We'll Survive

Chapter Twenty-Two

Landon

I had nothing else to do so I went to my study table and looked for the little piece of jewelry.

It wasn't there.

I felt panic rise inside me. Where could that be?! Did someone take it out of my room? But who? It was just right here at my study table. I went downstairs.

"Mom, did you go through my stuff inside my room?" I asked.

"Um... no, honey. Why? What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"Nothing... um... I can't find my shirt." I lied.

"Oh. Okay. Well, maybe it's still in the laundry." she suggested.

That was when I remembered... Cole. No wonder he was acting weird yesterday. "Yeah. Maybe..."

~ o ~

I knocked on Cole's front door. His sister Cassandra opened it.

"Hey, Landon!" she greeted beaming at me.

"Hey, Cassy. Is your brother there?" I asked.

She nodded and invited me in. "Yeah. I'll go call him," she said and disappeared upstairs.

I heard some bickering upstairs before Cole finally descended down the stairs. "Hey, man. What's up?"

The moment his feet touched the floor, I grabbed him by the collar and led him outside. "Where is it, Cole?" I was surprised to hear my voice sound so deadly.

"What?"

"You know what. Where is it?" I demanded.

"You mean the..." he trailed off.

"Yes." I didn't let him finish.

"It's with..." he trailed off.

"Can you stop cutting your sentences short?" I said annoyed.

"Fine! It's not with me. It's with... her." he said the last word almost quietly.

I knew exactly who he meant. The her was no other than the girl from the picture. My heart sped up.

"Why'd you take it anyway?" I asked.

He shrugged. "You weren't telling me what it was. You know me. I can't keep my hands still. And besides, she deserves to know. Did you really mean what you wrote behind that locket?" he said.

I sighed. "Yeah." without hesitation.

My phone rang and I immediately answered it.

"Hello?"

"Mission now."

"What? I thought no missions for the whole week?" I asked.

"This one is different, Landon." there was a hint of worry in Catherine's voice.

"Catherine, what's wrong?" I asked.

"It's Chris."

~ o ~

"What happened? Where is she?" I said almost immediately as soon as I approached them.

"Calm down, Landon. She's fine. She'll be fine. Her kidnappers sent a video." My dad said.

No, it's not. If everything is fine then why is he here? Agents would only need his help if the situation is completely out of hand.

They were playing the video and just observing it. She was chained to a wall with her hands cuffed same as her ankles and she was barefoot. She was just sitting there, waiting patiently. But it wasn't hard to miss the cut on her lower lip, the blood running down her head, and the bruise on her left cheek.

They tortured her...

Something shot through my stomach and it wasn't a good sign. Anger rose from inside me and I clenched my fist. I felt someone tap my shoulder and I turned around to see Catherine.

She looked very worried.

"Hey, what happened?" I asked.

"It was all so fast, Landon. We were talking on the phone and the next then I know, I heard grunting and some punches being thrown and silence," she explained.

"Did they tell you what they wanted?" I asked.

"They want the microchip. They're here. The people who are hunting her father down. They're here and they're keeping her hostage." Catherine escaped a shaky breath.

"We'll find her. I promise."

~ o ~

Chris

I studied the locket Cole gave me and memories of my childhood came rushing back. It was all happy and fun. Unlike here where it's all sad and boring. They tortured me and made my parents watch... The nerve... They do not know who they're dealing with.

Ugh! God, I hate this! I hate this so much! I feel so weak and vulnerable. I hate feeling like this. I hate feeling so helpless. I remembered dad's words before any of this happened.

~ o ~           Flashback            ~ o ~

"Hey, dad." I greeted and opened the fridge.

"Oh, hey, Chris. You off to school?" he asked.

"Yeah. Unless if you want me to do a mission with you." I said with a sweet smile.

"Hah. Nice try, kid. That won't work on me." he said with a smirk.

I pouted. "Fine. Well, I better go." I said and was about to leave when called out my name.

"Chris! Wait!"

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something? Only for a while. I promise. You won't be late for class." he explained.

"Sure! It's even okay if you make me skip the whole day." I said with a smile.

He glared at me. I laughed. "Go ahead. You were saying?" I said.

He took a deep breath. "I want to give you something but promise me you are going to wear it always. Got it?" he said.

I nodded. "Okay... Sure. What is it?"

He pulled out a pouch and took something that was inside it. It showed a golden necklace with something in the middle, that I couldn't quite picture, as a pendant.

"Wow. Classy." I said sarcastically.

He smiled and wrapped it around my neck. "I trust that you'll keep this with you?" he said.

I nodded. "What's it for?" I asked.

"Can't a father give his daughter a gift?" he said. "Consider it my payment for not being there for you your whole life," he added.

I laughed. "Okay. I better go." I said.

He nodded. "Oh and one more thing."

I stopped in my tracks.

"Don't let your brain dictate what you want. Let your heart do it," he said.

I smiled and left.

~ o ~            Flashback           ~ o ~

I sighed. Guess I'm stuck here for a while.