CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE - Ambush in the Stairwell

The last thing Nia saw as the world faded to black was Vanessa's cold, triumphant smile. Then darkness claimed her, and she knew no more. Nia Moreno's head pounded as consciousness slowly returned. The world around her seemed to sway and tilt, making her stomach churn. She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt impossibly heavy. A groan escaped her lips, muffled by something covering her mouth. As her senses gradually sharpened, Nia became aware of her surroundings. The surface beneath her was hard and uncomfortable, vibrating slightly. A car, she realized. She was in a moving vehicle. Panic began to set in as memories of what had happened flooded back. Vanessa. The stairwell. The blow to her head. Nia forced her eyes open, blinking rapidly to clear her blurry vision. She found herself crammed into the backseat of a car, her body contorted uncomfortably. As she tried to move, she realized her hands and feet were bound tightly with zip ties. The plastic dug painfully into her