Jake
The seconds dragged as I stared out at the road where Laura had disappeared, her figure vanishing as she jumped into that car. She didn't wait. After everything we'd been through, she didn't stay, didn't give me the chance to explain, to reassure her that none of this mattered. She had been scared, hurt, and I knew that she must be feeling betrayed, vulnerable. But seeing her run away like that, without a backward glance, it tore into me.
She should have trusted me enough to know that I would never abandon her in a time like this. This was Jackson's doing and we would have gotten through it together…
I clenched my fists, frustration burning through me. I wanted to chase her, to reach out, to fix all of this. Instead, I forced myself back inside the hall, dialing my head of security. "Frank," I barked into the phone, pacing as I tried to push down the swell of panic. "I need you on Laura's trail immediately. She's in a car, headed out of the city, I think. Do we have any tracking on her?"
There was a pause on the other end before Frank's calm, reliable voice came through. "Not directly on her, sir, but we're on it. We'll use traffic cameras and satellite images to track her car. Get to the security van. I'll have the team meet you there."
I was in the van less than five minutes later, watching as the screen flickered to life. Three security personnel were already there, adjusting the monitors and pulling up maps, while Frank leaned over, speaking quietly to one of the technicians. I grabbed his shoulder, my voice barely holding steady. "Frank, tell me we're close."
He nodded, his eyes serious. "We've got a lead, sir. The car she got into was caught on one of the traffic cameras heading south. If we cross-check it with nearby surveillance footage, we'll pinpoint a location soon. But it's going to take a bit of time."
"Time?" I echoed, my voice harsher than I intended. "We don't have time. She could be anywhere by now." I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the rising sense of urgency knot in my chest. "You need to move faster."
The technician, a young woman who looked barely out of her twenties, glanced up with a tense expression. "We're working as fast as we can, Mr. Anderson. But there are a lot of channels to go through, private surveillance, city cameras…"
"I don't care about the details. Just get it done," I snapped, feeling a tinge of regret as she flinched. This wasn't their fault, but the thought of Laura alone, with no one to protect her, filled me with a desperation I couldn't shake.
After a few moments, the technician's voice broke through the silence. "Got it. We traced the car to an abandoned building on the outskirts. No sign of movement in or out since then."
"Then what are we waiting for?" I demanded. "Let's go."
Frank nodded, signaling to the team. "We're ready, sir. Van's already prepped. Let's move."
The drive felt like an eternity. Every bump in the road sent my heart pounding faster, my thoughts spinning with every possibility. Why had she gotten into that car? Who was behind this? I refused to believe Laura had just run off with someone. No, this was orchestrated, there was too much at stake here. Someone wanted to tear us apart, to ruin the trust we had built.
As we neared the building, Frank gave a quick rundown. "The building's been abandoned for years. Used to be an old warehouse before it was shut down. We'll approach from the east entrance, where the car was last spotted. Our team is ready to sweep the area."
"Then do it," I said, barely able to contain my impatience. "I want every inch of that building covered."
We reached the building, and I jumped out of the van before it even came to a full stop. Frank tried to hold me back, but I shrugged him off. "Sir, it could be dangerous," he warned.
"I don't care." My voice was ice. "Laura is in there, and I'm going to get her." I let out firmly.
We moved through the shadows, the only sounds our footsteps and the occasional creak of the decrepit structure. I scanned the building, my eyes searching for any sign of movement, any clue that would lead us to Laura. As we turned a corner, a faint noise caught my attention. I stopped, raising a hand to signal the team, and we crept closer.
There, in the middle of the room, I saw her, Moira, tied to a chair, her head slumped forward, her face obscured by her disheveled hair. I felt a flicker of shock before a wave of anger washed over me. I didn't know what game she was playing, but Laura was nowhere to be seen.
"Moira," I called, my voice low and dangerous.
She didn't move. I glanced at Frank, who nodded, approaching her cautiously, checking for signs of consciousness. He leaned down, his hand on her shoulder, and she stirred, slowly lifting her head to meet my gaze. Her eyes widened in mock surprise, but I wasn't buying it. She'd always been a master manipulator, but this was too far, even for her.
"Where's Laura?" I demanded, my voice echoing through the empty room. "What did you do to her?"
Moira's mouth twisted into a faint smirk, but there was a flicker of fear in her eyes. "Jake," she said, her tone almost pitiful. "Is that any way to greet me?"
I stepped closer, my fists clenched, barely restraining the urge to lash out. "Cut the crap, Moira. I know you're behind this. Now tell me, where is she?"
She tilted her head forward. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm the one tied up here, in case you didn't notice." She replied but I could feel the pretense in her tone.
"Don't lie to me," I growled, my patience snapping. "I know you set this up. You think I don't see right through you? You're involved in this somehow, and if you don't tell me where she is, I swear I'll…"
Frank put a hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down. "Sir, let us handle this. We'll question her properly. If she knows anything, we'll get it out of her."
I shook him off, my gaze never leaving Moira's face. I could see the flicker of satisfaction in her eyes, the twisted pleasure she took in my desperation. But I also saw something else, fear. She knew something, and she was hiding it.
"Moira," I said, my voice low and cold. "I'm not playing games. Laura is missing, and if you don't tell me where she is, you'll regret it. Now, start talking."
For a moment, she was silent, her eyes darting between me and the security team surrounding her. She looked almost cornered, and if I didn't know her well, I would say she was really a victim.
"Jake, I'd love to help, really. But like I said, I'm just as much a victim here."
I took a step closer, leaning down so I was face-to-face with her. "You think I'm stupid? You think I don't know what you're capable of? You may have fooled me once, but not this time. So here's how this is going to work. You tell me where Laura is, or we're going to keep you here until you decide to cooperate."
I leaned closer, lowering my voice so only she could hear. "You may think you're in control, Moira, but you're not. Laura's out there somewhere, and if anything happens to her because of you, I'll make sure you pay for it. So, for the last time, where is she?" I yelled at her while she burst into tears…