Survived Me: a Shatter Me fan-fiction (Warnette)

Chapter 39 - The USB Stick

⚠️TW⚠️
Blood
Kidnapping
Hostage
Death
Murder
Threats
Torture
Injury details
Cruelty
Mention of war/attacks
Anxiety/stress
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(⚠️A very dark chapter, so if you don't want to read about that then skip this chapter. Read only if your comfortable with a lot of blood and gore, kidnapping and death⚠️)
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AARON'S POV:
It's been two hours of me searching this laptop, the others left about half an hour ago, telling me if I found anything to let them know.
This laptop withholds the key to finding her, but I have no clue where to look. So I've looked all over;

The camera roll, not a single photo lives there.
Google accounts, he only has the one he is using from his emails.
His settings, he hasn't got a single thing hidden.
His location services, only here and his sector.
Document, empty.
PowerPoint, empty.
Spreadsheets, empty.
Recent Wi-Fi's he's connected to, only ours and his own.
Screen time, only during work hours.

Until it hits me.
None of this matters. Not really. Not if he has a USB stick. None of the contents of that would be on the computer because there is no USB plugged in, as of now.

I lift the laptop, turn it so I'm looking on its right side, the USB port, it's worn, it's been used a great deal, you can tell. There are small scratches and chips of paint missing. Bingo!

I need to inform Castle, Kishimoto and, as much as it annoys me, Kent. I promised Kent I'd keep him informed as well.
My phone, where is it? Did I leave it at the house? Is it in my pocket?

Yes, it's in my pocket.
I reach into my blazer pocket and pull out my phone. I click straight on the messenger app and then press create a new group.

Aaron created 'group chat'
Aaron added 'Kenji'
Aaron added 'Castle'
Aaron added 'Adam'

Aaron
I have a lead.

Kenji
What? What is it?

Adam
Warner, where are you?

Castle
Is it safe to say over message? Or would it be better if we met in person?

Aaron
It should be fine to talk about it here, over message.

Kenji
What is it, Warner?

Adam
Have you found the location?

Aaron
No, but I've found something that may tell us the location. The laptop has no evidence because Alexander has been using a USB stick, the USB port is worn and chipped and scratched. It seems likely that he stores all the information on this 'plan' on the USB.

Kenji
Shit!

Adam
What the fuck?

Castle
We need to meet in person, this is very serious.

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A matter of seconds later a loud, repetitive, hard knock rips from my bedroom door. I rush over and open it, as I expect, Castle, Kenji and Adam stand in front of me.
"We are not staying here. We are going back to Alexander's room, we will find this USB stick." I say, walking past them, locking my door, then marching down the hall. They all follow me like a dog following its owner for food.

We reach the room at the same time as Alexander does. For fuck sake.

When he notices us he looks confused, concerned. "Can I help you?"
I nod, "yes, you can".
He steps away from the door and walks closer to me, "how can I assist you? Is everything alright?"
The bitch knows that everything is not okay. "You are needed in 'Meeting Room 7', Delelui is waiting for you."
With a hard nod and a turn of his heel, he walked off towards the Meeting Rooms.

We wait till he is out of sight and then I scan my card, the door unlocks and I open it.
"Right, we are looking for a USB stick. It will be well hidden." I say, we all dig through the room, trying to find the stick. It's nowhere.

"This is no use," Adam say, flopping onto the freshly made bedding. "Man, the man probably knows exactly, inch for inch, what his bed looked like when he last saw it." Kenji dragged him off the bed and smoothed the duvet and fluffed the pillows, getting the dent of where Kent's head was. "We are not giving up." I speak, I'm the only one still looking.
"Warner, son, I don't think it's in here." Castle's voice is soft, softer than I've ever heard his voice go before, it makes me cringe.
"Oh my god!" I say. "How didn't I think of it!"
Three sets of eyes stare at me, confused and slightly worried.
"His suitcase. It must be in his suitcase." I say reach under the bed a pulling out the large, greyish suitcase. I unzip the zipper and rip the top open and search the contents, a few deodorant cans, some soap, shampoo and body wash.
I unzip the front pocket then I feel the USB stick. I pull it out and zip the case up quickly and push it back under the bed. I make sure the room looks tidy and we all leave, heading straight to my office.

"Haha!" Kenji cheers when we walk into the office. I sit in my chair and open up the laptop, typing in the password again.
Petit097745

I plug the stick in and a notification shows itself, it reads;
USB connected
I click on the notification and it shows the USB's folder, it has emails and documents, website history, everything.

I click on the Email app and it opens, I click on the new folder that is named 'USB'. The first email I notice is one from Sebastian, unopened, sent only an hour ago.
It reads;

To: Alexander Petit
From: Sebastian Petit
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Father,
I have got the girl, it was rather simple. Like you said, we are facing a group of fools.

She isn't answering any of the questions I've asked her, it could have something to do with the gaping, deep cut down the right side of her face.

Since she's been here I have put her through more simulations in the simulation chambers and used your method of torture, she won't crack, though her body certainly is, I suspect I've already broken her rib, nose, arm, leg and hand. I don't see her lasting much longer like this so I need a tactic to get her to speak.

She has eaten, as you suggested, nothing. Had no water or fresh air and hasn't been untied since she arrived, unless in a simulation chamber. She has had no contact with anyone other than me and the guards who are helping me with the torturing. I have dosed her with hallucinogens but she still refuses to speak, even when high.

I'm worried a few more days of this and she will not, physically, be able to talk at all, so I need tactics while she's still alive and, somewhat, sane.

Sebastian P.
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Word count: 1159