Lena pushed open the door to Owen's room, her heart racing, her mind still caught in the panic of the van speeding off with Tara. Her hands trembled as she stepped inside, barely registering her surroundings, her thoughts consumed by the helplessness gnawing at her.
She knocked once on the doorframe, and Owen's half-asleep face appeared a moment later, his eyes bleary, a slight frown forming as he registered her presence. His tired expression quickly shifted to one of concern as he saw the tears streaming down her face.
"What... What happened?" Owen's voice was hesitant, his words faltering as he stepped toward her, his eyes scanning her for any sign of injury.
Lena swallowed hard, her breath shaking. "They took Tara," she choked out, voice barely above a whisper. "The men... the ones in the van. They took her."
Owen froze, eyes widening with disbelief. "What? Who... who took her?"
"The traffickers. They grabbed her right in front of me. I couldn't stop them. I couldn't save her," Lena's voice broke, her chest heaving as she collapsed against the doorframe, her knees weak. Her hands curled into fists at her sides, nails digging into her skin as if the pain could ground her in this chaos.
Owen stepped closer, nervously reaching out to her, but unsure of how to comfort her. "Do you... do you know where they took her? Can you... track them?"
Lena wiped her face, trying to regain control. "I don't know where. I was knocked out the last time I was taken, I couldn't see the place. But you... you've helped before, Owen. You know the routes. You know how they work."
Owen blinked, his face turning pale as the reality of the situation hit him. "I-I don't know if I can... but... wait. You're right. I can try." His voice faltered as his nervous energy made him fidget with his hands. "Just... just calm down. Let me check things."
Lena stood still, her breathing shallow, barely able to stop the waves of panic that kept crashing over her. She watched as Owen scrambled to his laptop, his fingers trembling slightly as he typed frantically. He muttered to himself, running searches through every database he could access, all while Lena paced back and forth, her mind spinning.
Minutes passed like hours. Then, Owen's voice broke through the silence.
"I got something," he said, his voice a little more sure now. "There's a place... it's near the docks, one of the traffickers' hideouts. It's the closest one, so it might be where they took her."
Lena's heart skipped a beat, hope flickering for the first time in what felt like forever. "I'm going there," she said, her voice firm and cold. She started to turn toward the door, her hand already reaching for the handle, but Owen's voice stopped her.
"Wait," he said, his eyes wide with concern. "You can't go alone. There'll be too many people there. It's dangerous, Lena."
Lena's eyes darkened, a determined fire flashing in her gaze. "I'll let them do whatever they want to me. I'll let them take everything from me if it means I get Tara back."
Owen's face softened with worry, but he said nothing. He knew Lena well enough to understand that once her mind was made up, nothing would stop her.
She looked back at him, her expression unflinching. "Prepare backup. I'm going in."
Owen hesitated for a moment before nodding, grabbing his phone and dialing quickly. "I've got some guys I can call. Street guys. They'll help," he said, his voice low. "But... Lena, please be careful."
Lena just nodded, her focus already on what she needed to do. Without another word, she turned and walked out of the room.
The streets felt darker than usual as Lena made her way to the docks. The air was thick with tension, her senses sharpened to every small sound around her. She had dressed herself in clothes that were more revealing, hotter, designed for the men she knew she would have to face—clothes she could use to her advantage. She knew it would be dangerous, but there was no turning back. Tara was waiting for her. And Lena would do whatever it took.
She reached the docks, the air growing colder, the buildings and warehouses around her casting long, haunting shadows. The sounds of the water lapping against the shore did little to soothe the unease in her stomach. Her heart pounded in her chest, every step taking her closer to where the traffickers were likely keeping Tara.
Her phone buzzed once. Owen had sent word—his friends were in position, ready to help, but they'd have to be careful. The traffickers weren't fools. Lena's mind raced as she assessed the situation. She would have to move fast. There would be no time to think once she was inside.
She took a deep breath and glanced at the abandoned warehouse ahead. Her instincts told her this was it—the place where they were holding Tara. She tightened her grip on the knife hidden at her waist, steeling herself for what was about to happen. There would be no mercy.