Second Chance

Worst Nightmare

"Sir. I hate to interrupt, but we have an issue." Dean sounds a little scared and I can't help but feel it's something I'm not going to like. Everything in me is on high alert as run through all the possible scenarios that could have happened in the last hour to warrant having it brought to my attention. Then I immediately start running worst case scenarios of everything that could have happened with Brooklyn instead of having her here with me throughout this entire meeting. I then start running through ways to solve all those scenarios. I need a game plan but first I need to know what happened.

I walk out of the conference room as calmly as possible and follow him to his desk. I hear voices in the distance but none of that matters right now. My top priority is reaching his desk and seeing my daughter's smiling face. As soon as I reach it I look everywhere for her. Under his desk, on both sides of it I even check in my office. Her toys and blanket are sitting by his desk and her sippy cup behind it. I notice one of her toys on the side of his desk near the elevator by itself. She's missing and so is her wolf. I look around for Dean hoping he may have answers. Maybe she needed a diaper change and he got one of the ladies to do it for him so I look around her diaper bag and it's still sitting where I left it. Maybe they took only her diaper and wipes to change her? When I see him I can see he looks frightened. Looking behind him I see Laura and she looks just as concerned. Why would they be concerned if she was only getting her diaper changed.

"What happened to need my attention and who took her to change her diaper?" From the looks they give me I know that's not the case. Brooklyn isn't getting her diaper changed and she's nowhere to be found. "Where is she?" I might sound a little angry at the moment but I feel justified. My kid is missing and those left to look out for her managed to screw it all to hell. I'm looking all around constantly hoping she might have left a clue as to where she went. I know when this is over my neck is going to hurt for days from the rapid fire movement but that's the last thing on my mind. I need to see all the exits and take count of everyone on this floor along with their whereabouts and what time she was last seen.

"As I was saying Sir, I only turned my head for a second to answer the phone. She crawled into the elevator and the door closed before I could reach her. I already called maintenance and security. We started a floor to floor search already and I have her picture out to everyone so they know who to look for."

My heart drops to the pit of my stomach. It feels like everything has slowed to a crawl and like I'm underwater. I feel like my brain is filled with sludge and my chest has this heavy weight on it that's getting heavier with every passing moment and every breath I take. The only thing making any sense right now is the desire to find her. I feel like the world's worst father. This is all my fault. I never should have left her alone. The last time I did she was so scared it took days to calm her down again. I knew better. It's my job to protect her and look out for her. I'm suppose to keep the big bad world as far from her sweet innocent little world as long as possible. I failed.

I don't want to listen to anything else so I take off heading to the stairs. I stop at every floor and check for her. I run into security more than usual. It helps to know that I'm not alone looking for her. No one tries to stop me and I'm grateful for that. I have a sinking feeling it's not out of courtesy but out of self preservation. I catch a glimpse of myself in the reflection of one of the fire extinguishers. I look feral. I swear my eyes have a red glow and my back is hunched and my shoulders are back. I look like I'm ready to attack anything in my way.

Every floor I check the exits and elevators. I go from office to office and from conference room to closets. I even check all the bathrooms on every floor. I haven't seen any signs of her yet. I need to find her. I won't be able to breathe until I do.

*DAR*

Janet came through for us finally. Turns out three out of the four victims had their DNA on file with DHP all of them being the male ones. I'm surprised that she was able to pull anything useful to begin with. I'm waiting on the report to come through now. She said it would be in my email within the hour over an hour ago.