Jason's voice was steady, almost too calm, as he continued to talk to her, but I could sense the tension in the air, thick and heavy like a storm about to break.
"You don't want to do this," he repeated, looking directly into the woman's eyes. His gaze never wavered, but I could see the flicker of uncertainty on her face. She was nervous, and Jason wasn't missing a beat.
For a brief moment, the woman's eyes darted to the door, then back to Jason. A shadow of doubt crossed her expression—like she was hearing something in the distance. The air felt charged.
Jason caught it too. His voice lowered as he stepped closer, carefully maintaining eye contact. "You hear that?" he asked, as if he could sense her growing unease. "That noise? The sirens?"
The woman's face went pale, her grip on the syringe faltering for a split second.
"You think the police are coming, don't you?" Jason said, his voice laced with calm assurance. "You don't want to be caught with us, do you? That's going to look real bad. Real bad for everyone involved."
The man behind her sneered, not catching onto the shift in energy. He took a step forward, but Jason wasn't looking at him. His focus was entirely on the woman now, who was visibly rattled, her eyes flickering between Jason and the door.
Jason stepped closer, his voice soft but urgent. "The police are on their way. They'll be here any minute. You don't want to be the one holding the syringe, do you?"
The woman's hand trembled slightly. For a moment, I thought she might drop the syringe altogether. Jason's words had hit the mark.
"You've got a choice," he said, the words smooth, like he was making her believe it was all her decision. "You can stand here, keep playing their game, or you can walk away. Let us go. You're not the one in charge here—you never were."
She blinked, her lips parted, and for a moment, I thought she might say something, anything, but instead, she just looked toward the door.
Jason didn't waste a second. Without another word, he shoved the man aside with a surprising amount of strength, his movements swift and deliberate. The man stumbled backward, his shocked expression frozen for just a moment too long. That was all Jason needed.
With a quick motion, he slammed the door open, pushing past them both. I barely had time to register what was happening before he shouted, "Janica, stay down!" His eyes were locked on the hall ahead, and he was already running.
I froze, unable to comprehend what was happening. My heart raced as I looked at the woman, whose face was now full of panic. She still held the syringe, but the uncertainty was written all over her.
Jason's footsteps were fading. The man had recovered and was already shouting for her to follow him.
"Don't let him escape!" he yelled, but I could see the hesitation in his
voice. The woman didn't move.