Diana's heart was pounding in her chest as she made her way to the balcony. She had never been so scared in her life before. She could hear her own breathing and the sound of her footsteps echoing in the empty house. Her mind was racing with questions. What had happened to her parents? Who had fired those shots? Why were they targeted?

As she reached the balcony, she saw the pipe that Jane had mentioned. It looked old and rusty, but she had no other choice. She took a deep breath and started to climb down. Her hands were shaking and her heart was beating so fast that she thought it would burst out of her chest. She was halfway down when she heard a noise behind her. She froze, her heart in her mouth.

"Who's there?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

There was no answer, but she could hear footsteps coming closer. She felt a cold sweat break out on her forehead. She knew she had to move fast. She took a deep breath and started to climb down again, faster this time. She could hear the footsteps getting closer and closer. She was almost at the bottom when she felt a hand grab her ankle.

She screamed and kicked out, but the hand didn't let go. She looked down and saw a man's face looking up at her. He had a gun in his hand.

"Come with me," he said, his voice cold and menacing.

Diana shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She kicked out again, but the man held on tight. She was about to scream again when she heard a voice behind her.

"Let her go!"

It was Jane. Diana felt a surge of relief wash over her. She kicked out again, and this time the man let go. Diana slid down the pipe and landed on the ground. She looked up and saw Jane standing over her, a fierce look on her face.

"Are you okay?" Jane asked, helping her up.

Diana nodded, still shaking. She looked around and saw that they were in a deserted alleyway.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"We're near Square Palace," Jane said. "Come on, let's get out of here."

They started to walk, their hearts still racing. Diana was still in shock, but she felt safe with Jane by her side. They walked for a few minutes in silence, until Jane spoke up.

"We have to find out what happened to your parents," she said.

Diana nodded, her mind still reeling. She had no idea where to start, but she knew she had to find out. She took out her phone and called the police. They arrived within minutes, and Diana told them everything that had happened. They searched the house, but there was no sign of her parents.

Diana and Jane spent the night at a hotel, too scared to go back to their own homes. They stayed up all night, trying to figure out what had happened. They went over every detail of the night, trying to find a clue.

As the sun started to rise, Diana felt a sense of despair wash over her. She had no idea where her parents were, or if they were even alive. She felt lost and alone, but she knew she had to keep going. She had to find out the truth, no matter what.

To be continued...