" She cried, alarmed.

"What?" He asked, finally fishing out the keys from his jacket.

Alex raised his head and sucked in a breath as he saw the men hurtling towards them. He tried to put the key into the keyhole of the door but anxious as he was he missed the keyhole and the keys slipped out of his suddenly sweaty hand, clattering on the asphalt.

He crouched down, scrabbling under the car for the keyring as Carrie grasped the passenger-side door handle and pulled at it impatiently

"Alex!!" She shouted, panic making her voice shrill.

Alex finally grasped the keys and rose up as the strange men reached them. The group split, most of the men barrelling down past the front of the car to intercept Alex, while two men - a tall blond man and a wiry brown-haired accomplice - separated from the pack and angled towards Carrie.

The long-haired blond man slipped past her field of vision, and by grabbing one shoulder jerked her off-balance. Unsteady, she stumbled backwards, phone flying out of her clammy hands as she felt an iron grip embracing her from behind, supporting but effectively imprisoning her. Her lips trembled as she gasped, an involuntary cry escaping her, and shrank back, overcome with fear seeing the second man's fierce gaze over at Alex.

Seeing Carrie was in danger and aware his assailants were fast closing in, Alex took two running steps and placing his hand on the car boot, threw his legs forward. He slid, face upwards, over the boot and with his full force kicked cannoned into the brown-haired attacker knocking him backwards, before twisting to face Carrie's attacker. The group of men Alex had dodged quickly moved towards him, and arranged themselves with military precision to block Carrie and Alex's escape route.

Another man charged towards Alex suddenly, punching him with enough power to knocked him to the ground.

"No! Alex!!" Carrie cried out, wrenching half out of her aggressor's grip and bashing her elbow painfully against the hard metal over his midsection as she began to put up a fight.

Alex, still a little dazed from the blow, raised his hand forward grasping the car wheel housing and pulled himself up. He stumbled sideways, deflecting a poorly aimed kick to his knee as he tried to stand upright. Now two men came at him with punches and high kicks. He fell again not being able to defend himself. One of the men kicked him in the stomach grunting with the effort. Breathless, Alex groaned and curled up in pain.