WHISPERS IN THE DARK

Chapter Thirty-Four

*MALIKI'S POV*

"Maliki, we have to do this right. We don’t even know where they are right now!" My father’s voice cuts through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. The frustration in his tone is clear as we all stand in Ryan’s kitchen. Ryan, David, Cole, my father Alistair, and three of our teams are scattered around the room, awaiting orders.

We arrived here four hours ago. It’s now six PM, and all we’ve managed to do is narrow it down to Belfast—a massive city. Cole and David searched Sam’s room and belongings, but all they found was an old phone. It was empty, like every other lead we’d had so far. My frustration is mounting. Callie is somewhere in my hometown, and I have no idea where.

By seven PM, the room has fallen into an uneasy silence. Then, suddenly, a noise cuts through the stillness—Sam’s old phone. We all turn to Cole, who holds it in his hand. “It’s a picture,” he whispers, his face tense with anger.

Cole hands me the phone, and I glance down to see the image already open. My heart pounds as I take in the scene: Callie, Steph, and Leigh, all sitting in a row on a platform, their hands bound to the arms of their chairs. Bright, twinkling lights hang above them, making Callie’s eyes glow an eerie, vivid blue. Steph’s expression is one of worry, Leigh’s is pure panic, but Callie… she’s different. Blood trails down her face, but her eyes are void of emotion, locked on the camera with a chilling intensity. A shiver runs through me as I wonder what she’s thinking.

“What is it?” David’s voice snaps me back to reality. I hand him the phone, watching as his eyes darken with anger. The phone makes its way around the room before landing back in Cole’s hands.

A moment later, the phone rings again. 'Sent an attachment,' reads the message. Cole clicks the link, and it opens to a live stream. Without hesitation, Cole removes the SIM card and connects it to the laptop. “What are you doing?” Ryan demands.

“I’m tracing the stream. Since it’s live, we can find their location,” Cole explains as he projects the video onto the wall in front of us. He presses a few keys, initiating the trace.

The dark screen suddenly brightens, revealing Callie, Leigh, and Steph, just as they were in the photo. “She’s alive,” David whispers, his voice laced with shock.

We watch as the girls struggle against their restraints, their muffled cries barely audible. Dark, ominous music begins to play, and their eyes widen in terror as they look ahead.

The camera pans to a large crowd seated before the stage, all dressed as if attending a Broadway show. Then, it swings back to the platform as Sam steps into view. The crowd erupts in cheers and whoops, clearly thrilled by his presence. Callie’s expression shifts to one of pure hatred, and I can’t help but smile at her defiance. But my amusement quickly fades as Sam begins to speak.

“Welcome, everyone. As you know, this will be our final show.” The crowd boos loudly, but Sam continues, undeterred. “Tonight will be the best show of your lives, but it will be different from the rest.” A wide grin spreads across his face. “There will be no bidding on these three tonight.”

The crowd boos again, but Sam chuckles. “Now, now, don’t be disappointed. Tonight, they die in front of you all, and we’re streaming it live for the world to see!”

The crowd roars with approval. My fists clench as I ask, “Cole, where are we on that trace?”

“Five minutes,” Cole responds quickly, his eyes flicking between the laptop and the screen. Sam is now walking behind the girls, stopping briefly behind Leigh.

The crowd erupts once more as Sam continues, “Tonight, you will witness something truly unforgettable.”

My patience is wearing thin. “Cole, the trace,” David demands, moving to stand beside him.