Sapphire Angel / Lucas Wong (Wong Yukhei)

Part 39 - Puzzle Piece

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Johnny's phone rang in his pocket and when he pulled it out, he saw it was Vince's number.

He hesitated before doing anything, nervous and anxious.

Was it Vince? Was it Zeda? Should he answer it somewhere else? What if Zeda calls confirming she's with Vince and Lucas is more hurt. But also, what if she calls and convinces him she's not with Vince. Johnny felt like everything was moving in slow motion as his mind raced.

But he must have hesitated for too long, because when he glanced back at the screen it had gone to voicemail. Winwin was just approaching the two of them when Johnny hit play on the message that was left on his machine.

"You have ... one ... new message from caller ..." The machine read, and there was a long pause and then a man's voice,

"Vince Bauer."

Lucas's head spun around in an instant and he motioned for Johnny to turn up the volume.

Johnny shot him a look of 'I told you so.' seeing Lucas so interested in a call from Vince when he was already 'moving on'.

'Beeeeep.'

"Johnny!" It was Zeda, and she was frantic.

All the men's eyes collectively widened.

Lucas felt relieved to be hearing her voice at least. That he missed so dearly. He had been trying to put on a front that he was fine and was moving on but deep down he was aching. He felt as if she gave him something he didn't know he needed, and then ripped it away from him as quickly as it came. Leaving him feeling emptier than he had before.

"I'm so sorry to burden this on you ... but your number was a recent in his phone. Vince's phone. I stole it." Zeda paused, trying to catch her breath. 

"I need help." She whispered. "His phone is rigged somehow so that it won't call the police and I need help. He ... he never let me go home after my flight." Her voice cracked and she was clearly starting to cry.

"Zeda..." Lucas called to her, forgetting for a moment that it was a message.

His hand went over his heart, feeling it physically ache hearing her so terrified.

"He took me to this abandoned building and ..." She started to sob. "I know you guys are mad at me ... I don't know what's going on I just ... please get someone to track this number and help me. I don't know what he's going to do..." She was breathing heavily and then sniffled. "Please tell Lucas I ..." she stopped and gasped.

"No ... I'm sorry. Here, take it back." She pleaded, and then there was a thud and her voice sounded farther away, like she tossed the phone.

"You think you can steal my shit now?!" Vince's voice was heard, and Lucas's fists balled.

"No! I'm sorry." She pleaded.

"So, who'd you call?" He growled, and his voice grew closer, he was picking up the phone.

Vince laughed loudly. "Wow, you really think they're going to come swoop in and save you?" He taunted her.

Zeda groaned as if Vince was grabbing her uncomfortably.

"You're going to call your family and tell them you're running away." He told her.

"Fuck you!" She shot back.

"Tell them." Vince said more sternly.

The boys all just sat, staring at the phone that's screen was now black from the length of the message, but they were so shocked and scared that their eyes didn't move.

"Tell them!" He roared and then Zeda squealed as if she was being hurt.

"Tell them you're mine!"

"Alright alright! I'm yours!" She yelled, clearly in some kind of pain.

Zeda shrieked and then groaned, and it was clear she was struck by him, and then the call ended, and the screen came back on.

Everyone looked at each other in shock.

"What ... the fuck ..." Johnny said, not even moving or touching his phone.

"Was that what you needed to tell me?" Lucas asked frantically. 

"No man. I wouldn't have waited for something like that I ..." Johnny stopped, hearing Zeda's shrieks ring in his head and feeling nauseous.

"We just ... had doubts the picture was real ... We called them last night." Winwin said

The guys were all speaking in broken sentences from their shock and contemplation of what they should do.

"We need to call the cops first." Johnny said and did just that.

It didn't give them much hope. With it just being a voicemail and out of state, the officer that came to their ship said they'd have to send the evidence over to Zeda's state and let them handle it. They said they'd 'keep in touch' without much sincerity.

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