Mark's eyes blazed with a mix of fear and determination as he turned to Frank. "We have to find him," he growled, his voice low and urgent. "Now."
Frank nodded grimly, already starting the car. "We'll do everything we can, Mark. But we need to be smart about it. We don't know what we're up against."
Mark's jaw clenched as he tried to think clearly. But his mind was a jumble of worst-case scenarios, each one more terrifying than the last.
As they sped away from the airport, Mark's restlessness grew. He couldn't just sit back and do nothing. He needed to act.
"Take me to the last place he was seen," Mark demanded, his eyes fixed intently on Frank.
Frank nodded, his expression set in a determined mask. "Hold on, Mark. We're going in."
The car surged forward, racing into the unknown, as Mark's anxiety threatened to consume him. He was ready to do whatever it took to save his brother.
Mark's phone rang again, and he snatched it up, hoping it was Alex. "Alex? Where are you?" he demanded, his voice tight with worry.
"I'm at Mom and Dad's grave," Alex replied, his voice low and somber. "I needed to come here before I go to the mansion. I needed to say goodbye."
Mark's eyes widened in surprise. "Alex, what's going on? You're scaring me."
"I'll explain everything when I see you," Alex said, his voice firm. "But I need you to come here now. I don't have much time."
Mark's heart raced as he turned to Frank. "He's at Mom and Dad's grave. Let's go."
Frank nodded, already turning the car around. "Hold on, Mark. We're going."
As they sped towards the graveyard, Mark's mind raced with questions. What was Alex doing there? What did he mean by "I don't have much time"?
When they arrived at the graveyard, Mark saw Alex standing alone by their parents' grave, his eyes fixed on the headstone. Mark rushed towards him, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Alex, what's going on?" Mark demanded, grabbing his brother's arm.
Alex turned to him, his eyes haunted. "I've been hiding something from you, Mark. Something big."
Mark's eyes narrowed, his grip on Alex's arm tightening. "What are you talking about? What did Dad tell you?"
Alex hesitated, glancing around the graveyard nervously. "Dad told me that some members of the club are involved in some shady dealings. Money laundering, extortion, even murder."
Mark's eyes widened in shock. "What? Why didn't he tell me?"
Alex shook his head. "He wanted to protect you, Mark. He knew you'd try to do something about it, and he didn't want you to get hurt."
Mark's mind reeled as he tried to process this new information. He had always known that the club was exclusive, but he had no idea it was involved in illegal activities.
"What else did Dad tell you?" Mark demanded, his voice low and urgent.
Alex took a deep breath before speaking. "He told me that the Serpents are planning something big, something that could put us all in danger. And I think it's connected to Diana's disappearance."
As they drove away from the graveyard, Mark filled Alex in on everything they had discovered so far. "We've been investigating Larry Johnson and Jefferson Hendricks, Diana's father," Mark explained, his eyes fixed on the road. "We think they might be involved in her disappearance."
Alex's eyes widened in shock. "What? How are they connected?"
Mark hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But something about Alex's expression told him he could trust his brother. "We think Larry Johnson might be working with the Serpents, using his connections to help them with their illegal activities. And Jefferson Hendricks... well, we're not sure about him yet, but we think he might be in deep financial trouble."
Alex's face darkened. "I knew it. I knew Dad was hiding something from us."
Mark nodded grimly. "We need to be careful, Alex. If the Serpents are involved, we don't know what they're capable of."
As they approached the mansion, Mark could feel a sense of unease settling over him. What would they find inside? And what would happen next?
Diana struggled against the ropes that bound her to the chair, desperation fueling her efforts. She knew she had to escape, but the sharp metal edge on the floor seemed just out of reach. She stretched her fingers as far as they would go, but it was no use. Just as she was about to give up, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
One of her captors, a burly man with a cruel grin, entered the room. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here," he sneered, eyeing Diana's struggles. "You think you can escape? You're not going anywhere."
Diana glared at him defiantly, but inside, she was terrified. She knew she had to think fast, or she would be trapped forever. The man approached her, his eyes gleaming with malice, and Diana knew she had to act. With a surge of adrenaline, she pretended to slump forward, hoping to distract him. And then, in a flash of movement, she reached out with her foot and kicked the sharp metal edge, sending it skittering across the floor towards her.
Larry Johnson, wearing a mask to conceal his identity, sneered at Diana as he revealed his plan. "We're going to get a nice ransom from your lover and your father," he gloated, his voice dripping with malice.
Diana's eyes narrowed, trying to place the voice behind the mask. "Who are you?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.
But Larry just chuckled, his voice changing to a higher pitch as he spoke. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough," he said, his words dripping with sarcasm. "But for now, let's just say I'm someone who's been watching you for a very long time."
Diana's mind raced as she tried to connect the voice to a face, but it was no use. The mask and the disguised voice made it impossible to identify him. She was at his mercy, and she knew it.
"So, you're going to ransom me to Mark and my father?" Diana asked, trying to stall for time.
Larry nodded, his mask glinting in the dim light. "Yes, and they'll pay dearly for your safe return," he sneered, his voice dripping with greed.
Diana's heart sank, but she refused to give up. She knew she had to think f
ast, or she would be trapped forever.