Listening to the metal creaking slightly under my weight, and the rain hitting the entrance of the ventilation, above me, I had to concentrate on the sounds of the interior, because the pluvial fluid drowned out my hearing and made it difficult to distinguish clearly the sounds of the humans inside. although I was sure that, if I concentrated, I could hear their breaths, their heartbeats even. So, I closed my eyes, muted the wet sound, looking for others, and discarding each one that didn’t interest me: the beat of the trees with the wind, the thunder, the creatures running away from the water, seeking refuge, and finally, when I located the voices of the two agents, below me, to the right, in another room, I began to move through the pipeline, with my elbows in front and moving forward like a caterpillar. My goal was the evidence room, and if it was necessary, I would leave the two unconscious to be able to search comfortably.

While I was crawling, accompanied by the noisy metallic sound, I heard both men ask something in their native language, which I obviously couldn’t understand, but I figured that, given the huge noise I was making, they would be wondering if any animal had slipped away in the pipelines. I prayed that it wouldn’t occur to them to investigate further, because it would be easier for them to shoot me when I was surrounded by four narrow walls, than for me to attack them with efficiency. Then, with that idea, I hurried my way further, managing to see an exit, through which artificial light filtered, but it was still far ahead. Struggling to not make so much noise, I crawled to it, watching with my ear my now silent companions. When I finally reached the grid, another problem arose before me: how would I open it? If I used my brute force, they would hear me and come directly for me, but in what other way? I focused my senses on them again, listening without understanding what they were talking about, but I could guess that they no longer talked about me and didn’t seem to pay attention to me at all. I let out a sigh of relief and reached out to grab the grate as best I could. I was determined to wait for the exact moment...

Just as the sky rumbled with the thunderous scream of a bolt of lightning, I pushed the piece of metal down, which produced a deafening metallic screech and gave way to my strength with relative ease. I stood still then, waiting to hear the steps of the agents coming towards me, but despite my fears, that didn’t happen. I sniffed the air to know more specifically what they were feeling, and far below the suffocating humidity and metal, I could distinguish their worry and anxiety, however, they didn’t seem to be related to me in any way, rather I bet they were related with the incident in the hospital.

Sure enough that I wouldn’t get shot in the ass, I stuck my head in and took the grid with my teeth, making a face at its metallic taste, and I grabbed the ledge next to my chest, beginning to slide what was left of my body by the small space, ending by hanging from the ventilation, from which I let go, landing softly on the linoleum that covered the floor, where my feet left an imprint of earth and moss. I quickly removed the grille from my mouth, leaving it on the floor, under the opening in the pipeline, and seeing my footsteps, I knelt down to clean them with my already dirty dress.

Straightening up, I sniffed the air, looking for some familiar scent. My own would be a good start. I took a couple of steps. Outside, the thunderous rain crashed against the windows, like violent pebbles, and made it difficult to distinguish if they were still talking, or if what I listened were steps living towards me... With a start, I barely managed to hide to the side of the door, watching astounded the agent, slightly taller than me, with dark hair and a youthful appearance, entered the room, fixing his attention immediately on the fallen grate. He shouted something then, and his partner replied, on the other side of the building. I could smell the intrigue in the man who was standing in front of me, the same one who knew how to identify a partial footprint on the ground, full of earth and moss. He followed that trace, frowning more and more and I felt the confusion rise in him, and, to a lesser extent, fear. However, when he finally looked up and made contact with my eyes, his heart skipped a beat, and his hand went to his weapon, holstered at his waist.

From one moment to the next, I was already in front of him. With one hand I held his, which creaked lightly, and with the other I covered his lips, from which he began to cry drowned. His pupils contracted to see me, and before he could attack me with his free hand, with hardly any effort, I pushed him to the opposite wall, where he began to debate with more energy. I barely registered that he was kicking me with all his might, and he was hitting my right arm with his left punch. That, at another time, would have hurt like hell, now, it was just a nuisance. The guy kept screaming, or trying at least, and I couldn’t help but thank the rain, because without it, the other agent would have clearly heard our fight.

I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to kill him, to hurt him either, so, when finally his reasoning was more than his panic, and he reached for the walkie-talkie on his waist, I looked directly into his afraid eyes, and ordered him loudly, with my voice charged of annoyance, the only thing that occurred to me.

- Stop moving now! - I released, frowning, tired of his crude debate, praying that my voice would impress him enough, to pay attention to me.

The man looked at me, even more terrified, and before his own eyes (and mine, be said), which began to change the terror in disbelief, his hand closed in a fist until his knuckles turned white, his other hand released the holster of his weapon and imitated to his partner. His legs stopped hitting me equally, and he no longer moved his neck to get rid of my grip, he just stood still, trembling and still moaning through my gag, of course, but still.

- Ha…!

I couldn’t believe it, I had given the order only as a last resort, more to convey with my voice that his struggling was making me mad, than because I thought it would really work. Also, I ran with luck, the man knew my language. That woke up an alarm in my head, not everything could always be seen astern, but I wouldn’t pay more attention at that time. With a much happier expression, unable to contain a smile, I looked at his eyes again and gave another order.

- Do not make any noise - I said slowly, marking each syllable, and as before, the officer stopped mooing like a cow and just watched me with fear and surprise, with fury mixing, like a drop of ink in a glass of water. - I want you to calm down and listen to me carefully - I spoke again, causing the mortal to stop shaking. - I want you to bring me a bag of evidence, and, if there is, the case file that was opened. A few hours ago, a girl died in the forest, near where the festival took place, I guess you know which one. I want you to look for it and bring it here, without straying from the path at any time. If you see your friend, you will tell him that nothing happens. If you fail at something and he discovers that something out of the ordinary happens to you, I will kill you both. It is understood? - I swore to him, although I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it. Not yet. - I do not want to hurt you, I just want my things - hesitating, I let go of his hand near the weapon, its stood still, and hesitating even more, I slowly raised the gag I kept in his mouth.

The officer stood still for a few seconds, looking at me suspiciously, before going over and walking out the door again. I sharpened my ear, willing not to trust him either, determined to get out of there immediately if things got worse. To my relief, I heard him speak in Polish with his partner, before continuing on his way to the right side of the building, where the rain no longer allowed me to listen to him.