THE MALL
"Good afternoon sir, please can we see your CCTV footage for the past 15 minutes? This lady here left her baby in her car but couldn't find her anymore after returning from her shopping", the man explained to the attendant at the counter.
" Oh, sorry, Ma'am. Please follow me....", the attendant replied leading them away towards the control room.
" Calm down, Mrs. I know we'll find your baby very soon", the lady consoled.
Leyla nodded nervously in tears.
Minutes later, they got to the control room.
" Knock... knock , Eric, please can I have a word with you? ", the attendant called at the door.
" Sure, come in..."
" Alright, Please , come in....", she called to Leyla and the two people with her.
They all followed her as she strolled towards Eric who was busily monitoring the cameras.
" How may I help you , Sarah?"
" Um...these people here want to check the footages from 15minutes ago. This lady can't find her baby....."
" Okay, just a moment..... "
" Alright.... ", they chorused.
" Okay, here it is...."
" Let us have a closer look at them...", Leyla cried.
They searched through all the footages but couldn't find any trace of the kidnapper nor the baby. Leyla faint to the floor nervously with tears in her eyes.
" I'm finished...."
" Calm down, Mrs. There must be another option. I'm you'll find her. Why don't you call your husband so you can make a report to the police.... "
" okay, thanks for your help...", she replied and dashed out of the control room.
************
DORA'S RESTAURANT
Prisca and Dora kept starring out of the glass door to see if Leyla was coming but still no sign of her anywhere.
" Why isn't she still here? What is really happening? ", Prisca queried.
" I don't even know, Prisca....Let's me call her again to find out..", Dora replied, drawing out her phone.
Just then, her phone rang.
" Oh, she's even the one calling... Let me answer", she stated, answering the call.
" Okay, go ahead "
" Hello, Leyla, where are you and why are you still not here?"
" Dora....(sobs), My baby....Tatiana..", she breaks down in tears.
" Talk to me, Leyla, what happened to Tatiana...."
" Someone took my baby.....(sobs), I left her in the car but couldn't find her after returning from the mall...", Leyla explained.
" What? Oh no.... This can't be happening. So where are you ?"
" What is it, Dora? what happened? ", Prisca queried worriedly.
" Wait, I'm coming...", she signaled to Prisca and turned back to the Leyla on the phone.
" I'm still at the mall, 40 meters away from your restaurant... "
" Alright, we'll join you shortly. Calm down, we'll find her..."
" Okay, I've heard you...."
" Alright, bye...."
She hanged up and stood up from the chair, picking her bag.
" Come on, Prisy, we got to go now..."
" Why? what happened and where are we going?", Prisca asked following her out of the restaurant.
" Is Leyla, she can't find her baby. We need to rush to the mall now...."
" Oh my God, this is nor good"
" Yeah, we need to find her as soon as possible...", she answered, speeding off from the restaurant.
**********
Leyla shuffled around the mall, devastated, in tears. She suddenly heard her phone ringing.
" Who is this...", she muttered, checking the caller.
It was a new number and she wasn't expecting any call from anyone except Dora and Prisca. She glanced at it for awhile and ignored it, dropping it back in her bag but it kept ringing.
" Gosh, who on earth could it be?", she exclaimed answering the call.
" Hey...Leyla, how did you see my welcome gift....", a voice called from the other end of the phone.
" Who is this? Please if you are having Tatiana, please bring her back to me, please.... ", she cried.
" Not so fast, Leyla.... I'm really enjoying this game. Why don't we take it a bit further? What do you say if we get a DNA check ", the voice replied, chuckling.
" Hello, what do you want from me....?"
beep.... beep....., the line dropped.
" No, please, don't go...please, talk to me....", she cried.
" God...., why is this happening to me....?"
" Leyla.....we've been looking all over for you...", a voice called behind her.
She anxiously turned towards the voice.
" Dora, Prisca.....you are here...", she cried and hugged them, crying.
" My baby....,they got my baby..."
" Calm down dear, we are here now. We'll help you find her, okay...", Prisca assured.
" Okay....I've heard you...,Please help me find my baby....(Sobs).
" We will. Let's go report at the police station now..."
Dora held her as they strolled towards the car park with Prisca behind, starring around nervously.
" Who could be behind this...", she wondered.