17

Christian

After running the photo through their computer, the police didn't find a match to any mug shots they had on file. After slipping one of the officers a few bills as incentive, he allowed me to look through the computer myself. I didn't trust the system.

I looked through pages and pages of mug shots under keywords like "assault", "battery", "stalking", but none matched the guy in the photo. I showed his picture to the officers inside the station, but most just shrugged. Fortunately, I knew enough to not just rely on police work. I had sent the photo to my brother Jager. He was a whiz when it came to technology.

Just as I was showing the photo to one particularly uninterested officer, my phone rang. It was Jager.

"Hey, brother. Did you get a hit with your facial recognition program?"

Jager sighed. "Nothing, man. Not even a traffic ticket."

The news should have been a relief, but not knowing sometimes was worse than hearing the worst-case scenario.

"What are you thinking?" Jager asked when I was silent.

"That I wished I knew what I was up against. This isn't the same guy that attacked her in the coffee shop. And he doesn't have a criminal record."

"Maybe he's really just a fan."

I pressed my lips together. "Maybe. I just wish there was some way to be sure."

"I'll keep trying here."

"Thanks. I'm going to try showing his picture to bouncers in the clubs nearby. Maybe they'll recognize him."

"That's a good idea. Good luck, brother."

"Thanks, Jager."

I hung up the phone and started my car. As I drove, I mulled over the situation. There had been no attempt on her life since I started working with her and the social media posts had been positive since her impromptu concert. If things continued to improve like this, my recommendation would usually be for a new bodyguard, one I would personally hire to watch over Hailey. My work here would be done.

Except I didn't want to be done with her. I couldn't imagine ever being done with Hailey.

How will this work?

I loved my brothers. We'd been through hell and back together. We made an unspoken promise to always be there for each other. I knew I would meet someone someday. I'd just thought we'd always live in New York.

Well, I still had a few weeks to figure this out. For now, I would enjoy being with Hailey here in L.A.

When I opened the door, I called out to her. "Hailey, I'm back."

She didn't answer.

"Hailey," I called, walking through the house. Stepping into her bedroom, I saw the T-shirt she'd worn to bed last night on the floor. "Hailey?"

My pulse began to beat faster. I wasn't one to panic, but I didn't like not knowing where she was. I remembered her wanting to go for a swim, so I checked the pool.

Except for a coffee mug sitting on a small round table next to a lounger, the backyard was empty, too.

Where could she be?

My footsteps quickened as I checked the dining room, the study, and then the bathroom. I hadn't checked the kitchen because it was closest to the foyer. If she'd been in there, she would have heard me call.

Then, imagining an accident had befallen her, I ran in there as fast as I could. I scanned every inch of the white porcelain floor. While I was relieved to not find her hurt, panic started to set in.

I was about to call her cell phone when a piece of cream paper caught my attention on the kitchen island. Grabbing the paper, I read the note: Went to pick up my mom. Will be back in an hour to explain the whole thing. Love you.

I crumbled the piece of paper in my fist and growled. She'd defied a direct order and I would punish any soldier severely for doing that. But she wasn't a soldier. She was… my lover? No. That didn't sound right. My girlfriend? Did we need to declare that at our age? Regardless of the label, she was the best thing to have ever happened to me.

I quickly pulled out my phone to find her location. I exhaled when I saw she hadn't turned that off. She must have had a good reason to run out. Perhaps her mother called her in distress? I would have hoped she'd have called me, but I was starting to understand her need to rush out now that I was anxious to do so myself.

I grabbed my car keys and strode through the foyer, prepared to retrieve Hailey and her mother, when Anne's blue Mercedes pulled into the driveway.

I exhaled loudly, not having realized how worried I was until my knees nearly gave out from the relief.

Her mother's high heels clicked on the stone walkway and I stepped to the side, waiting for Hailey to come out of the car.

"Hello, Christian. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Anne. How are you?"

"Good, good."

My brow furrowed. The pick-up wasn't an emergency then. A bit of my frustration returned. I looked back to the car, but the tinted windows disguised any movement.

Anne walked past me and into the home. "Hailey," she called, and I blinked several times.

What the fuck?

"Hailey, sweetie, come down. I've got something to discuss with you."

"Anne," I said, returning inside. "Hailey isn't here. She left a note saying she's with you."

"With me? What are you talking about?"

Confusion gave way to panic again. My heart raced and my palms felt clammy. Blood rushed through my ears. I was deaf to Anne's next words. Her mouth moved, but her words were muddled and distant.

Think, Chris. What the hell just happened?

Did Hailey write the note in distress? Did she really believe that her mother needed her? Smoothing out the paper, I used every bit of psychological training that I had.

Her last words, Love you , reassured me that those words were hers. She wasn't coerced to write the note. Her handwriting was neat, if a little slanted, which told me she was in a rush but wasn't being held at gunpoint. Hailey believed what she had written.

I knew this was a trap. Someone pretended to be Anne to get Hailey to drive to a specific location. I could call the police, but I knew they would only fuck this up. In my ten years in special ops, I had more training than anyone in the police department when it came to rescuing hostages. The police would only get in my way. I just wished my brothers were with me.

I grabbed my phone and pulled up her location. Racing past Anne, she called out, "Where are you going?"

Without wasting any time, I called over my shoulder, "To save Hailey."

The words added speed to my steps, and I peeled out of the driveway toward the blue dot. The location was at least thirty minutes away, probably longer this late in the day.

I didn't care. I weaved in and out of traffic and merged into the HOV lane when I wasn't supposed to. If a cop tried to stop me, he'd have to follow me straight to her location.

But as I drove, instead of seeing the streets of Los Angeles, images of dusty and abandoned roads kept creeping up in my head. I was having flashbacks to the day I tried to rescue Jordan.

No. This wouldn't end the same way. Hailey would not die on my watch. That would not happen.

I called Jager.

"Chris, what's going on?"

"I need your help. I think Hailey might be in trouble."

"What can I do?"

"Can you scan the traffic cameras at this location?" I forwarded him the address. "I need to get eyes on this spot."

"Sure thing, brother. I'll check all the cameras for you."

"Thanks."

I hung up and checked the time. Only fifteen minutes had passed, but it felt like an hour.

The cars in front of me blocked my path. Checking my blind spot, I maneuvered through the lane and exited the highway. I drove through less desirable neighborhoods as those would be the quickest route.

Finally, I pulled up in front of her location. The street was empty except for a gas station down the road. There were a couple of people standing there, filling their tanks.

I checked my holster and called Jager.

"Hey, Chris. There isn't much activity around there, only one traffic light close to the building."

Looking around the street from inside my vehicle, I knew he was right. I couldn't spot any cameras from my angle, either.

"What do you see?" I asked.

"I see Hailey's car parked out back and there's a van there, too, so someone's with her."

"Any other vehicles?"

"No."

I nodded. One van could carry up to ten people. I could handle ten.

"Chris, I would advise you against entering that building without backup."

"You know the police will only get in my way."

Jager sighed. "All right, but I can hear it in your voice. Don't let your heart get in the way of your head. Check all entrance and exit points, use your scanner to decipher how many bodies are inside, and don't make a move unless you're sure you can get out of there safely. We care about you, brother."

"Thanks, man. I love you, too."

Jager groaned but added, "Now, go get her."

I set my phone on silent and slowly got out of the car. Nobody walked down the street and I turned the corner of the building and saw no one there, either. I crept closer to the van, with my gun pointing towards it. The driver's side was empty, and the doors were all closed.

To be safe, I checked inside. Dirty white sheets and some paint cans were lined up in the back, but otherwise, the van was empty.

I took one step at a time, listening for any rustling or movement as I approached the back of the building. The steel door handle felt cold when I grasped it, but it gave way and opened into an abandoned restaurant. The space was large but empty. There weren't any tables or chairs, but there were still plenty of stainless-steel countertops and shelves in the kitchen. Lots of places for someone to hide.

I dropped down and scanned the floor for any feet hiding in the back. Whipping my gun back and forth, I breathed a little easier when I didn't see any.

"Hello?"

Her voice reached me and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. "Is someone there? Help me, please." Her voice cracked on a sob, and it sounded hoarse. She must have been calling out for a while now.

A sudden movement to my left caught my attention, and I pointed my gun in that direction.

A bullet whizzed past my head and hit the back door. In a flash, the restaurant turned into the streets of Kabul. I didn't see drywall. Instead, the walls around me were made of stone. The air was humid and I could hardly breathe.

Chris, hurry. Someone's in here.

Jordan's voice rang in my ear, and I closed my eyes to shut it out. I was in America. I was home. This wasn't real.

"Someone, please help me." This was Hailey. Her voice brought me back home. But the fear in her voice fueled the emotions from that time I couldn't save my friend. The despair and the grief all balled into one ugly lump in my belly.

I stepped forward, and another bullet fired.

Stand down, soldier. This is a direct order.

Although my eyes were open, I couldn't see the room. I only saw the past and felt the terror of losing someone again.

No. I repeated. I wouldn't lose her. I couldn't survive it if I did.

The last time, I waited too long. I wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

I came out from behind the counter and started firing. Bang! Bang! Bang!

Shots rang out, but I stayed low and kept firing until I blew out the front windows. Glass shattered everywhere and, in that moment, a figure emerged from the corner and ran out the front door.

A strong instinct urged me to follow the person, but my training taught me that I needed to secure the hostage first. There could be another shooter somewhere else. I waited for any other movement. Tentatively, I straightened and took a step toward the door where I'd last heard Hailey's voice. Glass crunched underneath my shoes and I held my gun straight toward the front.

"Hailey, it's me. Are you all right?" I tried opening the door, but it was locked.

"Christian? Oh, thank god," she cried. "Yes, I'm fine. Just scared."

"Okay. I need to find something to pry open the door."

I checked around the room, but there was nothing I could find. A car started in the distance and then a white van peeled across the front window. I didn't catch a glimpse of the driver, but I immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

I walked around the restaurant freely now. While there were some old kitchen tools, there was nothing I could pry the door open with.

"Stand back, Hailey," I called, approaching the door. "And cover your face."

Aligning my hips in a fighter's stance, I raised my leg and kicked the door with my boot flat against the wood frame. It cracked, but only a fraction.

I kicked it again and again. The frame groaned under the impact, but it wasn't until the fourth kick that it finally gave way. The lock flew off and Hailey jumped when the door swung open and hit the wall.

She stood there in her jeans and a band T-shirt, shivering and pale, her eyes wild. I took one step towards her, but she flung herself into me before I could move another muscle.

I wrapped my arms around her and breathed in the scent of her hair and her skin. Her tears soaked a spot on my shirt and I ran my fingers through her soft hair to soothe her.

"You're all right. Everything is all right now."

"Christian. I was so fucking scared."

"How did you get in this closet?"

She kept her face pressed to my chest. "When I walked in, I looked for my mother but knew something was wrong when the place was empty. I tried to go back outside, but someone hit me over the head. The next thing I knew, I woke up inside the closet."

I ran my hands through her hair, searching for a bump.

"Ow," she hissed.

A large lump protruded from the side of her skull. The bastard .

"Is my mother okay?"

"Yes. She's fine. She's at your place right now. Or at least she better be."

She groaned. "I'm so sorry. I know I should've listened to you. But the voice on the phone was my mother's. I swear it. I don't understand how that's possible."

Thinking about some of the technology stocks I invested in, I realized what had happened. "Someone used Artificial Intelligence to copy your mother's voice. They used it to make a phone call. It was never your mother."

She shook her head.

"I feel so stupid," she said, and I rubbed her back.

"It happens to the best of us. You wanted to help your mother. I can understand that."

I licked my lips and put my bodyguard hat back on. "Hailey, do you recall anything about the person who locked you in here? Did he have a deep voice? Did you recognize the voice? Can you tell me anything about his features or height?"

Hailey shook her head. "I didn't see or hear anyone."

I closed my eyes, frustrated by the lack of evidence left behind. I didn't have much to go on.

"Hailey, this incident has just increased the danger level. There is someone actively trying to hurt you. I will not leave you out of my sight until we find them."

She nodded. I was glad she agreed so readily, but I hated how she trembled in my arms.

I would find the bastard and make him pay for what he did to her.