The Crimson Silence

Finding Nebula - Part 2

Jake sat in stunned silence, the weight of Alexandra’s words crashing over him. His mind raced, fury and confusion twisting together in a haze. He ran a hand over his face, trying to ground himself. With a trembling breath, he grabbed his phone.

“How soon can you be here? I need my laptop… I have to see it,” he said, his voice rough.

There was a pause. “I don’t know. Forty-five minutes?” Alexandra replied.

“Start immediately and call me when you get here,” Jake said firmly, ending the call.

He sat for a moment longer, taking in the silence of David’s empty office. The anger seethed within him, and he took a deep breath to steady himself. He needed composure. Slowly, Jake rose and walked out of the office. From the upper floor, he could see the gala below through the open roof. People milled about, laughing and talking, blissfully unaware of the secrets that lay hidden in the shadows around them.

Descending the staircase, Jake moved through the crowd, acknowledging the congratulations and handshakes with a nod or a quick word, his mind elsewhere. Then Lisa’s voice called out, snapping him back.

“Jake! Come on, we’re toasting,” she said, holding up her glass with a broad smile. Sam and Cynthia stood beside her, glasses raised, waiting for him to join them.

“To the new CEO of Roscoe Development and to a very successful auction… Cheers, you guys!” Lisa said.

“Hear, hear,” the group echoed, clinking glasses. Jake forced a smile and raised his glass, feeling the dissonance between the celebration around him and the dark reality he was uncovering.

As Lisa and Sam went to refresh their drinks, Cynthia lingered, moving closer to Jake.

“What an evening, right?” she asked, her tone light but curious.

“Yes, it is… Congratulations, Cynth,” Jake replied, his voice low and distant.

She tilted her head, studying him. “Are you okay? You seem… tired.”

“Crowd,” he muttered, deflecting.

Cynthia, still smiling, took his hand and led him back to their table. Lisa and Sam returned, and the four chatted, though Jake’s mind drifted constantly to the clock. He was waiting—watching the minutes tick down, counting each one until he could see Alexandra’s proof for himself.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed a group of people discreetly making their way toward the villa nearby, Angela among them. Recognition dawned as he realized these were the members of Oizys, gathering as indicated in the message he’d received. He kept his expression neutral, not betraying the sharp interest that gripped him.

Around nine, his phone vibrated in his pocket. A text from Alexandra: “I’m at the main entrance.”

Jake excused himself and headed quickly to the parking lot. Behind him, he noticed Cynthia watching, her brows knit in curiosity. He reached the lot and found Alexandra waiting beside her car, laptop in hand. Jake took it from her with a curt nod.

“Go home… Katie will be alone,” he said, his tone softening slightly.

Alexandra’s face tightened with concern. “Let me help you, Jacob…”

“You’ve done enough, Alexandra. I’m almost done. Now go,” he insisted, his gaze steady. After a long pause, she nodded and called for a cab.

Jake turned and headed back into the Roscoe Tower, making his way to the room he’d been using to store his things. Setting the laptop down, he opened it and began scrolling through the files. His eyes widened in horror as the details unfolded before him. He saw records of extortion, payments, and photographs documenting the suffering of women caught in the cruel snare of Oizys. Images and video files revealed horrors that had persisted over decades. Heart pounding, Jake realized the full extent of David’s depravity—David was Nebula, the twisted leader at the heart of Oizys.