Dark Star

17. Race

 Carter had tried to figure out a way to escape the small room, but it was all in vain. There was only the one door, and it couldn't be opened. He was beginning to trust Josef, he almost believed him. He wanted to believe him, but criminals can be convincing when they want to be. Until he saw all the proof he needed to be satisfied, he wasn't going to be letting his guard down.

It didn't help that he was very worried about Vesper's safety. Josef had seemed sincere when he said no harm would come to her, but Carter knew he had already done a lot of bad things today, for the supposed "greater good". He couldn't shake the feeling that Vesper was still in danger here.

A key in the lock notified him of someone's arrival. The door opened to show Josef standing there. He looked like he had woken from nightmare, or maybe that he was living one. Earlier he had seemed so composed that seeing him suddenly seeing the emotions on his face were rather shocking. Carter knew instantly that something bad had happened.

"What's happened?" He demanded.

"He took her," Josef said, with a ragged voice. "He left me no choice. He was going to kill Alec."

"Alec is here? Is he alright?"

"He's okay. A little bruised, but he seemed alright. I had my men take him to the hospital, just to be safe."

"You didn't go?" Carter asked, surprised. "He's your brother."

"I can't, you don't understand," His voice was pained. "Damien didn't just take Vesper, he said he's going to kill her. She witnessed the whole exchange, she knows enough to be able to put him in jail. So he is going to make sure she stays silent, forever."

"I told you, didn't I? I said if it came down between your brother and her, you'd choose your brother. You should've let her go while you could."

"Then Damien would've killed Alec."

Carter sighed. "There's no point in this. We have to go after them, we have to save her. Did you see which way this Damien went?"

"No, but I can do you one better."

"What do you mean?"

"Did you try to track the GPS in the cell phone Vesper called from, to try to find her location?"

He looked at Josef puzzled. "Yes, we did, the first time she called us. Why are you asking?"

"What happened when you tried to?"

"There was some kind of interference. We assumed there was some kind of signal blocker on the cell phone."

"There was," Josef said, smiling for once. "But I disabled the one on Carsten's cell phone. Before Damien took Vesper, I was able slip it to her."

"Are you saying we have a way of tracking them?"

"Yes, I am," He replied. "I was going to use the cell phone to get the police here once I got Alec back, figured it would be the fastest way. When I realized what Damien's intentions were, though, I knew I had to give it to her. I knew it would be our only chance to get to her in time."

"Well, let's stop wasting time then," Carter said. "I neep my cell phone, and I want my gun back. We can take my car, let's go."

Josef returned Carter's cell phone and pistol, and they headed back through the warehouse to the door where Carter had first entered. As they both got in the car, Carter behind the wheel, he dialed a number on his cell phone.

"Hello, this is Detective David Carter," He began, talking into his phone. "I have a lead on the case I'm currently working on, and I need to request a trace on the cell phone of my suspect."