Not to be found

Chapter 26 - Father

The room that I am sitting in is practically all glass; apart from the floor and ceiling.
I'm sitting at a large table, almost like one of those that a board of directors would sit at, and just to the side there is a desk with a big keyboard placed on it.

My heart has left my chest and I'm pretty sure it's now in my throat. I feel so so sick, so I'm kind of pleased that I haven't eaten very much.

I'm gazing out the window at the beautiful city below when I see Mike walking over to me.
"I think it's time we find out who you truly are," he scowls at me as he puts a small device on the table and then pushes it in my direction.

I think it reads your fingerprint.
If I place my finger on this machine it could be game over. I could be hauled into the nearest police station and handed into the cops. I don't want that just yet, I want to stay hidden.
I look to the glass door that is my nearest exit, but Mike must notice as he signals two guards to stand by it. I'm screwed.

With no other option I reluctantly place my index finger onto the glass screen, a grimace forming on my face. A female voice speaks up almost instantly,
"Lacey Elizabeth Beatrice Grey. 19 years old. Child of Georgia and Thomas Grey. Wanted."

The last word rings through my ears and sticks in my mind, 'WANTED.' Wanted for what? Being a runaway? A missing person?

"I knew dad," Noah says as he stands next to me. I have to shove my hands in my jean pockets to stop them from shaking.

Mike looks at his son in disbelief.
"What?!" He booms as he walks over to stand in front of Noah, "how long?"

Noah looks down at the floor, I know he's feeling guilty.
"The day since we left the house."

Mike clenches his fists making me anxious as if he's going to lash out at Noah. I'm the one who should be taking a punch. But surely he wouldn't hurt his own son?
He takes a deep breath whilst giving him a death stare, but then to my relief walks away back to the computer, making me a little less tense.

We sit here in complete and utter silence for a few minutes, you could cut the tension in the room with a knife. After a few clicks of the keyboard, "Lacey?" Mike calls.

"Yeah," I say quietly.

"Did you know you have a bounty on your head?"

A bounty?

"Are you sure?" Noah speaks up before I have a chance to, he leaves my side and joins Mike at the computer.

Why? Why have I got a bounty on my head? What the hell? Who wants me?

"Yep," Mike replies, "it's because of her father; Thomas."

I go numb, "what?" I finally find my voice.

I pace over to the computer and see a picture of my face on the window from the projector, below it in bold red letters says WANTED. With various amounts of money underneath that I presume are the bounty amounts.

"He's very high up in the government," Noah reads from my family profile, "they want to get to you to get to your father."

I knew that, I knew that already. I knew dad was important in the government, but I didn't realise he was this high. How wasn't I told about this? This is my life for crying out loud! I now find out I'm wanted because of my dad. How could they keep such a massive secret from me my whole life? I mean they must have known about this bounty, right? Maybe that's why they've been so worried, maybe they think I've been kidnapped?

I freeze up, my body going completely numb. I have to lock my knees together so that I don't fall flat on my face.
"Lacey?" Noah asks grabbing my waist to prop me up.