NICK’S POV
My heart was on my throat as the car swerved off the streets into the main road.
I stood there frozen on the sidewalk as I watched the car zig-zagged to avoid hitting people. My brain kicked in and I immediately started looking around my surroundings and saw a young mom with her toddler getting on a cab.
She saw me running towards her and she immediately put a protective hand around her son.
“Please, can I use the cab instead?” I asked desperately. My eyes were filling as I thought about the horror of losing Jordan to that bastard.
Whatever she saw on my face would have been really sad because she gazed at me with pity and nodded.
“Thank you soo much,” I said and got in the car and closed the door. “Please follow that car,” I said to the driver and pointed at the sedan.
For his credit, he didn’t say anything and took off. I was glad when he started gaining speed on the car. But before we could cross the road, red light stopped us.
I cursed nastily and watched as the numbers dwindle, the driver picked up speed and went straight but after a few seconds, we couldn’t find the Black sedan Brayden was driving.
“I think we missed them.” The driver said.
I squeezed my eyes shut in agony but opened them back right up and scanned the area but other than a parking lot and a people’s center there were no cars speeding off.
“Shit,” I muttered brokenly when I realized this is it. I lost them. Now, Jordan is alone with that psychopath.
“Sir, is there a problem?” The driver asked as he kept his eye on the road.
“I think so, yeah. Just take me to the Tristan apartment near the university.” I said the address of the apartment.
I couldn’t do anything but think of the horrible things Jordan is enduring right now. I last saw his frightened face as he realized who was in the driver’s seat. I would never forget that look or forgive myself if I let something happen to him. I desperately wished that I could find him but I knew that was impossible because, with my frantic need to follow the car, I didn’t even identify the car’s plate number.
I sat forward in the seat so that I could see the driver’s side profile clearly. “Did you at off chance noted the plate number of the car?” I asked my voice border on hopeful.
“As a matter of fact, I did.” He spoke.
“I could kiss you right now. But first, tell me the number.” I demanded.
He chuckled but rattled off the number with precision. I guess it comes with the fact that he drives a taxi and sees many numbers of cases like this and for him remembering numbers like this would be easy.
“Oh my, thank you so much. You helped me a great deal.” I whispered as I screenshotted the number and sent it to as many people as possible because I didn’t want to lose it on the off chance and I engrained the number in my brain.
After a few minutes of random messages saying what that message was for, I ignored it and called Kevin, my teammate.
“Hello.” The groggy voice on the other line picked up after the call rang for a full minute.
“Are you just waking up? Isn’t there a test match right now?” I enquired.
“What are you talking about? There is no match.” He said confused.
“Coach’s assistant called me and said that there was a test match. And he also said that it was a last-minute thing.” I clarified because I was running out of time. The apartment was also nearing. I have to tell him that I could not play in the match today.
“Um, first of all, the Coach’s assistant is a beautiful young lady and second there is no test match. They would have informed me, for sure.”
It was true because he was in the point guard position and he was the only player who winged that position. So, he was a damn important player. But I didn’t know why he didn’t get a call.
“So, there is no match right now and you didn’t get any call whatsoever,” I asked again because I felt like whatever I was thinking right is going to be true. I should have paid more attention.
“Wait in the line. I will ask our mates in the frat house.” I heard rustling and him talking to some people on the other line. But I couldn’t concentrate on anything because I knew what his answer is going to be already. And I got confirmed when he spoke again.
“Even Adrian didn’t get a call. I think someone was pranking you, to be honest.”
“Probably,” I said and bid goodbye before ending the call.
I sat there in the car unseeing the building passing around us. I got played. And none other than the fucker Brayden.
He knew we were at the festival and he called me with an excuse that would conveniently leave Jordan defenseless. And he also somehow knew that we didn’t drive our own car. Furthermore, he knew exactly when to bring the car and park it right at the street end so that I would not be able to reach them fast enough even if did see him. I felt like such a fool.
And this would all be possible only if he was trailing us from the apartment which made my skin crawl. I couldn’t begin to think about what Jordan was suffering because I thought I would go mad. But I didn’t have to think a lot because the driver parked in front of the apartment opening.
I thanked him profusely and tipped him a hundred dollars because if he hadn’t driven us fast enough, he couldn’t even have noted the plate’s number. I felt it as a sign that I was going to find Jordan soon enough.
Jogging across the lobby, I didn’t even try to take the elevator as I ran up the stairs to reach our apartment.
The door was already unlocked so I entered and spied Zach sitting on the couch looking at his laptop. It was a Sunday evening and I knew both Amelia and Zach would be there because Jordan and I were going out.
Zach saw me standing there in the middle of the living room and panting. He stood up and came up to me. “What was with the car number you sent me?” He asked.
I caught my breath and answered. “Jordan’s been taken.”
I heard pans clattering in the kitchen and Amelia was running to me with Mimi on her heels.
“What did you say?” Amelia asked again and she looked like she already heard it right the first time.
“I got a call saying that we had a test match and was told to wait there so that they would pick me up. So, Jordan called a cab but when he entered the car, I noted that the car was slightly expensive to be an uber and glanced at the driver. It was Brayden.” I whispered.
Zach gasped and Amelia shook her head vigorously. “No! No, this can’t be happening.”
They both knew that Brayden was the one who assaulted Jordan. After talking to my brother-in-law George, Jordan became slightly freer….. lighter. It was awe-filling to watch his transformation and he finally came out said to Amelia that Brayden was the one who assaulted him. It was a tough few days but when he finally relaxed it had been breathtaking.
The first step he took was to delete all the messages Brayden sent without looking at them. And Mia was the one who suggested that he could use a new number.
While I blocked Brayden’s number from Jordan’s old number, he kept on texting vile things from new numbers. But since I had Jordan’s old number operated into Mia’s old phone, I had it. So, whenever that fucker texted, I blocked him. But after the fifth time, he seemed to catch on because he left it alone. While I didn’t tell Jordan that Brayden kept on texting from new numbers, I suspected he knew. He just pretended that it didn’t exist.
But we didn’t pretend the whole Brayden thing didn’t exist because the day after we landed in Philly was to file an official complaint against Brayden. With all the evidence and the screenshot I took from the old phone, the officer said that it was enough and he seemed like one of the good ones too. While he said that he could get us a restraining order right away, he would not be able to outright arrest Brayden without formulating the evidence we gave. But I hadn’t been too scared because within half a day restraining order against Brayden had come into Jordan’s hand.
He had been speechless and felt a need to thank everyone even if we insisted it was nothing. Maybe it was not anything for him.
And the way Jordan was confident in his own skin and of his surroundings after a long time was a balm to my heart. That was why we didn’t think it through that Brayden may not follow the law because he never did despite him being a graduate of Bachelor of Law himself.
I saw Amelia’s eye tearing up and couldn’t control my own sob. My brother was at my side immediately when I poured my anguish over his shoulder. I didn’t want to lose Jordan to the clutches of that evil bastard once again after I got Jordan after a long time. I just wanted him to be under my arms in my protection. But I just let him walk away with evil.
“It’s not your fault, Nick,” Zach said like he had been reading my mind. “You have to be strong, so, that we could find Jordan and bring him home. Alright?” He said.
I nodded against his shoulder and sniffled a little before straitening up, Amelia was in my arms next and I patted her hair before hugging her close to me. We all had to be strong and that is the only way to bring Jordan back.
…….
We had been waiting in the uncomfortable steel chairs in the waiting room of the police station for about half an hour and I had been a mess. My knees were jerking against the chair arms, and my feet tapping insistently and fingers tapping on my thighs or going through my hair in frustration. Zach and Amelia tried to stop my nervous triggers but even their soothing words or touches didn’t help because I only wanted one and that one was suffering somewhere.
I bit back a whimper at that thought. I wanted him to be safe, I prayed again.
A door to one of the investigation rooms opened and Officer Wheland exited with an old couple, the woman was crying silently and the officer said something to soothe them.
When Jordan and I came to the station with a complaint we had been assigned to Officer Wheland and at first, I didn’t accept him to be corrupt free and could actually help us but after seeing him pour over the evidence and cursing silently at the buried evidence of Jordan’s Sexual assault, I believed that he could indeed help us. Because I saw the compassion in eyes before he gave us his words.
And now when he saw us sitting there in the waiting area with a grim look on our faces, his gait changed. He said something to his fellow officer and gestured to the couple before him. And then he was striding towards us. I stood up at the same time as both Zach and Amelia did.
“Is everything alright?” He asked me.
I shook my head and he also noticed a lack of Jordan present.
“Shit.” He cursed lowly and ushered us into one of the investigation rooms so that we could talk privately.
We all sat down on one of the many seats surrounding a large table.
“Do you want something to drink?” The Officer asked but I shook my head.
“Can I get some water?” Amelia asked meekly.
“Just a minute.” He went to the corner of the room where a mini-fridge was located and took two bottles and gave one to Amelia and set one on the table between Zach and me.
“Thank you,” Amelia murmured.
“No problem. Now, tell me what happened?” He asked and sat in the chair opposite to us with his fingers locked up with each other on top of the table.
I numbly recited what happened from the beginning.
“So, you did you get the description of the car or which area you last saw them?” Officer Wheland asked as he jotted down something on his notepad.
I nodded and gave him the description of the car, car number, and where I lost them. The signal on the crossroads.
“I think the information is sufficient to trace them.” He said and hope bloomed in my chest. “But I have to get a warrant and as this is Sunday we have to wait till tomorrow.” He said and I felt my stomach bottom out.
“No, please!!” I pleaded my voice cracking.
“My hands are tied but we can start the search for the car. If we are sure that it was Brayden who took him and there is no need for the arrest warrant but for now...” He trailed off.
My whole body felt cold and I felt light-headed. I wanted to rip this office apart and demand them search for my other half but I didn’t even have the energy to stand up right now.
How did the best evening of my life turn out to be a nightmare?
“What about a Judge who can sign a warrant even today?” Zach asked beside me.
“It is possible. But the judge should be impartial, he shouldn’t have had the insight into this case beforehand.”
“I assure you he is not. He is a magistrate in the DA’s Office I am working. He could help us if I called him and told him my urgent need.” Zach asked again and I appreciated that he still had hope because mine had snuffed out long ago.
“That can definitely work.” The officer said. “Transfer his details in this paper and I will get to him as soon as possible.” He said and while Zach was writing, the officer looked directly at me and spoke. “I know you are in a scary position but I want you to be strong. This process is going to take little long but I will ask my partner to accompany you to the department of transportation and they will review the footage of the street in which you last saw them. So, they could monitor and trace the car to where it finally stopped.”
I nodded my head.
“I am taking your case as a priority so don’t worry, I will try to do the procedure as fast as possible. And even if the warrant doesn’t come through, it is not a problem, if the speeding camera had managed to capture a single picture of Brayden in that exact car right after he took Jordan, we can say that he was violating his restraining order and also have authority to cuff him.” That officer said assuring.
“Thank you,” I said gratefully.
He motioned us to follow him and we all stood up and followed him outside and to a cubicle where a guy sat in front of a monitor with a cup of coffee in his hand. When he saw us walking towards him, he stood up.
“This is officer Callan.” Officer Wheland introduced us to him. “I will talk to him about the brief of the case and he will join you in a moment. You can wait outside and get ready a car so you could follow him to the office where the department is located.”
I nodded my head and we all three left the station to stand outside. The night sky was bounding on us and the night was quite chilly so I zipped up the jacket to my neck. Out of the corner of my eyes, I spied Amelia cuddling up to Zach and staying under his arms. What would I have not given for the same thing with Jordan right now?
I managed to swallow the need to scream in agony.
Zach had called George after we entered the station. He insisted on coming to us and leaving some help with Mia so that she could take of the kids on her own. I said that it was not necessary for him to come but he insisted and I left it at that.
I just wanted Jordan to be back.
……
“Right there,” I said as the girl in the operating seat paused the video of the street which I last saw them. But there was no Black sedan crossing that road.
“Where would he have gone,” I murmured to myself and clenched my fist at the helplessness going through me. “Can you follow him from the signal? It was when I lost eyes on them.”
She backed up to another camera and we waited a few minutes until a Black Sedan zipped past the crossroads.
“That one!” I nearly yelled.
She nodded and followed the car to another camera. And after a few minutes, it crossed the road at the same speed but then it slowed down. And the next camera was the one we checked first where I couldn’t find them.
“Where would he have gone …..” I trailed off and thought about the buildings and parking spots in that area. My brain clicked. “There was a parking spot for the people center. Is there any way we could check that footage?” I asked hoping like hell we could.
The girl merely nodded her head and began doing some changes.
I straightened and blew out a breath while Zach patted my back. I was glad that I had someone for support otherwise I would have been so lost.
“Here.” The girl said.
I looked up and we all watched the footage for a few minutes before the black sedan rolled into the parking lot and stopped there.
I couldn’t remove my eyes off the monitor even if I couldn’t clearly see what was happening inside the car.
“Oh my god, I had been right there. Just opposite to them.” I whispered and clutched my heart when there was an unmistakable hurt of pain. “I could have just checked in there before coming home. My carelessness is now costing Jordan.”
Zach came next to me and grabbed my shoulder. “It is not your fault.” He said sternly.
“Like hell, it is not.” I lashed out. “Everything is on me,” I whispered and left the room because I couldn’t wait for another minute in there and realize how much I fucked up.
It had already been four hours and I don’t want to think the unthinkable about what was happening to Jordan because if I went with that thought I would find myself in a pit hole digging myself a grave.
Because every minute we waste here is giving Jordan’s precious timeline a dent. And I don’t want to know what will happen if we are not on time.
“I don’t want to,” I mumbled to myself as I slide down the wall next to the door.
“I am sorry Jordan that I couldn’t be strong enough.” I whimpered out and clutched my chest where it was hurting like hell. My heart knew it was broken before I did. I hung my head in my folded knees and sobbed.
Cried until I felt like I was suffering with Jordan. Because I deserved it.
- VV 🧡🍂