Constraint

Chapter 5 - Charles

Nicole and Michael were right behind me as I led them to the police station.

Earlier at the campus party, I got an urgent call from my dad telling me to come to the station as one of his men found Diana lying unconscious on a secluded alley. I asked him for more details but he insisted to see her for myself.

We got into my father's office. As soon as he saw us coming in, he immediately stood up to greet us.

"Good. You're all here. Have a seat." He gestured at the chairs in front of him.

Michael and I obliged, but Nicole didn't budge and was still standing near the door.

"Where's Diana?" she demanded. "I want to see her now."

"We transferred her to a hospital," Dad answered. "My men tried reviving her on the spot, but she was completely unconscious and barely breathing, so we had to bring her to the emergency room."

Nicole clamped a hand on her mouth, trying to hold down a sob from escaping her lips.

"Is it. . . that bad?" she asked, slowly walking to the chair beside Michael and opposite to me. She sat down.

Dad nodded tightly. "I'm afraid it is. I haven't received any report about her full condition yet, but you can later visit her in the hospital if you want."

"So why are we even here and wasting time?" Nicole looked at me and Michael. "Let's go and visit her now." She tried to stand up but Michael pulled her back to her chair.

"Nic, we all want to see Diana as much as you would but we're here for another reason," I told her.

"My son's right," Dad said, "I called you three here not only because of Diana's situation, but because of what's happening right now."

"What about it, sir?" Michael queried.

"As you might know from the news, there have been several disappearances of random people happening around the city, and your friend Diana is the first person from your school to be kidnapped," Dad began, "This got my investigators suspicious and suggested to me to inform the dean of your university to put your classes on hold indefinitely for further investigation."

"So we're not having classes from now on?" Michael concluded, sounding very glad. "That's awesome! No more tests or projects for us! Woohoo!"

"I wasn't even finished." Dad glared at Michael, which made him squirm in embarrassment. My father could be intimidating at times. "So my men suggested me that idea, but I dismissed it. I thought that if we made the students stop their classes and send them home, what's gonna stop the kidnappers from kidnapping them anyway? It would make our job more difficult if one of you were gone and no one would be able to notice until it's too late."

"So you're still gonna let the students, us, roam around even while there's danger lurking in the streets?" Nicole stared at Dad coldly. "That's ridiculous! You're risking the lives of hundreds of students, and for what? To use us as bait? I thought your job was to protect people."

"And I'm doing so as I see fit, young lady, so you better sit down and listen," Dad retorted, matching Nicole's look with his own. "I'm planning to assign you three as my 'inside men' to look around your school for any suspicious people or activity."

Michael whispered something to her ear, probably trying to calm her down. I looked at Dad in confusion.

"What's it with us, Da- I mean, sir?" I corrected myself. Dad doesn't like it when he is called 'dad' in public. "Why don't you order your men to do it instead? I think they would be more capable than us."