REVENGE (Rewriting)

Miss Me?

            The house settled into an empty silence. First thing I need to do is call my brother and sister. They both don't pick up so I assumed Hannah was probably on assignment and Ross was in class. When they don't respond right away, I turn my phone off.

Exhausted, I decided I'd head into office to see if I could figure something out. I looked terrible though, so I figured the least I could do was shower and not wear sweats. It's a quick lukewarm shower, and I throw on the first sweater, jeans, and boots I find to pass as an at least business casual outfit. I brew some strong coffee and hastily pour it into the first travel mug I can find before grabbing my bag and stepping out.

"Ms. Park, where do you think you're going?"

Crap, I forgot about the stupid security detail. I want to snap at him and ask if he's my damn parent, but I take a long sip of scolding coffee and smooth the wrinkles in my sweater.

"Agent Khan, I'm going to the office to see where the agency is in the investigation," I explain, stepping around him and to the car parked in the garage.

He sighs, "And how do you expect to get there?"

"The car," is my simple response.

I expect him to ask about the keys but I answer his question when I pull out a screw driver.

The agent jumps forward before I can do anything, "Okay okay, I'll drive you."

I smirk. I wasn't really planning on picking the lock (not that I couldn't). He runs a hand through his short black curls before radioing to another agent to let her know where we're going before unlocking the car. The car ride is mostly silent, he's only here to do his job, and I'm with him because well...I have to. The caffeine high begins to buzz through my veins, but it doesn't help with the anxiety that I've been suppressing since the second I discovered my parents gone. In attempts to focus on something I take a second to actually see what I'm wearing. Yikes. I had thrown on a blush pink sweater with high waisted burgundy jeans and stone gray wedge booties. By the time I reach the office though, I key in and march in.

"Park, what're you doing here?" Mr. James questions as he looks up from a small group of agents.

"I want to know everything you know about my parents," I state and cross my arms in expectation, "I'm a good agent and these are my parents. I deserve to be involved in this investigation. With all due respect sir, I can't sit around and not do anything. Please."

He sighs, eyes my attire and says, "We're running fingerprints, but there's so many, and they've all matched yours or your parents. DNA will take weeks to run, but we're not confident. We both know how trained your parents are so we're confident those were professionals. Their ability to disable your security system also points to former military or experience with government agencies."

I nod in appreciation and, we work together for a few hours until the team convinces me to head back to the safe house to catch up on sleep. Only if I can get my car and some other things I forgot at my house in the chaos. With some paperwork, final processing, and negotiating I got my car. The other items were already processed and released with some exceptions. Most were frivolous items that I wanted but didn't really need—a crewneck sweatshirt that my brother (the younger of the two) left at home, my portable charger, my favorite beanie, a few makeup pallets, some jewelry, a pack of gum, my moisturizer and face wash, chapstick, and my favorite pen that also has a camera built into the top. I wanted to take one of my mother's necklaces, but it was still being processed.

Agent Khan drove me back while another agent followed us in my car. My car was parked in the garage, and I headed to what was now my bedroom and crashed.

***

When I woke up it was dark. I lifted my head, slowly keeping my eyes half closed, and reached for my phone and turned it on. There were fifteen calls from my siblings and dozens of texts from my friends asking where I was today. Crap. After flicking on the bedside lamp, I call Hannah and Ross on group FaceTime. They both pick up right away.

"Lana, the hell! Why haven't you been answering you're damn phone?" Hannah demands.

"Sorry, I had my phone off," I sigh as I run my fingers through my tangled hair.

"What you mean you had your phone off!" Hannah yells at me, "I was worried as fuck. Mom and Dad were taken and I couldn't reach you. What the hell were you thinking?"

"Come on, Lana. You had us scared out of minds," Ross adds.

Hannah looks like she's sitting in the FBI locker room. Her hair is matted down from her shower and there's a fresh bruise blossoming on her right cheek.

"Jesus, Lana. You can't just turn off your damn phone when shit hits the fan."

"OKAY JESUS! I FUCKING GET IT; I FUCKED UP!" I scream in frustration.

Within seconds Agent McDaniels is knocking on my door asking is everything is okay. I tell her I'm fine, and try to rub the sleep from my eyes.

"For God sake Hannah just stop screaming at me for a second so I can explain everything. I've got enough shit to deal with right now; I don't need you blowing my eardrums out too," I stop to catch my breath, "Are you going to let me speak?"

Hannah's face softens, "Sorry, Lan. I was just worried as fuck, and today...today was stressful."

I blow out a long breath, "It's okay, Hannah. There's very little known now. We believe that it was a professional job and that the ones who did this have some sort of military or government tie to be able to disable to alarm system."

"Should I come back?" Ross asks.

"No. You're studying in freaking Prato, Italy. Stay there. I didn't want to tell you guys because I knew this would happen, but you have the right to know."

Ross doesn't like it, but I convince both of them to stay where they are. Hannah is across the country in the middle of one the biggest drug busts of her career and Ross is on a completely different continent. The conversation doesn't last long. They ask how I'm doing, and ask when I've eaten last. Once their questions become too pestering I wrap things up. Despite not being too hungry my siblings and my cousin Aria keep reminding me to eat something. I decide on a chicken salad that Aria had made sure was stocked in here. It's almost like I have a cold. The romaine grates against the confines of my mouth and the chicken might as well have been cardboard but I get all of it down. Just as I'm about to head back to bed my phone buzzes.

Unknown Number: Remember when we first met? What I wouldn't give to be back there right now!