The Search

Chapter 40.

Jade.

Day 22, Evening

I haven't had a panic attack since I was 14 years old. In this exact moment, I can say I haven't had a panic attack until 2 minutes ago. 

Nikolai paces the board room while ordering officers to different parts of the city.  A search was sent out, on the news, on the internet and here in the station. 

Sophie didn't pick up after Nikolai's call with her, and an hour ago we found her and Alex's car flipped and shattered. A nearby shop gave the police surveillance footage, I broke down as I watched a car rear end her, and another T-bone her.

My Father sits next to me rubbing my back, running soft circles on the back of my hand up to my wrist. I close my eyes feeling the tears from the bottom of my lids leak down to my cheeks.

Once everyone fans out of the board room to their assigned tasks Nikolai sits down getting straight onto his computer in search of information.

I grab her crushed phone from off the desk and flip it in my hands. I open it with her password that she told me essentially for this purpose. I am immediately presented with a photo of Kit, Alex and her when they were younger, set as her background.

I think it was their first day of junior high.

My thoughts immediately go to those two, what are they going to do when they realize she's been taken or worse...

I inhale a shaken breath and pick my phone up out of my purse. I press Alex's name and begin to prepare myself, especially what I'm going to say.

He answers laughing with Kit, I'm guessing they're at home playing video games.  "Hey Mom, what's up?" He asks. 

"Uhm Alex." I say with a wavering voice, my Father squeezes my hand in support.

"What's wrong?" He sounds panicked now, I don't usually call and when I do it's a question or something is wrong. 

"It's Sophie, Sophie went missing an hour ago when she was in an accident.  We're trying to find her now." I explain wiping a couple tears away.

He doesn't respond, it's deadly silent on the other end.  I think he's hung up on me until I hear a chocked sob.  "Baby come to the station please," I plead.

He hangs up but I know he's on his way, and Kit will as well because he will find out eventually. 

Alexander leans over Nikolai's shoulder as I put the phone down and they begin to discuss the vehicles, licence plate number's and possible tracking devices that might help find her. 

—————

"You should get some sleep." Nikolai whispers hugging me from behind as I lean against the railing outside.  We got home an hour ago, but I can't get a single blink of sleep.

I shake my head not looking away from across the street, "I won't be able to fall asleep Nikolai."

"I know." He whispers kissing my head, "but we can't find her if you can barely stand darling." He squeezes me tighter. 

I close my eyes in desperation, I didn't want to cry anymore.  In fact I wanted this to all be a dream, a nightmare. 

Yet, with no sleep, theres too much time to think. "The only reason we weren't involved with my family was for this reason." I sigh.

I lean my head back against his shoulder enjoying his warmth and arms firmly secured around me.

"In fact," I begin to realize, "the only reason they are here is because they want to keep us safe. How is it, that as soon as they come here, we became targets?"

"Jade-"

I ignore him and head into the bedroom, right out of the door and into the hall. I hear Nikolai following behind with a fast pace.

As I head to the stairs, Alexander steps out of his room and I snap at him before I can stop myself, "get out of my house."

"What?" He stops, I bet my aggressively loud voice alerted everyone else because they come trickling out into the hall as well.

"Get out, of my house." I pronounce each word individually. "Go back to Italy, go to a hotel, I don't give a fuck just get out of my house."

My Father, Brother's and Nephews tiredly stare at me. As if they don't understand what I'm saying. Shock is visible upon their faces, and maybe even sadness. I don't think I give a shit though.