Choose (A Choose Your Own Story Adventure)

18. The Box

Mia quickly slips the box out from her belt. She inspects it. There are two buttons on the side of it. She notices that there are metal probes on another side. Is this...is this a taser?

Agent Santos runs ahead of Mia. An object falls out of her pocket. Mia looks down at it, unable to identify what it is due to the darkness.

She doesn't have time to pick it up, for a man comes charging at her. She squeaks, directs the box at the figure, and presses the large button. He convulses in response to it. After a moment, he stumbles and falls. Mia looks at the weapon, her eyes wide.

Yep. Definitely a taser.

Though the weapon causes Mia to get a little too close for her taste, she manages to slip by a few more people with it. A few bullets and darts fly her way. She ducks and runs, hardly avoiding them.

She can't believe that she is still standing. There are loud noises coming from every direction, there seems to be an infinite amount of people attacking her, and Agent Santos is out of sight. The last part causes Mia to freak out. Where is Agent Santos? Mia can't defend herself on her own.

Another figure falls as Mia tases them. She stares at the curled up body, breathing heavily. How long has she been doing this? It feels like hours. At this rate, the night will never end.

Her break gives someone enough time to grab her wrist. She cries out as she's pulled close to them. An object is pressed hard against her temple.

"Don't move," a low voice demands. Mia couldn't move if she tried. She's paralyzed from head to toe from fear.

Another person comes and grabs her other arm. They strip her of her weapons, dropping them at her feet. Then they drag her out of the room.

Mia is led all the way to the back of the museum, where the paintings are. The two men are still standing in front of the large painting. They are no longer just staring but assembling an object to it.

The men turn when they hear the door open. "Finally! Where have you been?"

"Sorry." Mia's captors release their grip and push her in front of them. "We got a little distracted."

Mia looks at the men standing in front of her. They both have masks on to cover their faces, too. She's able to see their eyes, though. One of them has hard eyes that appear black in the dark. The other one, though, has a green tint to his eyes.

In fact, the green eyes seem familiar. Mia swears that she's seen them before, but where?

...Then she remembers. The man who was looking at the large painting with her earlier that day. Is it a coincidence that she would find him in the same exact room again?

Though he tries to hide it, the green-eyed man looks at Mia with recognition. It's true. Mia's legs nearly collapse at the thought. She had only talked to him hours ago. She hadn't expected a thing.

"Small world, huh?" he says. Mia's mouth opens, but no words come out. She just gasps and stumbles backward. A hand pushes her forward.

"Are you alone?" the man with dark eyes asks. He seems harsher than his companion. A chill runs up her spine. She shakes her head.

"Let me ask again." He slides a gun out from his belt and holds it inches from Mia's face. She gulps, her hands shaking. "Are you alone?"

Before Mia can answer, another person runs into the room. To her relief, it's Agent Santos. A hand snakes around Mia's wrist. She looks over at the agent, her eyes wide.

Mia wishes that she could help Agent Santos at that moment. However, all of her weapons are gone. She wants to do something cool like head butt the man behind her to get herself free, but her body refuses to move. No matter how much she pretends to be an agent, Mia knows that she can't handle extreme situations like this. Her mind can barely function right now. She can only hope that Agent Santos can do this on her own.