"What?" Artem asked Haywood, who stood before him in the empty control center.
"They didn't find him." Haywood repeated.
A chasm split Artem's heart in half, and a terrible, sickening feeling racked his chest. He felt tears creeping into his vision. "Are they absolutely sure? Did they check every single room?"
Haywood nodded, his old gray eyes mirroring Artem's melancholy. "I'm so sorry."
Artem slammed a fist down onto his desk, eyes now going alight with rage. "No! No- they missed a room, they had to! He was there! They just didn't look!"
A slight frown crept across Haywood's face, as tears began to roll down Artem's cheeks.
"He was there!" Artem shouted. "He was there!"
Haywood, at a loss, just extended a hand.
Artem didn't reciprocate. "He was there, had to be there...I just want him back,"
"I'm sorry," Haywood murmured. "But there's nothing I can do."
"I'll do something!" Artem barked. "If they take me to that blacksite, I'll search every last cell, and I'll find him! I swear!"
Haywood stepped forward. "Artem, listen to me."
It was the first time he'd called him by Artem instead of his last name. Artem stopped, and just stared at him, blue eyes bubbling with tears.
"Look. I'm sorry- I'm so sorry. But they didn't find him," Haywood said, attempting to speak reason, "and we can't change that now. If it would help you feel better, I'll ask Aggarwal to conduct a second sweep."
"Sure." Artem murmured forlornly. "I just want him to be safe. I miss him. I miss him so much."
"I know you do." Haywood replied. "I'll notify Aggarwal."
YOU ARE READING
Otkroveniye Complex // Book 1 of the Takaryev Series
Misterio / SuspensoRavil Galkin doesn't have much of a past, but as far as he's concerned, he's a completely normal person. Sure, he's a college drop out and basically a shut-in, but that's alright with him. But there's a whole different depth to the situation. An oc...
