The Doubt In The Heart.

Elena ran toward the room where Corey was supposed to be. The girl opened the door and saw her friend lying on the floor and showing no signs of life.

"It cannot be!" Elena rushed to Corey, "Thank God...", the girl felt a slight pulsation and checked for breath. Corey was just unconscious. Elena sat down next to her, closed her eyes, and took a few deep breaths.

"Damn," Elena crossed her hands on her lap and lowered her head. If something had happened to Corey, she would never forgive herself. The girl felt like a little mouse, cornered. Once in childhood, she saw a cat playing with its prey. At first, letting the mouse go and giving it the hope of salvation, then again captivating it with the sharp claws. Now she was like that mouse with which someone was playing his insidious game. But who was it? What for? Elena could not understand it.

"Elena?"

"Corey!" The girl turned around and saw that the Corey came to her senses. "How are you? Do you feel ok? Can you walk?"

"Yes, I think I can. This little bastard made me smell some kind of crap, after which I turned off right away," Corey swore, leaning on her friend's arm to get up. "And how are you? That pervert didn't do anything to you?"

"Hah, don't worry, everything is fine. It looks like our location has already been discovered, and they had to run away quickly. So everything is all right now," Elena smiled.

"What did they need at all? Did he explain anything to you?"

"No, he said nothing," Elena decided that Corey had better not know the whole truth.

The girls headed for the exit and were soon outside. Three cars drove up to the building. Elena immediately recognized one of them - it was David's car. The other two, as it turned out, belonged to the Berne Group. A few people with guns came out of a black SUV and went inside the building. Rick got out of another car and ran towards the girls.

"Corey, how are you? Is everything all right?" He began to diligently examine the girl to make sure that she was safe and sound.

"Rick, everything is fine, don't worry. Aah...," the girl screamed in surprise when a man picked her up as if she was like a princess, and quickly carried her to the car. "Rick, put me down. I can go myself."

"I won't let you go anywhere. My hair got white because of worrying about you. We urgently need to go to the hospital and have a full medical screening!"

"Rick, this is not necessary at all," Corey's words passed by the man's ears, he opened the door and put the girl in the car.

"You will take care of everything by yourselves," Rick gave instructions to the head of the security group, slammed the driver's door, and the car roared out of the factory.

Jason watched what was happening, and it all looked like the scenes from some melodrama, 'Hmm, he is cool indeed. With such a rival, I can do nothing but step away,' the guy sighed sadly and headed towards Elena, next to who David was already standing.

"El, are you okay?"

"Yes, Jason, everything is fine, thank you."

"I think we should go, too," David intervened in their dialogue, "Do you want me to carry you as well?"

Elena looked at the radiant David surprisingly. He was standing with his arms outstretched in front already. "Uh, no, I'll pass. I will go myself," the girl answered and headed towards the car.

The young man sighed defiantly and followed.

"Guys, I'm with you!" Jason also wanted to get in the car, but the owner of the car blocked his way.

"No, you are not with us. You are with them," David nodded toward a group of men who had already left the building and got into an SUV parked nearby. Then he slammed the driver's door, and he and Elena left the factory grounds after Rick's car.

"I hate couples," Jason grunted and wandered off to the side of the last remaining car.

"Now tell me what happened," David asked Elena as soon as they got onto the highway.

"They needed the documents of the professor that I gave you."

"So the investigator's fears were not in vain. And what did you do?"

"I gave what they asked for," Elena replied.

"What did you do??" David suddenly pressed the brake pedal, causing the car to slow down sharply. "Sorry, I was just surprised. Where did you get a copy of the documents?" The man pressed the gas pedal, and the car again was driving with a necessary speed.

"It doesn't matter. They threatened Corey. I had no choice," Elena replied, watching the reaction of the young man.

David stroked the girl on the head by his hand, "You did everything right. I'm glad nothing happened to you."

"Um-hmm," Elena answered and turned away toward the window. The words spoken by Alan were circling in her head as if they were on the auto repeat mode. 'This person is much closer than you think.'

She looked attentively at David again. 'It can't be him, right?'

David, noticing the girl's gazes, smiled and asked, "What is it? Want to say something?"

"Yes. I missed you," Elena replied and smiled back.

He took her hand and squeezed tightly in his palm, "I missed you so much too, my dear."

Elena felt the warmth filling her body, and all fears and doubts were going away.

So it was until she heard the next question from the mouth of the man sitting next to her.

"Regarding the documents that we discussed earlier. I need this copy. Can you give it to me?"

His words made an unpleasant shiver ran through the body of the girl.

"Yes, I can," she answered quietly.

David turned his head and winked at her, "That's great. Thank you very much."

Elena said nothing in response.

The doubt, which occurred in her heart at this moment, left her completely speechless...