It's been almost three hours. Calum realized Isabella was gone around one o'clock and we've been trying to track her down since; every minute she's out there alone, is another minute that enemies could use to find her. Three hours away from us, means three possible hours of her in danger.
"Okay, so following the cameras through the property, we can see where she went from the main gate," Calum points to the big monitor in his office.
"So, if we just follow traffic cameras, we should be able to track her," I say.
"Normally I would have one of my men hack into the state's traffic cameras, but he's working on a different project in Florida," Calum explains.
Confusion paints a picture on my face, "I thought Jess was a computer guy?"
"In some aspects, but not with something like this. I can do data and records and identities, but my expertise focuses on forgery, not cameras. If I did it, we would have to individually watch every camera and look for her ourselves," Jess interjects.
"Richard is my tech man," Calum adds. "He created the tracking software that he uses to track license plates, facial recognition, and stuff like that. He can focus on things like the make and model of a car, or even just someone's eye shape, but without that it would be too time consuming to find her on the cameras."
"I might be able to run a similar tracking software," Leo says, "it would be a much simpler version of your man's software, but I think I could do it."
"I might be able to hack the tracking device on your motorcycle and reset it so that we can find the location again," Jess offers.
"Good," I say, "you two do that, we can work on figuring out who she might've gone with or who she needed to help."
Calum nods in agreement and we split off into separate groups. Leo and Jess sit together, keyboards under their flying fingers as they stare at their screens. Marcus offers to take care of Christian for the time being, and although I want to spend time with the little man, I need to know his mother is safe first. I join Calum and Matteo in scouring her past the best we can, looking at any connections or possible leads. Silence takes over the room as each person dives into their own path of research or technology. I don't know what I'm going to do if we can't find her. She keeps fighting me, but it doesn't change the fact that I will love her until my dying breath. If she disappears again, or worse, gets hurt or killed, I won't be able to hold it together.
"I'm into the state traffic cameras and I began forming the software, but from just following her with my eyes, I can tell she got on the highway heading eastbound," Leo says.
"Is she going downtown?" Calum asks.
I counter his question with one of my own, "does she know anybody in the Hollywood or downtown LA area?"
"Not that I'm aware of," he replies.
"I got the tracker working," Jess shouts. Everyone rushes over to his laptop where a red dot pinpoints Calum's motorcycle near downtown Hollywood. My heart stops momentarily when we see the exact location is in the parking lot of Vixen Casino and Resort.
"That's one of Sebastian Archer's casinos," I utter. "He's the leader of a major drug and human trafficking ring."
"Yeah, we've been keeping an eye on him lately, but he stays in his place and hasn't tried to step on our toes before," Calum says.
"Cazzo!" I can't help the curse that slips through my lips.
"I can contact him," Calum suggests. "He's almost always been diplomatic with us, but Jess, call the chopper just in case. Traffic will take too long and I don't want us stuck on the highway if something goes wrong."
Jess nods and takes his phone out to the hallway, leaving us crowded around Calum's phone on speaker. The ringing feels like it lasts forever before someone finally picks up.
"Calum Garcia, to what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Hey Sebastian, I'm calling to ask about someone that may be at one of your casinos—Vixen Casino in the Hollywood area," he says.
"I'm actually here right now on business," Sebastian answers, "how can I help you?"
YOU ARE READING
Finding Isabella
Teen FictionIsabella's life was never easy. But how could it be when your father is head of the American mafia? At seven years old, she watched as her mother almost died from the first assassination attempt. At ten years old, she was injured in the same car "ac...
