Busted!
That was her first thought, before a frisson of fear ran through her entire being.

'Hands in the air!'
What was apparently a gun ground harder in her back.
Erisha lifted her hands in the air.
'Now turn around, slowly!'

Erisha shut her eyes, trying to think of a way to get out of this situation, but her brain was refusing to function.
She began to turn around, when she heard a loud thud, and as she looked from the corner of her eyes, she saw the guards' body on the floor.
Astonished, she turned around to see another man, head bent, looking at the unconscious guard.
She opened her mouth to gasp, but the man's hand covered it, pushing her against the wall with his body.

'Ssshh..it's me!'
Treyton whispered loudly.
Erisha's eyes widened in shock, unable to believe it.
'What the hell do you think you are playing at?'

'Mmmppp..'
Erisha said against his mouth.

'What explanation do you have for pulling such a stunt, you mad woman?'
He went on, angrily.

'Mmmggghhh..'

'What?'
He glared at her.

Erisha glared right back, and pointed to his hand with her eyes.

'Oh! Sorry!'
He removed his palm.
'Tell me, now!'
He looked annoyed.

'What do you think you are doing? You followed me?'
Erisha shot off, as soon as her mouth was free.

'I knew you were lying, the minute you shoved me out your door! You didn't leave me with an option, you reckless fool!'
Her eyes flared, and she pushed past him to leave, but he was quick and pressed  her back against the wall.
'I'm still talking to you!'

'But I'm not! So, just let go! And leave preferably!'
She glared at him.

'Not on your life!'
He said with such force that she blinked, and he also paused.
'Tell me what you are doing snooping and hiding like this..that too outside Huber's office.'

Erisha contemplated lying, but what should she tell him?
Because he had caught her like this, what could she tell him except the truth?

Treyton saw the hesitation in her eyes, and sighed.
'Erisha..'
He softened his tone.
'Please, tell me what is so important that you had to stoop to this. You are a good friend of David's..'
He mentally swallowed bitterly at that.
'So, why the need to play hide and seek to get in the building? What are you not telling me?'

His soft tone was her undoing, and she opened her mouth to speak.
But the sound of a loud groan from the unconscious guard on the ground, had them both look at each other, eyes wide, before Treyton took her hand and pulled her along the other side of the building, looking on both sides of the street.

'He's just knocked out, not dead, and it won't be long before he gets up and alerts more, so tell me..'

'It's Nanna!'

'The truth..what?'
Treyton had been looking around the corner, but turned to look at her at that.
'Nanna? What does all this have to do with KK? You are not making an sen..'

'Nanna's life is in danger!'
Erisha's voice broke, as she let out the truth, quickly.

'What?'
Treyton frowned.
'Why? How can you say that? How do you know?'

'I know! Because he called me!'

It dawned on him that it had indeed been KK who had called her when he was at her place.
'What did he say to make you think that?'

'Because he wanted to tell me something but the line went dead..and I've been going crazy since then..I..I have to see for myself..'
She started walking along the wall again, looking around.

'Stop it, woman!'
He caught her arm again.
'Tell me the whole truth..now!'

They heard the sound of footsteps running towards them, and after a single pause, they both began to run too.
Treyton was more astute, and as they rounded another corner, he saw a door, and he shoved at it with his shoulder and body, while Erisha kept watch.
As the sound of some shouts reached them, and it looked like they would get caught,  somehow the door gave, and Treyton fell inside taking her with him, before shutting and putting his weight against it to keep it shut.

It was pitch dark inside, the smell musty.
Treyton kept Erisha against him with an arm around her waist, his ear against the door, listening to the voices outside.

'Hier ist niemand, du narr! There is nobody here, you fool!'

'Aber ich schwöre es gab! But I swear there was!'

'Ich habe sie davor gewarnt, bei der arbeit zu trinken! I warned you against drinking on the job!'

'Aber ich habe nicht getrunken! But I did not drink!'

'Den mund halten! Shut up!'

The voices faded as the men moved away, fighting as to who was right and who was not.

Treyton sighed in relief, before turning his attention back to Erisha.
She hadn't moved a muscle since he had pulled her against him, and he could now hear her heartbeat on top of his in the silence, as she clung to him.
'We are safe for now. You okay?'
He looked down at her and saw her start, as if she just realised what she had been doing.
Erisha stepped back, and Treyton let her.

Their eyes adjusted to the darkness, and they looked around to see that they were inside what was a storage area, a warehouse of types.
Treyton took out his cellphone, and turned on its' torch to see.
Indeed there were boxes and boxes of things, wall to wall.
There was also haphazard clutter on one side.

'There has to be a way inside the building from here..'
Erisha switched on her phone's torch as well, and began moving across.

'Not so fast, madam!'
Treyton caught her.
'Not until you tell me what you..and now, we are doing here!'

Erisha knew she owed him an explanation for dragging him in this situation.
'I'm sorry you have to be stuck here because of me, but although I didn't ask you to be here..'
She heard him snort.
'But, now that you are..I owe it to you..'
Treyton came closer to her.
'You see, Nanna..I believe Nanna is in danger..and he's here..somewhere in this building..'

'Why? I mean why would he be here in this building? This is Huber's building, his offices..'
Treyton sounded confused.

'Because, Nanna works here!'

'What?!?!'
Treyton couldn't be more shocked, if someone had come out from the darkness and ambushed him.

'Yes! Nanna works for Huber! And has been since the past eight years!'

'My God!'
Treyton was stunned with the revelation.
'All this time! My mentor was here, and I had not a single clue! With my enemy...'
The thought was truly disturbing for him.

'Yes! Nanna has been bound by contract. He couldn't contact anyone, keep a phone, leave the job..'

'What nonsense? And you let this happen?'
He gave her an accusing look, which she couldn't really see in the dark.

'I had no choice..I wasn't old enough to stop him from taking on a job which would provide him with money. And he needed that..'

'Why? I remember he used to have a cottage in the countrysi...'
Treyton suddenly thought of something.
'Oh my God! That house! Where Huber kept me captive..'
Treyton began to pace the dusty floor.
'You knew your way around it..because it was your grandfather's old house!'
He slapped his forehead for reaching such a delayed conclusion.

'Yes..'
Erisha whispered.
'Nanna had to leave it if he was to take the job..and I..'

'You..where did you go? Why didn't he take you along?'

'I was an obligation, one that would never let him concentrate on his duties, and besides..'

'What?'
Treyton was somehow feeling extremely annoyed, and he didn't understand why.

'Besides, I was a young woman..who could 'distract a saint'..'
There was contempt in her words, and Treyton wanted to strangle whoever had said that to her, because as sure as he was of himself, he knew they weren't her words.

'Who the..'
Treyton began angrily, but Erisha continued as if he hadn't spoken.

'So, I was sent off to a female hostel to complete my studies..all fees paid..'

'By David Huber!'
Treyton closed his eyes briefly against the pain that caused him, having a hard time joining the pieces.
All he could imagine was the torment a young woman went through to keep her dignity.

'Yeah..'
Erisha had a very faraway look in her eyes, as if she had been transported into the past.
'But I didn't like being obliged to anyone, and as soon as my studies were over, I found a job and a place to live, renaging him of all responsibility.'
She raised her head proudly, and Treyton felt a new respect for her.

Treyton opened his mouth to praise her, but she suddenly walked away, as if realising that she had said too much.
He let her go, his eyes following her, as she flashed the torch light onto separate places on the walls.

'Yes!'
She suddenly called out.
'Treyton, there is a door here!'
She hurried towards it with Treyton in tow.

'So, you think KK is here, in this building?'

'This is where he has lived for the last eight years. Steven once let it slip, or I would never have known.'
Erisha tried the handle, but it didn't budge.
'Give! Give, damn it!'
She was annoyed at the door, and Treyton couldn't help but give a small smile.

'Let me try!'
Moving behind her, so that Erisha felt his body touch hers, Treyton reached for the handle.
But it seemed jammed.
'It looks fairly oiled, as if it was used recently, but I think there is some obstruction from the other side..'

'You mean, it's boarded from the other side?'
Erisha felt her excitement dwindle.

'Hmm..maybe..I can try shove it, but can't guarantee that it will open as easily as the last one..if not, we might have to leave back the way we came..'

'No! I can't leave Nanna! He's in danger..I can feel it..'
Erisha was getting agitated by the delay.

'I said I'll try..relax, will you?'
Treyton moved her to the side, and juggled the handle over and over, while Erisha shone a light on it.
Treyton pushed and shoved, and to her amazement, after several tries, the handle turned.

'I don't know how you did that, but thankyou!'
Erisha was grateful.

'Hmm, had a lot of practice in childhood, but it's all rusted now..'
He shrugged his shoulders.

Erisha suddenly remembered the things her grandfather had told her about the boy he had saved, and she felt a new appreciation for him.
She would have questioned him about it, but knew this was neither the time nor the place, and so, stored it in her mind for later.

Treyton opened the door a crack, keeping Erisha protected with his body, as he peeked outside.
This was the ground floor of the eight floored building, and the lobby could be seen up front.
It was all quiet at this time of the night, but several muted lights were on.
Not a single soul was around, and Treyton opened the door wider, motioning for Erisha to follow him. There had been no board, just the case of a stuck door, thank God.
They hurried to press themselves against the opposite wall, darting glances all over.

'No one on this floor..how do we know which one to go to?'
Treyton whispered, his breath fanning a few of her flyaway hairs.

'I don't know..the main offices are on the sixth floor..'

Treyton nodded, as they moved towards the central staircase. They had hardly climbed two stairs, when they heard a noise from the direction of the front door, as someone opened it.
Treyton pulled her back down, and hurried back to their hiding place beneath the staircase, glad for the large planters on either side, that obscured them from being seen.
He pushed Erisha down when she tried to peek, and glared at her.

'Wie spät ist es zum essen? What time is this to eat?'

'Man kann hungrig werden! One can get hungry!'

'Lass uns schnell zurück gehen! Let's hurry back then!

'What are they saying?'
Erisha wanted to know.

'Ssshhh...'

Treyton heard, more than saw two men head in the direction opposite to them, where the elevators were.
He knew it with a surety that these men could lead them to KK.
The sound, as the doors shut and the elevator pinged, had him shoot out from their hiding place.
Erisha was startled, but she followed him in time to see him watching the numbers on top of the elevator, to see where the men had been headed.
The lift stopped on the eighth floor, and pinged.

'Bingo! Let's go!'

To be continued...