The Golden Bond

Chapter 27

William felt odd. He suddenly sensed immense fear from somebody else, and an anxious unidentified cry for help. He started to have a bad feeling. Looking at his watch he realised it was almost six o'clock and he should go and check on Sofia. He picked up the phone and dialled the hotel reception or rather the fake receptionist who was in fact a trained Lux Club agent from the Roman headquarters. No answer. His foreboding began to grow in size. William didn't waste any time, he got into a car and rushed back to the hotel. He left the borrowed vehicle in a car park near the hotel and ran the rest of the way. His concern grew even more as soon as the entrance to his temporary residence came into view. An ambulance stood outside and as he entered the hotel, he had to push his way through many strangers who'd crowded round the reception desk. He pushed forwards like a madman and when he finally looked over the reception desk, he saw his colleague. He was lying on a stretcher totally beaten up and two paramedics were treating the worst of his injuries.

Shit!William swore in his mind. Where is she? What happened?He asked his colleague. He didn't need to bend down and ask him aloud. He knew he'd find out without exchanging words if the charismagician was sufficiently conscious.

I'm sorry, William. He came out of nowhere, I didn't sense his energy at all. He surprised me and wasn't able to react. When I woke up, she was gone... There was pity and guilt in the eyes of the beaten man.

William swore again but sent a brief soothing message to his colleague: Don't worry, I'll find her! He was just about to run outside the hotel and immediately start searching for Sofia when he noticed a little packet on the reception desk. It was wrapped beautifully and on the paper ribbon there was a simple message cut out by hand. Be safe.

William gulped and held his head in his hands. Adam had her. It was him without a doubt. Adam had Sofia and only God knew what he wanted to do with her. His perverted and vengeful mind could think up anything starting with ordinary violence right through torture all the way to the very worst thing... He wanted to take vengeance on William and hurting Sofia was the easiest way. How on earth could he have missed it? Everyone assumed that Adam would try to go and save the data centre and would want to kill Victor. They'd left Sofia for him on a silver platter and it was all William's fault. That girl was innocent right from the beginning and since she'd met him, her life had gone rapidly downhill. He could literally feel her calls for help and her terrible fear. She must have been somewhere close, they were in the centre of Rome and there was no way for Adam to get far with her. William ran out of the hotel and immediately picked up his phone. "Sir, code two. Adam's got Sofia." He needn't to say any more. The Master was silent but if William could have seen him at that moment, he would probably have been burnt to a crisp under his gaze.

"Find her immediately. I'll pull the Italians back for now and you send your team to Victor straight away, we have to speed this whole thing up! They know about us and we might be playing for time." He was left listening to the tone.

This time, William dialled a different number.

One of his Italian colleagues answered. "Sí, signore?"

William explained the situation briefly to him then ran to his car. He thought hard. Where would Adam drag Sofia? What does he want to do with her?

The time will come when it comes back to you.

Those words echoed in his mind. Adam felt like William had betrayed and abandoned him. Therefore he'd want William to feel the same. He'd want his heart to feel betrayed. He'd want him to lose something... He'd want him to fail to prevent something that he could have prevented... God no!

Yes, that's it...He'll try to use Sofia. He won't kill her or hurt her. He'll make a scapegoat out of her! That bastard... William stepped on the throttle and headed straight for the data centre. He was almost certain that he would find them both there. He raced there like a madman, just as was about to arrive, his phone rang.

Mia. He picked it up and listened because he thought the Master might be trying to avert a disaster, so he'd assigned her to temporarily coordinate the situation from the home headquarters. Mia sounded very distracted though, she was out of breath and fairly agitated.

"William, listen to me," she began. "Don't worry about the reasons, I'll explain everything later. I'm in Rome. I was just searching for Adam when I saw him leave your hotel, along with the civilian. I followed them and I know where they are. You have to act fast, I'll give you the address."

William was puzzled. Mia was in Rome? Following Adam? Had the Master kept him in the dark about something? Why didn't she intervene or call for backup straight to the scene if she knew something was going on?

"Because I was on my own and the other team is rescuing Victor," she replied, having heard his thoughts aloud.

"Of course," William replied, "the address. Give me the address."

Mia dictated an address which was on the other side of the historical centre to him and then hung up. William sat behind the wheel again and rushed to Sofia. Meanwhile, Mia continued running along the street and dialled a number.

This time, an unpleasant, ringing, adolescent voice picked it up, asking just one question: "Have you sent him away?"

"Yes," she replied, "and the other rescue team too. They've all got new orders from our headquarters and you're there all alone with her, just as you commanded. Now you fulfil your part of the deal."

Adam grinned into the silence of the hot basement. Then he spoke with a freezing sinister tone in his voice. "Don't worry, sweetheart, it will soon be over for your Victor."

Not even two seconds had passed before Mia heard something like a shot.

"No!" she screamed and started to run even faster. When she arrived at the data centre building a few minutes later, all she could see were the flashing lights of police cars and two ambulances. On top of that, journalists were suddenly all over the place and a large group of onlookers. Everything went so perfectly fast, as if it had been pre-arranged. Mia hid behind a corner so no one would notice her and listened to one of the reports.

A reporter with a formal and concerned voice announced: "... Today, a hideous ritual murder occurred in the centre of Rome. An unknown man had apparently been imprisoned and tortured in the underground premises of a new luxurious spa for several weeks. Today, late in the afternoon, he was found naked with bizarre symbols carved into his skin and a gunshot wound to the chest. The suspect is a woman of approximately 25 years of age. Apparently she was armed and found next to the victim immediately after the shooting. Police have refused to disclose any further details concerning the case while the investigation is ongoing."

Mia leaned her head against a wall and hot tears started to flow down her face.

Victor was dead.

There was no sign of Adam and the destruction of the data centre was out of the question since the place was now swarming with journalists and civilians. What's worst was that, apparently, Sofia was the suspect. The young agent slid down the wall and onto the ground and cried her heart out. Just at that moment, her phone started to ring furiously...