Frank was poring over files at his desk when his phone buzzed. It was James. "Frank, the DNA results are in. Get to the conference room."
Frank grabbed his notepad and headed over. "We get a hit?"
James grinned as he gestured to the screen where Ajay was setting up a projection. "We got five."
Ajay tapped a button, and five faces appeared on the large screen.
James continued, "According to the results, these five women are the biological mothers of 13 of the 27 kids."
Frank raised an eyebrow. "The mothers? Let me guess—they're criminals and sitting in prison somewhere."
James shook his head. "Nope. They're in the system for a different reason. They're missing."
Frank frowned, leaning closer to the screen. "Missing? All five of them?"
James nodded, pointing to the screen. "That's right. Five women—all in their early twenties, all attractive and smart. They were in college when they vanished."
Zoey chimed in, her gaze fixed on the screen. "Allison Hayes. Physics major at D.U. Went to class one morning and never came back."
Ajay scrolled through more details. "Four of them disappeared without a trace. The police reports are almost identical. Clean grabs. No witnesses."
Frank's tone sharpened. "All except one."
James highlighted a photo of a young woman. "Liza Elison. She was 20, a sophomore at Murk University. She was drinking at a bar one night and vanished on her way home. A witness saw her struggling with a man who shoved her into a van."
Frank's eyes narrowed. "And no one could ID the guy?"
James shook his head. "Nothing. No plates on the van. No usable descriptions. The lead went cold."
Layla leaned forward, her voice firm. "So, they're not just taking children—they're abducting women. What's the timeline on these cases?"
Zoey picked up a file and scanned it. "Allison Hayes was taken three years ago." She paused, her brow furrowing as she flipped to another page. "Wait... that doesn't make sense."
Frank glanced at her. "What doesn't make sense?"
Zoey looked up, holding the file open. "According to the DNA test, Allison is the biological mother of two children adopted through the Forever Home Agency. One is two years old, and the other is one."
Layla frowned. "So, she gave birth after she was kidnapped?"
Zoey nodded, her tone grim. "Not just gave birth—she got pregnant after she was taken."
Frank quickly sifted through the files spread across the table. "It's not just her. Kate Wills, Michelle Lefferts... the DNA matches for their kids all point to pregnancies that happened after their abductions."
Layla's expression darkened as the horrifying realization settled in. "They're not stealing children. They're farming them. Kidnapping women, forcing them to conceive, and then adopting out the babies."
James clenched his fists. "That's why we couldn't find any birth records for these kids—they were never supposed to exist in the system."
Zoey's voice trembled with anger. "These guys aren't just criminals. They're worse than monsters."
Before anyone could respond, Ajay's voice cut through the tension. "Guys, I think I found something."
Everyone crowded around Ajay's desk, their eyes on his screen.
"You're looking at Ted Caldwell's computer," Ajay began. "The one we seized from his office. Most of it was routine, but buried deep in the system, I found something someone really didn't want us to see."
Everyone leaned in closer as Ajay navigated through the files on his screen.
Frank: "Purchase orders? What exactly was he buying?"
The screen displayed a young woman's profile: a headshot, medical history, grades, and extracurricular activities.
Ajay: "It's a complete dossier—medical records, grades going back to middle school, athletic achievements, extracurriculars. Everything someone would need to profile a target."
Zoey picked up the printed dossier, frowning as she read aloud. "Lucy Pattison. Second-year student at Daeton University. Physics major. Looks like she's excelling academically and athletically."
She turned to Frank, her expression serious. "You think she's their next target?"
Frank's jaw tightened as he studied Lucy's profile. "She fits their pattern perfectly. Early 20s, attractive, accomplished... This can't be a coincidence."
Frank: "We can't afford to take any chances. We need to get her into protective custody."
****
Somewhere inside a dimly lit parking garage, a man sat in a van, flipping through the same dossier Zoey had been reviewing moments earlier. It was Henry—the man Frank had shot a few days ago. His face was calm, focused. He closed the file, tossed it on the passenger seat, and started the engine.
****
Inside a bustling college hallway, students streamed out of classrooms, chatting and laughing. Among a group of four girls exiting a lecture hall was Lucy Pattison, oblivious to the growing danger around her.
****
Back at DPD headquarters, Ajay was on the phone with Frank, who was already en route to the university.
Ajay: "I just got off the phone with the university. Lucy's in a physics class at Regents Hall. Class ends at 5:00 p.m."
****
On the other end of the call, Frank pushed through a crowded hallway, urgency in his voice.
Frank: "Got it. I'm on my way. Move, move!" He weaved through students, his eyes scanning the faces around him, his pace quickening.
****
Meanwhile, in the parking structure near campus, Henry's van was parked near a row of cars, one of which belonged to Lucy. He watched silently, waiting, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the structure.
****
Outside, Lucy strolled toward the parking lot, humming softly to herself, completely unaware of the danger lurking nearby. She glanced at her phone briefly, then continued toward her car.
****
Back on the phone, Frank's voice cut through the static.
Frank: "Class is dismissed. She's gone. Give me something, Ajay."
Ajay: "Her car's still in the parking structure. She swiped in but hasn't swiped out yet."
Frank: "I'm heading there now."
As Lucy approached her car, her footsteps echoed in the quiet parking lot. Henry shifted in his seat, his hand tightening on the steering wheel as he watched her from the shadows. The tension in the air was palpable as the hunter closed in on his prey.