118. LOST

MORGANA FOSTER

"You're really dumb, Mr. Burke!" Alessandra says, pressing the gun barrel against my head.

I swallow hard, feeling the pressure and weight of the metal barrel on my head. My eyes automatically widen as if the whole world stops spinning when I hear the gun being cocked.

"Let's negotiate," Ryan says calmly, looking at the men with him, who step back a bit. "What do you want?"

"We've already said," Winnie replies this time. "16 million dollars in my account. By noon... And maybe I'll release this one here."

She says, pulling my head back, which tilts backward. The taste of iron fills my mouth. Maybe this is it. A fight over money.

"Even if I wanted to, that's a lot of money," he replies.

"See? Mrs. Burke," Alessandra says with a laugh. "He doesn't think you're worth it."

"In the end, all the Burke's are the same. Why are you so stubborn?" Winnie says, turning to face me. "Maybe he'll take us seriously if we shoot her. What do you think?"

My breath remains irregular, my hea