Page 48 of Forever

The world seemed to move in slow motion as Morgan stared in horror at the empty space where Sarah had once stood. Her mind refused to accept what had just happened, even as the cold reality of it seeped into her bones.

Then, suddenly, the silence was shattered by the crack of a gunshot. The shot fired off from the chopper above, an officer managing to hit Greg squarely in the shoulder. He staggered backward, a look of shock and pain etched onto his gaunt features as blood began to stain his shirt.

Morgan snapped back to reality, her instincts kicking into overdrive. This was her moment - her opportunity to end this, once and for all.

Morgan's heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted past Greg, his agonized groans barely registering in her ears. All that mattered now was reaching Sarah before it was too late. Without a moment's hesitation, she leaped off the cliff and plunged into the icy waters below.

The chilling embrace of the lake enveloped Morgan as she broke through the surface. Her lungs screamed for air, but she couldn't afford to waste even a second. Gritting her teeth against the numbing cold, she pushed herself deeper, diving towards the sinking figure of Sarah.

Morgan's fingers grasped at the water, propelling her closer and closer to the girl. She could see Sarah's wide eyes staring back at her, terror etched across her young face. The rope binding her ankle trailed behind her like a sinister snake, dragging her helplessly toward the abyss below.

Finally, she reached Sarah, her hands closing around the girl's arm. With a quick nod of reassurance, Morgan whipped out her knife, its blade glinting ominously beneath the water's surface. She maneuvered herself beneath Sarah, the weight of the girl pressing down on her as she positioned the blade against the thick rope.

Morgan internally urged herself forward, feeling the strain of holding her breath. Her lungs begged for oxygen, but she couldn't allow herself to give in. Not yet.

She sawed at the rope, her fingers numb from the cold and adrenaline coursing through her veins. Each stroke felt like an eternity, but finally, she could feel the rope beginning to fray. One final push, and the razor-sharp blade sliced through the last of the fibers.

She gave Sarah a forceful shove towards the surface, praying that the girl would find the strength to swim up on her own.

As Morgan propelled herself upward, her thoughts turned back to Greg. He was wounded and cornered, but she knew he was far from defeated. She couldn't let her guard down yet - not until Greg was safely behind bars, and Sarah was out of harm's way.

Almost there,she repeated in her head like a mantra, her lungs burning with the need for air. "Just a little bit more."

Just as Morgan began her ascent, she caught a glimpse of Greg plunging into the water, blood trailing from his shoulder. His eyes locked onto hers, a man driven by obsession and rage, determined to finish what he had started.

Greg lunged at her, his long fingers stretching out like claws, desperate to bring her down. Morgan evaded his grasp, her training kicking in despite the weight of the water and exhaustion threatening to consume her.

Greg's desperation only grew. He swiped at her again, managing to grab hold of her ankle. Morgan felt herself pulled downward, the air in her lungs rapidly diminishing. She kicked at his hand, adrenaline fueling her strength, but Greg held on tight.

With one last push, she wrenched herself free from his grip, sending Greg spiraling further down into the murky depths. The fury in his eyes quickly turned into panic as he realized the truth behind her words - he couldn't swim, and his body was too weak to fight the current.

"Help...me," Greg mouthed silently, looking up at her with a mixture of fear and regret. Morgan hesitated for a moment, torn between the desire to save him and the knowledge that he had brought this upon himself.

But she couldn't bring herself to watch him drown. With one final glance toward the surface, hoping Sarah had reached it safely, Morgan made her decision and dove deeper into the darkness, reaching for Greg's outstretched hand.

But Greg only stared back at her, his eyes filled with bitterness and resignation.

With one final push, Greg managed to break free from her grasp, his body sinking deeper and deeper into the darkness.

Morgan’s heart ached with a mixture of relief and sorrow as she watched him disappear. In the end, he had chosen his own fate - and there was nothing more she could do for him.

She kicked toward the surface, the weight of everything that had happened crashing down upon her. But even in the midst of her grief and exhaustion, Morgan knew that she had done everything she could.

The nightmare was finally over.

EPILOGUE

Morgan stood in Mueller's office, her gaze fixed on the wall lined with framed photographs of esteemed agents, each one adorned with medals and accolades. She couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever make it onto that wall - or if she even wanted to. The room was quiet, save for the ticking of the clock, its hands inching toward the top of the hour.

"Cross," Mueller began, his stern voice snapping her back to reality. He held a small velvet box in his hand, flipping it open to reveal an honorary medal nestled inside. "I want you to have this for your heroic rescue of Sarah."

The weight of the world seemed to bear down on Morgan's shoulders as her eyes locked onto the gleaming metal. To accept such an honor, it didn't feel right. She had saved Sarah, yes, but at what cost? Greg, the man responsible for all the pain and suffering, had slipped through their fingers and met his end without facing justice. A surge of remorse washed over her.

"Thank you, sir," she said, swallowing hard. "But I can't help thinking about Greg. If only I could've saved him too, he could've been put on trial, faced the consequences for his actions."

Morgan looked down at her hands, clenching them into fists to stop them from shaking. The memory of that night remained etched in her mind, the screams of terror, the smell of blood heavy in the air. It haunted her, reminding her of how close she'd come to losing everything.

"Sometimes, Agent Cross, we have to make difficult choices," Mueller replied, his tone softened slightly. "You did what you had to do to save Sarah, and that's what matters most."

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