Presidents, Spies, and Boys, Oh My!

Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Ariana 

Harry, Keegan, and I burst through the doors in the conference room at MI6 headquarters. Everyone sitting around the long conference table, CIA and MI6 agents, turned their heads to the door. My father stood up, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"Ariana, what-"

"They got Ember!" I blurted.

Jonathan shot up, standing next to my father. The next to stand was Ember's foster father, Garret. They watched me, confusion written all over their faces.

"Who got her, sweetheart?" Dad asked in a gentle tone. 

"The terrorists! The one you guys are trying to catch! Here, ask him." I said, grabbing Harry Styles by the arm and dragging him over. 

He looked over the room nervously, biting his lip. A stray curl fell into his face, which he impatiently brush away. All eyes were now on the international pop star and the First Daughter.

"She's telling the truth. I saw Ember get taken. I was being framed by a stage crew member of mine. I escaped before the terrorist had a chance to catch me. I saw him. He knocked her clean out and grabbed her body, throwing it over his shoulder like she was a rag doll. I have never been more frightened in my entire life. By the time I fetched Keegan and Ariana, he was gone and so was any evidence of him being there at all."

The conference room was blanketed in silence as the agents exchanged glances. Garret had turned sheet white. Jonathan was already on the phone, frantically talking to another person in a hushed tone. Dad nodded. 

"Do you remember what he looked like?" a female agent, MI6, asked from the end of the conference room table.

Harry shook his head, his curls bouncing. Keegan was whispering with another agent at the end of the table. They looked related. I assumed it was his father by the extremely close similarities in their appearances. He looked too old to be a brother.

"No, ma'am, I didn't see his face."

She nodded, sitting back down. I bit my lower lip, crossing my arms over my chest as the tension in the room grew. Garret had a faraway look in his eyes, calculating. Jonathan was still talking, an annoyed expression on his face as he practically smashed the phone against his ear. I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning, I saw my father. Despite my intentions of staying strong, I threw my arms around him. He hugged me back.

"Oh, Daddy, this is horrible! What if we never see her again?"

"Oh, you'll see her again. Aria, Ember is one of the bravest people we know. She's also the most stubborn. She won't go down without a fight." 

I pulled out of the hug and nodded, my stomach churning. Poor Ember. All those days I'd wished Ember would go away...THIS ISN'T WHAT I MEANT! Nobody knows where she is. Hell, nobody even knows if she's still alive. I took a deep breath. Calm down, Ariana. Like Dad said, Ember wouldn't go down without a fight. Feeling guilty, I prayed for her.

Dear God, 
Please protect Ember. I know I've already as you for this same task once but this is different. Please, please, please watch over her. All those times I wished she was gone...I didn't mean like this. I take them all back. 

Amen.

I opened my eyes again to the conference room in complete organized chaos. Agents chatted and planned, no doubt assembling a rescue team. Jonathan looked about ready to throw his phone out the window. Dad was talking to Garret, who looked scared as hell for his daughter. I did the only thing I could possibly think of. I clutched Harry's arm. He wrapped his arm around me, comfortingly rubbing my arm. Tears spilled down my face. 

"It'll be all right, Ariana. I bet Ember is fine." he said in a soft tone.

I nodded numbly. Harry Styles was trying to comfort me and all I could think about was my closest friend and bodyguard being gone. I clutched Harry for a long while. It was the only thing I wanted to do. This is all my fault. If I ever see Ember again, I'm going to apologize for everything. I will.  

Sorry for the short chapter! It was really just a filler one anyway! I'm still thinking about how to end this book. It's almost at the end :(