The phoenix's hypothesis - Book 1 (MxM 18+)

Chapter 50: The genitor

Ethan, Jun Sun 28th 2015

It has been seventy-two hours since my boy was abducted, I sigh as I look at the clock showing 2:30pm. How many times has he been raped during that time? I haven't received any new photograph since yesterday night but that doesn't mean the bastard hasn't been abusing Anthony more than what he showed me. Sadly the technical analysis of the pictures' metadata didn't give us any leads. They were taken from a smartphone that was paid for by cash.

Tanner found more clues with the second photo though. Apparently the desk that appears on it is an antique and he is currently trying to see where it was purchased, hoping to find the name of the buyer or the place it was delivered to. I couldn't focus on anything else than the marks on my angel's back. How could someone do that to him? I was relieved though, when I saw there were no new scars between the first and the second picture I received.

It hurts so much to know my boy is in the hands of the man who traumatized him so deeply. I have barely slept in the last three days. Each time sleep found me, I was awaken by a nightmare of Anthony being abused by this son of a bitch which left me nauseated. I have lost count of the number of times I actually threw up. I force myself to eat at regular intervals but I'm never really hungry. The only thing keeping me sane is the financial reports Tanner has me looking at. I'm still not convinced of the usefulness of what I'm doing but it keeps my mind from wandering too much into what torture my angel could be subjected to.

My friend is investigating as discreetly as he can. He doesn't want to raise any suspicions since his boss already made him reclassify the abduction into a runaway. My father probably used his connections to pressure him, which means he is keeping an eye on how the police conducts the inquiry. That's why he is waiting to have all the cards in his hands before playing them right. In the meantime, he is only using Glenn and his men to help on the investigation.

Aiden visited me once again this morning, without Zach this time. I tried to be strong but I still ended crying like a baby on his shoulder. He cooked us a simple brunch of scrambled eggs with bacon that we ate together before he returned to his own Baby. I understand he didn't want to stay away from him for a very long time, given the fact Zach is taking Anthony's disappearance really hard, they had become such good friends in the past few months!

I returned to my work just after he left, not wanting to wander aimlessly in the apartment. It mostly consists in listing all the real estate holdings of Wells Industries and its subsidiaries through all their public and tax records. Tanner wants such a list ready since he thinks my boy is held in one of those properties. When we get some additional clues, he thinks we will be able to determine which one he is held into by elimination. I don't let myself be interrupted by anything except my phone ringing when Tanner calls.

"Did you find him?" I ask like every time he calls.

"Not yet, Ethan but I have some good news. I have identified the desk from yesterday's picture. It's a French antique dating from the eighteenth century. It was sold at an auction fifteen years ago and delivered to one of the properties your father's real estate company owned."

"Great! Which one!" I answer excitedly.

"I said owned. Past tense. It was sold three years ago, but don't worry, you don't transport this kind of furniture carelessly in the back of a trunk. It requires a specialist and I'm contacting all the moving companies who could have done something like that. The expert I saw also told me the desk had recently been renovated. This also requires a professional and I'm looking into that as well."

"So this was another dead-end..." I sigh desperately.

"Not at all! For once we are now certain your father is behind this and then I only have to locate this piece of furniture before we find your boy. With the picture, I will be able to get a search warrant without any trouble. I know you are desperate but please realize that this investigation is moving at a fast pace!"