It was already midnight when Melissa Taylor stepped out of the office building.
At 1:00 a.m., her boyfriend, Jacob Grant, was scheduled to land.
She pulled out her phone to hail a ride. Almost immediately, a small car emerged from the shadows and stopped before her.
"Good evening, miss. I'm your driver," the man behind the wheel said with a warm smile through the window.
Melissa found the night's efficiency to be unusually high. She double-checked the license plate; it matched perfectly with the details in the ride-hailing app.
Settling into the back seat on the right side, she instructed, "Please drive a little faster, I'm in a hurry to get to the airport."
"Sure thing." The driver's eyes briefly flickered with a sinister glint.
At this time, Jacob was still in the air and unable to take calls, so Melissa sent him a quick message on WhatsApp.
Looking up, she noticed the car veering onto a deserted road. "This isn't the way to the airport," she said, her voice tinged with unease.
"I'm just taking a shortcut, miss," the driver replied.
The darkness and the eerie tone of the driver's voice sent a chill down her spine.
"On second thought, please stick to the main road," she insisted.
But the driver ignored her and slammed on the accelerator, speeding towards an isolated area.
Panic surged through Melissa. She desperately tried to open the door, but it was locked.
"Oh no, I've gotten into the wrong car."
"Unlock the door! Let me out or I'll call the police!" she shouted, fumbling for her phone in a frantic rush.
The car screeched to a halt. The driver's face twisted into a menacing sneer as he snatched her phone and tossed it aside. He yanked her out of the car and threw her to the ground.
"Stupid girl, you're quite the looker. Play nice and maybe I'll let you go. Otherwise, I'll have my way with you and then you'll be dead!"
He pulled out his phone, aiming it at her as he started recording. His skin was dark, his hair cropped short, and his eyes were filled with a lascivious gleam.
"Help!"
Melissa screamed for help, but there wasn't a soul in sight in this desolate area. This was her first time using a late-night ride-hailing service, and it had landed her in the clutches of a psychopath.
She tried to escape, but the grip on her arm felt like iron. He tore at her coat, revealing the pale curve of her shoulder. The driver grew increasingly agitated, lunging at her with twisted eagerness.
Suddenly, a thunderous explosion lit up the pitch-black sky, flames bursting as if something had plummeted from above and detonated.
Seizing the driver's momentary distraction, Melissa lashed out, kicking him hard in the groin. Scrambling to her feet, she bolted forward in a desperate run.
"You little bitch! Stop right there! I won't rest until you're dead!" The driver clutched his crotch, teeth bared in pain and fury.
Melissa knew better than to stop. She wasn't going to wait around to be caught. She was determined to fight for her life, to preserve her dignity at any cost, never allowing herself to fall into the hands of a rapist.
Suddenly, a fierce gust of wind and sand surged towards her with a wave of intense heat. She shielded her eyes with her hands.
When she opened them again, a piercing light blinded her. A tall, imposing figure descended from the sky.
The man discarded his parachute with a commanding presence. His features were strikingly handsome, and his aura exuded a chilling authority. His black eyes gleamed with a predatory intensity in the darkness, sending a shiver down her spine.
His cold, thin lips were tightly pressed together, and his sharp, eagle-like gaze locked onto Melissa's wide, frightened eyes.
"Where do you think you're going?" A ruthless voice sliced through the night, and a flash of steel glinted before her eyes.
Melissa's heart pounded in her chest. The road ahead was a dead end, and while the powerful man before her radiated danger, he was still a better option than the perverted driver.
Desperately, Melissa darted behind the man, clutching his cold hand as she pleaded, "Please, sir, help me!"