A booming gasp followed by rapid pants echoed in the warehouse as Trina snapped awake from the impact of the ice-cold water that was thrown on her. Her body automatically shook as the air-conditioned room pricked her skin. Her blurred vision slowly cleared as someone squatted before her. "Good morning, sleeping beauty," Esme smirked as Trina's clacking teeth echoed in her hearing. Trina glared at Esme as she tried stabilizing her shivers. "You're alive; wipe that glare off your face," Esme snarled as she stood up.
"She's alive for now," Heather added as she entered the room. "Just waiting for the prince charming and the knight and shining armor boyfriends of yours to 'save' you." Heather used her index and middle finger to emphasize her sarcasm on the word. "How long will that take?" Heather asked as she looked behind Trina, who heard a foreign voice reply behind her. "That's your concern; I'm not here for that." The room went quiet as the rhythmic heel noises approached Trina.
"Trina Robinson," The lady called out. Trina's audible shivers echoed through the warehouse as her eyes trailed up the lady in red. Her eyes were met with a smile by the beautiful woman. "It's so nice to finally meet you,"
The sense of the greeting was genuine to Trina, but there was a flaming sinister aura that coated the woman. "My name is Theresa, and believe me when I say I'm sorry," Trina's eyes widened at the word as the lady retracted a switchblade from her suit. "I'm so sorry that you'll have to suffer because your father,"
"And your boyfriend!" Esme yelled out from behind, earning a side eye from Theresa. "Do you have any tattoos?" Theresa asked.
The teary Trina that sent a glare to Theresa didn't answer. Theresa examined her with eyes, "doesn't look like it, I was hoping..." Theresa hissed at the unfortunate circumstance. "It would've made this a little less painful," She commented as she approached the restrained female. Trina attempted to fight back, shoving and throwing herself in any direction to prevent the blade from touching her skin.
She yelped — then hissed as her eyes squeezed shut. A shaky breath left her lips, and they separated in a silent exhale.
Trina's head fell as she looked down. Her tears dropped on her bare skin as she stared at the knife that pierced her dark brown skin. A shaky cry left her lips at the pain once it was ripped from her — leaving the open wound to drain. "I'm not them," Theresa spoke through her teeth as she pointed the bloody knife at Esme and Heather. "Don't make this harder on yourself, sweetheart," Theresa returned to the original target and began engraving letters into Trina's arms, causing her to release screams. "Shut her up," Theresa snapped.
Trina's hair was pulled up as a cloth covered her nose and mouth. She attempted to hold her breath, but the drag of the knife on her skin made it impossible.
Just like a few hours earlier, she was out again.
*********
"There were not three people in that car," Spencer voiced as he and Christian spent hours carefully reviewing the footage Julian sent them. "And there weren't two cars involved in this kidnapping," Christian leaned back, and Spencer stood up and paced back and forth in his home, "So what? He's a ghost?"
"He is," Christian stated softly, causing Spencer to stop and glare. Christian felt the glare and looked at the male. "He's faceless, he was not seen by anyone except for your camera,"
"We haven't checked the neighbor's cameras," Spencer commented, and Christian nodded, "We have," Spencer's eyebrows joined at the statement, "What? How?" Christian chuckled at Spencer's ignorance, "Most of your neighbors are elderly or extended family households. They have their security systems linked to the PCPDs, so if necessary, for instances like this, the police can access security footage, making investigation quicker. Julian accessed those files and sent them to me,"
"Why the fuck haven't you sent the footage to me?" Spencer asked. His tone was raised from bafflement. Christian raised his brows before shrugging, then stating, "You've already proven to me that you're horrible at multitasking. You need to focus on that street footage,"
Spencer's jaw clenched. He held back his words — he was willing to ignore the comment to complete their mission only because they'd made progress. He would internally admit they'd made more progress than the PCPD in three hours. "Let's get back on schedule," Spencer stated through gritted teeth, making Christian chuckle. "Think about it, who would know how to duck a neighbor where every house has a camera?" Christian stated as he walked to the window.
Spencer followed, but instead, he went outside for fresh air. He stood on his porch, allowing the spring air to send kisses across his skin. He suddenly felt a prick — a random feeling of pain — against his skin.
He checked himself.
Nothing.
He looked back at the quiet street occupied by neighbors who sent him sorrowful waves and smiles. He returned the actions until his eyes met a youngster. His eyes followed him to a car. The way he walked stood out. Spencer watched as he picked up heavy bags of groceries from the car trunk that the woman drove.
The way he walked, holding weight, stood out as well.
Spencer's feet began to move, but Christian's hand paused him. "You're thinking what I'm thinking?" Christian asked, and Spencer nodded, "This was an inside job," Spencer mumbled as he continued to walk to the neighbor's home with Christian at his side.
They were suddenly blocked by a police car.
"Spencer, get in the car," Taggert demanded, and Spencer ignored the male. "Taggert, whatever bullshit y'all are on can wait," He stated, walking behind the police car as Christian did to head toward the neighbor. The duo heard car doors slam behind them and picked up the pace, heading toward the guy whose back was turned.
The sudden scream from his mom and the commotion happening behind him alerted the neighbor to turn. The sight of an approaching Christian and Spencer triggered his flight response, and immediately, he booked it with Spencer and Christian sprinting behind him.
The chase didn't last long as Christian tackled him in the forest. As Christian dusted himself, Spencer held the male's collar tightly. "Where is she?" Spencer's anger seemed deadly to those who followed the chase and stood around. "I, I..." The fright in his tone made Spencer and Christian realize how young the male was. "How old are you?"
"I'm 17, aye...look, man, I'm sorry. I needed the money," Spencer and Christian looked at each other, "What?" Christian asked as cracking twigs were heard behind them. "I built up debt and couldn't ask my family to pay it off. Just by pure coincidence, this lady approached me and offered me three hundred thousand in cash to transport someone to a car. I didn't do anything to her; I only gave the security permission to let them in and put the passed-out girl in the car. I promise!" He automatically confessed. "Well, Mr. Nicholas, you're under arrest for kidnapping," Taggert's partner spoke as he interrupted the scene.
"Spencer, let him go," Taggert asked, and Spencer complied. He looked up, shakily inhaling some air to suppress his anger. "How'd you guys know?" Taggert asked. "We have our resources," Spencer quickly replied. "Since y'all aren't reliable," Christian added, spitefully. Taggert ignored the statement, "You guys are taking too long," Spencer voiced, and Taggert nodded, "Tell me about it. I still need you both to come to the station with me to explain what happened here and explain what else you know," Spencer didn't miss the clenched jaw. "Since we're here, I'll just show you what I was supposed show you at the station." Taggert voiced as he grabbed his phone. "They're attempting to track down a number that sent me this." The photo Taggert showed turned Christian's and Spencer's stomachs.
Trina was unconscious; she looked stiff as her dripping arm lay across her wounded leg with an engravement of a simple word.
Karma.
