SERAPHIC BLISS

19. A chemical defect

They're all asleep when her phone starts to ring.

The noise is harsh and shrill against the soft sleep she just woke up form , dragged out of unconsciousness unpleasantly , pushing herself off the sofa and squinting at the dark room.

Confused.

They must've fallen asleep at some point, she was curled up on the sofa . Vincent's head lynching at the head of another couch , sitting up straight however a few papers in his hands on the verge of dropping down to the carpeted ground . David has his head on Vincent's shoulder , all of them exhausted to their limits trying to find Elizabeth. She starts getting drowsy too so she lets it ring off and , before lying back down on the couch to resume her sleep.

It starts again.

She silently curses and throwing off the remaining tendrils of sleep , reaching for her jacket she fetches for phone , her fingers close around the sleek metal as she pulls out the phone- she blinks against the bright offensive light.

Its an unknown number

"Hello?"

There is no reply , but she can hear something in the background. Pressing the phone closer to her ears , she tried deducing what the sounds are , it almost sounds like choking and gasping . Someone desperately coughing for air accompanied by almost painful huffs of breath . It's clearly a women - judging by the gasps and she is in a dire situation

"Who is this?"

It sounds like there is movement in the room , a window being broken-the sound of glass being shattered is clear as day , violent coughs are being heard on the other side. She is about the hang the phone on this disturbing audio but then she hears some muffled words , past logical reason.

She stiffens

She has to be imagining it , she could've made it up in her sleep deprived state but she hears it again , the word.

"help-"

"Elizabeth?!"

The phone cuts off , Victoria holds it at arm's length like it's some primed bomb.

Snapping herself out of the shock she almost sprints towards her laptop , connecting it through the USB plugging her phone. She runs a scan on her phone , most importantly on her recent calls , tracking the location.

That's when she sees it , its in Moscow itself.

Crossing the room , she hits Vincent hard across the arm. He jerks awake panicked , David is jogged off his position and he falls face first on the ground cursing profanities. Vincent is about to say something cutting as he stands up brushing off his shirt but when he sees her expression his irritation is replaced with genuine curiosity and realization

"What is it?"

David is on his feet , yawning and stretching . He frowns at the drawn off curtains in Vincent's Moscow penthouse , it could much positively be four or three in the morning . Vincent takes a step closer to Victoria , she has to tilt her head to meet his eyes

"Vincent , i found her"

~*~*~

They are driving at the speed that's probably considered illegal , thankfully the roads are half empty given the time. Vincent in the driver's seat and Victoria besides him , guiding him. She is surprised at his reluctance to believe her.

She told him about the phone call and showed him the location she tracked , she didn't question it . If fact he was the one who strongly insisted on going there. Against her slight confusion and David's constant protests .