As the call ended, Emily stood there, cold sweat covering her back, her body tense and her mind racing with a thousand thoughts. She quickly glanced around the room, her eyes falling on familiar objects that now seemed distant and unimportant. She knew she had to move quickly, but every step felt burdened with the unknown.
Carla walked over and saw her face pale with cold sweat hanging on her forehead. "Is everything okay, Emily?" Carla asked, her voice filled with concern.
Emily's eyes were wide with worry, yet there was a fierce anger burning within them. "He has Alex," she replied, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and rage. Without wasting a moment, she grabbed her phone and called Ed.
The phone barely rang once before Ed answered, "Miss Johnson."
"Ed, Julian has Alex. He just called. The number was blocked. We can't risk waiting," Emily said urgently, her voice tight with desperation.
