.
Devon and Kyle rushed out of the hospital after trying Melanie and Mark's number for the umpteenth time. Devon got behind the wheel and Kyle sat at the front seat then dial Elle's number.
''Where are you?'' Kyle asked as soon as Elle answered the call.
''I'm looking at the mansion from afar, what is wrong?''
''Hurry, Elle! Check if Melanie is inside,'' Kyle said he worked on fastening his seat belt while Devon stepped on the gas.
''Is everything okay?'' Elle queried as she pulled the car in front of the mansion and pressed the horn.
''Elle, I can't get through Mark and Melanie. I hope it's not what I am thinking but... I guess something bad might have happened to them,'' Kyle bit his nail.
''What!? I'll check inside right away!''
Elle ended the call and hurried out of the car, as she ignored the gate of the mansion that was opening indicating that she should drive-in.
She hurried inside the living room and met Beverly sitting in front of the television, watching children's series.
''Aunt,'' Beverly stood from where she sat.
''Hey, did you see the other aunt?''
''Aunt Melanie?'' Beverly blinked her eyes.
''Yes. Yes, did you see her?''
''She's not back. How is daddy? Mummy said daddy is sick.''
''Speaking of which, where is your mum?'' Elle rested on her left leg and placed her right hand on her waist as she starts to dial Kyle's number.
''Mum said she was coming to visit daddy. Did you not see her? I thought she...''
''Hey! She's not at home,'' Elle interrupted Beverly as soon as Kyle answered the call.
''Gosh, we're doomed! There are no traces of them on the highway too. We're taking another route to see if they had been in danger,'' Kyle said, breathlessly.
''Gosh, I am so scared, I pray nothing happens to them,'' Elle whined.
''There sir! That's their car!'' Elle heard Devon say.
''Yeah, that's it! Drive faster!''
''Kyle! Did you see them? Kyle...what's going on? Kyle!'' Elle shouted and hung the call.
She glanced at Beverly that watched her solemnly.
''Have you eaten?'' Elle asked her as she starts to walk away from her.
''Yes,'' Beverly nodded her head.
''Good,'' with that, Elle ran out of the living room, then outside the building.
She got into the car, started it, and sped off.
=
Kyle hurried out of the car as soon as they got to where the car was.
However, as he saw Mark lying in a pool of blood, he felt chills over his body.
''That's Mark!'' Devon ran past him.
Kyle wished all of these wasn't happening, they were still waiting for Flynn to wake up, and now this?
He stared at the car that the doors were wide opened and the glass is broken.
Mark was lying unconscious, and his sister-in-law?
Has she been kidnapped or kílled and dumped somewhere else?
No, no, no, that must never happen.
Who dares kidnap Harlan?
Who the hell dare to hurt Flynn Harlan's wife?
Of course, this was a dream that he needs to wake from.
''Is he still breathing?'' Kyle jerk from his thought and walked towards Devon who knelt beside Mark's unconscious body.
''I can feel a faint pulse...'' Devon said and stood up then faced Kyle.
''I think she has been kidnapped.''
''Kidnapped? Not kîlled? Or did she perhaps escape from whoever was trying to hurt her?''
''Seeing what happened here, I think she was kidnapped. Mark probably got down to fight them and lock madam in, he was killed while he was fighting with the kidnapper. See, the glass was broken,'' Devon pointed at the tinted, broken glass.
''Gosh, this shouldn't have happened. I swear It should not have happened. Let's move Mark to the hospital then think of the next thing to do," Kyle ran his hand through his hair and sighed deeply.
''There's no surveillance camera here,'' Devon looked around as he walked towards Mark.
Kyle bit his lower lips as he received an incoming call from Elle.
''Huh?''
''Did you find her? Where are you guys?''
''Come to the hospital. Melanie has been kidnapped, and we found Mark, half dêad,'' Mark answered as he watch Devon carry Mark inside the car.
''What!?'' Kyle heard the screeching halt of Elle's car.
"Let's meet at the hospital, you should not hear news like this when driving. I'm hanging up."
''Wait!'' Elle screamed and Kyle placed the phone on his ear slowly.
''Is she really kidnapped? I am scared,'' Elle whimpered and Kyle shook his head.
''Babe, let's meet at the hospital," Kyle groaned and ended the call.
He walked to the car, entered, and glanced at Mark as Devon started the car.
=
Melanie heard the indistinct chatters as she opened her eyes slowly. As she tried to move her body, she realized that she had been tied on both her hands and legs.
''I think our angel just woke,'' a man beside her said.
She looked around and realized they were in a car, and she was in between two deadly huge men.
''Why are you doing this to me? Where are you taking me to?'' Melanie whisper-shouted.
''Ah... That's why I told you guys to make sure the drug is much in the handkerchief. I don't like bîtches waking up when taking them to their new house,'' the man driving groaned.
''You guys dare not lay a finger on me. My husband will make you pay dearly for whatever you do to me!'' Melanie screamed with the strength she had in her.
''Your husband? That arrogant mafia? Oh, please, he is in a coma. There's no way that punk will open his eyes all of the sudden to come to hunt for us,'' the man who had a scar on his face laughed and everyone joined him in laughing.
''You don't know whom you're toying with. You can't get away with this. Never!'' Melanie screamed and the men laughed.
''I hate noisy bîtches. We're almost at your new home, angel. Let's put you back to bed," the man with a scar smiled at her as the man by her left-hand side covered her nose with a handkerchief again.
==
By the time Devon and Kyle arrived at the hospital, Elle, Tyler, and Melinda were already waiting outside Flynn's ward.
''Where is Mark?'' Elle rushed towards the two men.
''He is in the emergency room already,'' Kyle answered and hurried towards Melinda who was crying her eyes out while Tyler tried consoling her.
''My daughter deserves to be happy! Who is trying to make things hard for her? She's carrying a baby, I hope she and the baby will be fine,'' Melinda wailed as Tyler pulled her in a hug.
''We will find her, mum. I assure you,'' Kyle said and stood up.
''If she was kidnapped, that means the kidnappers have been tailing them from the hospital...'' Kyle started as he folded his arm tightly across his chest.
''The hospital surveillance camera!–''
''CCTV footage!–''
''The hospital CCTV!–''
Devon, Kyle, and Elle chorused.
''Exactly! We should check that first,'' Elle snapped her finger twice.
''Okay! Let's go see doctor Hudson first," Kyle said and began to walk away.
--
''What!?'' Doctor Hudson hit the table in surprise.
''Yes, sister-in-law has been kidnapped and we need to see the CCTV footage to check if we can find any hint or whatsoever,'' Kyle answered.
''That is not a problem. I'll give the CCTV management to let you have a look. I hope We can find a clue,'' Doctor Hudson said and dialed a number in the telecom.
==
Devon, Elle, and Kyle watched the CCTV with keen interest and when the part where Kyle escorted Melanie to the car showed, they almost held their breath.
''Stop!" Devon creased his brow as he watched the screen.
''Rewind,'' he breathed out.
''Sir, this car had been here for the past four hours but it moved as soon as the car madam is left,'' Devon snatched the mouse from the CCTV manager and replayed the part.
''It was as if the car waited for you to enter before following our car. Look...''
Devon played the part when the car arrived and funny enough, no one came out of the car till five hours had passed when Melanie was going home.
''It's not a car. Here... Another car followed the black Lexus,'' Elle pointed at the screen.
''I guess they are working together. The cars are not registered too. It will be very hard to track them down,'' Devon ran his hand through his hair.
===
As they walked to the emergency room where Mark was wheeled in.
The door opened and four nurses wheeled a stretcher out, with a person on it.
But why was the person covered with cloth?
''What's going on?'' Kyle rushed towards the nurses and opened the cloth that covered the person lying under it with aggression.
''Argh!'' Elle gasped and she covered her mouth.
The nurses covered the body back and wheeled the dead person back.
Kyle shook his head as he glanced at Devon who tried not to lose his cool.
But, hell!
How could he not lose it!
The person that he had known for five years had just died!
Mark died on the operating table!
The doctor came out a few seconds later and announced the time of déath.
''Time of death, 7:15 pm. Cause of death, loss of blood,'' with that, the doctor bowed then walked away.