From Outer Space

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

She takes a deep breath, her knuckles turning white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly. Looking around, Lauren remembers the vacation she spent with Brody at this place all those years ago. It's such a calm environment in which nature lives freely. The view over the lake is truly breathtaking and all the trees surrounding it really gives the idea of being in the middle of nowhere.

And that is exactly why Lauren is almost having a heart-attack right now. This is the perfect place for Brody to hide Kyano. Away from people, in the middle of the woods and out of cellphone range. Why Lauren hadn't thought of it earlier is a question she can't answer. All she knows is that her heart is beating a thousand times per second, her hands are clammy, her muscles are tense and ache terribly and her head is truly all over the place.

Surely, Normani has noticed that Lauren is gone by now. Which means that Camila probably knows as well. Lauren's heart cracks a little when she can't stop the thoughts of how hurt her girlfriend must be from crossing her mind. But she can't think about that now. She has to focus and push her emotions away.

With a final deep breath Lauren opens the car door and steps out carefully. Fresh and clean air surrounds her and clears her hectic mind a little bit. She checks her phone one more time, but there is no signal out here. She opens the recording app on her phone and gets it ready to start recording as soon as Brody appears with her baby boy.

Maybe it wasn't the smartest decision to go out here alone and not tell anybody where she is, but Lauren hasn't lost her mind completely. She knows she'll need as much evidence as she can get from this upcoming encounter with her former best friend.

The technician shakes her head and starts walking toward the look-out point close to one of the cabins that has a wonderful view over the lake and surrounding mountains. That cabin is the one she shared with Brody a few years ago when they escaped their busy lives for a week as little get-away. While walking up there she tries to look through the windows of the cabin, looking for any sign of her son. But the cabin seems abandoned.

She checks her phone to read the text Brody had sent her several hours ago again, but he didn't mention a time. Lauren wonders how Brody would know when she gets here when a low and familiar voice startles her.

''What a view, huh?'' Lauren gulps and squeezes her eyes shut for a moment to get rid of the anxiety in her body before turning around and seeing Brody standing there with a gentle smile on his face.

Her throat dries up immediately while her heartbeat picks up again. She tries to swallow, tries to speak but her words are lost. In front of her stands the guy who has betrayed her trust in the most disgusting and disrespectful way by doing what he did to Camila, the guy who faked an injury up in space just to get down to earth and most of all, the guy who kidnapped her son.

''Brody...'' Lauren mutters out, her eyes wide while her thumb presses the record button on her phone behind her back. He looks like the exact same guy she remembers him to be, even though he's a completely different person to her now.

''I'm glad you came. I knew you'd remember our special place.'' He says, stepping closer to Lauren to wrap his arms around her shoulders in a hug as if they are not meeting because he kidnapped her son.

Lauren freezes, his scent making her nauseous and his proximity making her want to scream and run away. But deep within her she finds the strength to hug him back shortly.

''Where is he?'' she asks as soon as Brody pulls away, his hands resting on her shoulders while his brown eyes pierce through hers.

''Patience Lauren.'' He answers calmly and Lauren feels the panic rise within her quickly.