The Darkest Days

58. Searching

Five years ago.

Shanghai, China.

"Nǐ hǎo." Kane grinned.

"That's Japanese." Jace replied.

"That is Chinese, you idiot. Kon'nichiwa is Japanese." Sandy corrected.

"Arigatô."

"No, now that's Japanese."

"Ah, I got this." Kane waved his hand dismissively. "I'll go to the counter and be like, Nǐ hǎo, disculpe-"

"Spanish; it's fine. I'll order for everyone." Sandy said and moved to the front of the line.

"He's fluent, Kane." Jace said. "Hunter found him in China, he's lived here for seven years."

"I just hope we don't go back to my old city. I hate that place."

"Here." Sandy placed four cups of coffee down. "I hate being here; I should be with my rap unit now."

"You are taking care of us in a foreign land." Vincent said. "Poor Kane is just barely sixteen, without you we'll be so lost!" He dramatically gasped.

"Maka and Rick are managing, I'm sure you idiots would've too."

Jace and Vincent shared a look that said you bet, we would.

A few streets away, people stared in confusion as two men performed a mob: Maka and Rick.

****

Present day

"She's in shock." Audrey said as Liam gently rubbed Vanessa's back. "She doesn't mean that. They maybe scared her, that's all. We definitely want them found."

"No, I-"

"V, you shouldn't give in to their threats." Liam said.

"What did they threaten with?" Audrey asked.

"Nothing. They threatened with nothing. I just don't think I wish to get in deeper. I might wanna wait and think clearly about what I saw and heard."

"Was this man, Jace Fitzgerald, not one of the men who broke in?" The officer asked.

Vanessa exhaled. "I'm tired. I don't know what I saw. I need some time to think. Till then, please halt any kind of investigation."

"Vanessa."

"You can have time, but why does the search have to stop?" Liam asked.

Audrey eyes went back on Vanessa.

"Because it's all wrong. I'll think better and give a new statement."

"Miss Pierce, if you are doing this because they told you to, don't. We'll be sure to provide more security-"

"I heard that two hours before four men broke into my house. But I'm not doing it because of them."

"Do I want to talk about it alone?" Audrey asked.

"I already told everything. I just need to sleep or I'll-"

"Sure, sure." Liam patted her back. "Calm down. We can talk tomorrow. There's no hurry."

The officers left for the night, Audrey and Liam slept in Audrey's room and Vanessa laid awake on her bed.

A tear fell down from her eye as she recalled the night's events. Her heart ached for her mother's arms around her; she felt scared and unsafe.