My Protector

Chapter 28: Missing

Killian's POV

We were 10 hours deep into the meetings that were lined up for the day. It was a good day for me, I must admit. I hadn't fired anybody and I hadn't cut anybodies head off, yet. Not that I would do the latter anyways. However, I couldn't let myself get too excited. These were just last minute meetings we decided to hold for our companies on the European continent. 'Just to catch up' as Adam would say.

As for the main reason we came to London, well, to put it simply... my employees are idiots. Not only are they idiots but I now suspect that we have had at least one rat, if not more. 

The boy we hired was fresh out of university after earning his masters in business and communications. His resume was impeccable and his confidence was... respectable. 

However the other night Val had received a phone call requesting new documentation of the deal we had just made with a new company, Brunswick Tech. here in London. Of course, Val was unaware of any new deals or even recent meetings that we had with them so she called me and well... here we are. 

Now, why do I say the boy was a rat? Well after out tech team looked into it, he had been speaking with Brunswick's representatives for quite some time now and had offered to change the contract so that I am basically just giving them money. Once we had his laptop confiscated, we found copies of various documents that weren't even required for his simple job as... intern. 

So how did an intern gain access to all of these highly classified files? How did an intern manage to convince the representatives of Brunswick that he was more than just an intern? I have no idea. 

***

"Mr. East, Mr. Johnson, I would like to invite you two to a drink" The pig of a man pat us both on the backs after our final meeting of the night. 

I looked at my watch which read 11:35 PM. "As much as be would love to, Joel, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow"

"Oh come on, you boys haven't been on this side of the Atlantic in years! Just one drink, I insist." He pushed on. 

Adam and I looked to each other and with a sigh, agreed. I felt a pang of guilt for not going home to Loren but brushed it aside as I figured she was likely asleep by now. I last texted her before this final meeting and she had yet to respond. 

The chilled air bit into our skin as we walked to one of the noisy pubs just across the street. We all ordered a beer and continued an unwanted chat until about 1 AM where Adam and I practically had to walk out on Joel. 

"As much as I love to catch up Joel, we really do need to go. We have a very important meeting tomorrow and need to get our rest" I spoke as my chair rubbed against the hardwood floor. "It was a pleasure talking with you and I do promise that if we have the time after tomorrow, we will reach out to officially catch up" I forced a smile and pat him on the shoulder as we said our goodbyes.

"I think he's lonely," Adam whispered as we walked out through the doors.

About 30 minutes later Bertrand dropped us off to our hotel and Adam and I somnolently walked back up to our rooms. We both took the same elevator up to my room since Adams elevator was on the opposite side of the lobby and he apparently was too lazy to walk over there. 

The moment we stepped foot into the penthouse something felt off. The TV illuminated the eerie room but made no sound. As I walked towards the light switch my shoes stepped over something that crunched beneath my feet. 

"What the hell," I whispered and looked at Adam who just stood in his place, confusion riddled over his face. I flipped the light on and my body instantly became stiff while Adam let out a loud gasp.

Loren's POV

I awoke to what felt like my heart replacing my brain. With every throb I felt like my head was going to explode. With every inhale I smelt metal. I let out a soft groan as I rubbed my crusted eyes open to see nothing but pitch black. The distant sound of machinery and my own heartbeat was all I could hear. I turned over and felt the cold ground on my back, slightly relieving the pain at the back of my head. 

"Where am I..." I whispered out loud, my voice hoarse as if I had not spoken for days. My mouth and throat were as dry as a desert. "Hello?" I managed to croak out. "HELLO?" I urged every painful word out. But I was greeted with silence.

A shiver overtook my body as I tried to remember how I got to... wherever I was. 

A few minutes later, an earsplitting screech crossed over to me, causing me to slam my hands over my ears. After what felt like forever, the sound subsided and was ended with a loud bang, as if a door was just opened and shut after 100 years of being closed. 

A small golden light started to glow just above me, illuminating the rather large building that I was in. I laid on the floor next to pallets covered in cardboard boxes stacked up on each other. As the light grew brighter, a pair of footsteps grew louder and I realized I was no longer alone. I closed my eyes from the light and allowed myself to be hypnotized by the click and the clack of the shoes. 

Eventually the shoes stopped and I was again greeted with painful silence, which, was short lived.

"Well, look who's up!" an unpleasant and loud voice echoed

I tried to open my eyes but they were instantly blinded by the bright lights shining in my face. 

"Oh don't worry, I have something that will help with that" the man laughed as he pulled a rough fabric over my head, cinching the edge of it around my throat. 

I groaned and used what energy I had left and tried to pull my hands up to my face, but a pair of gloved hands yanked mine away and wrapped a cord around my wrists, the material scratching my skin with every subtle movement. The same cord was applied to my ankles and I was picked up and thrown onto a cold metallic chair, the material screeching against the concrete floor as I fell into it. 

"Perfect," the man cheered as he clapped his hands together once my extremities were were secured to the chair. 

"wh- wh- who are you?" I whispered

"Oh dear, if you knew then that would make things that much easier for you, now wouldn't it?" 

The pounding in my head became stronger as I struggled to hold my hundred pound head on my shoulders. "I- if you want my money, you can have it. It's not much just please... don't hurt me..." my eyes were starting to water with whatever fluids I had left in my body. 

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. If only you know just how rich I was. Money is not what I want. I just want to see your poor little boyfriend suffer. But don't worry, i'll give his little pet back to him in a few days. But for now... this will help with the pain"

As he said his last words, he untied the sack that was over my head and injected a cold fluid into my neck, releasing a burning sensation into my body.

"I'll see you soon," He whispered as he walked away, taking my consciousness with him.