Three Hearts Left Intact

Chapter 39: Lost

"KAILA!" Lauren shouted as she pressed her body through the gap between the door and the wall. She stormed in looking around jaw dropped as she saw an empty room. After hearing the commotion that Kaila had made moments earlier in her attempt to escape, Lauren knew she was indeed in this room.

Kicking and throwing the remaining pots out of the way, she opened the door wide enough for the Hounds in full uniform to enter. "Search the room, I want her found!" Lauren ordered. "Bring her to my office!"

She marched off back in the direction of her office leaving as the Hounds began rummaging through all the shelves and pots. After their search they confirmed Lauren's suspicion. The room was empty. They could find no evidence of Kaila's whereabouts.

Marching in unison the Hounds made it all the way back to Lauren's office. As the Hound stood in the very front knocked on the door, Lauren angrily yelled for him to enter. As he turned the knob he could see the eagerness Lauren held. She was bent forwards trying to look at who was entering before the door had even opened completely.

When she didn't see the small girl in front of her, Lauren's glare beamed red at the Hound. "Where is she?!"

"The room was empty. We couldn't find any evidence where she went." He calmly stated keeping his tall posture despite how intimidated he felt in front of Lauren.

"What do you mean you didn't find her?! Where else could she have been?! There is only ONE way in and out of that room, she couldn't have escaped it!" Lauren hissed as she slammed her fists down on her desk. "Go fetch me that nurse who told me she'd be in there!"

The Hound nodded his head and took his leave not saying another word. As her office door shut, Lauren screamed out loud releasing some of her rage. "I swear where could this girl have run off too! There was no where for her to go! Those imbeciles can't do anything right!"

She threw her head down onto her desk in her arms as she anxiously awaited for the nurse. It had been less than ten minutes when another knock echoed from the opposite side of her door. "Enter!" She shouted seeing a Hound holding Mary by the back of her lab coat.

He tossed her into the room landing on her hands and knees. Meanwhile the Hound stood tall waiting for another order. Lauren paid him no attention. "Keep searching for the girl! This place stays on lockdown until she is found!" Lauren yelled and directed her head towards the door signally for him to leave.

Not waiting for a second to pass he left the room and slammed the door behind him causing Mary to jolt in fear. "Stand up!" Lauren directed standing from her own seat.

Mary looked up nervously seeing the fire in Lauren's heart. Gulping down harshly she got up to her feet and kept her head hung low. Seeing Mary's entire body trembling Lauren couldn't help but grin lightly. Walking over to the other side of her desk she stood directly in front of Mary, only keeping an inch between them. Lowering her head down, Lauren's forehead was only an inch away from Mary's.

"Where is she?!" She shouted noticing Mary's body tense. From the close proximity Mary could feel a light shower of spit. "You said Kaila would be in the greenhouse!" Lauren took small steps closer to Mary who began backing up until her back hit the wall.

Throwing her arm over Mary's shoulder and hitting the wall hard, half of Lauren's face was hidden behind her mask of hair. "S-s-she w-was s-suppose  t-to b-be t-there..." Mary's voice only came out as a soft whisper.

"If she was there, do you think I'd have you here in my office asking you where she is?!" Lauren screamed. Her face had become a light shade of red from how unbearably hot her skin was becoming.

"B-but I-I s-saw h-her g-go i-in...I-I h-had l-locked  t-the d-door m-myself..." she admitted. Her voice came out only in part. Half her voice was air and the other was noise.

"B-but...b-but..." Lauren mocked, "she escaped somehow! You can consider our deal off! You are not leaving here until she is found like everybody else! And if I don't get my hands on her in the next twenty four hours, we'll you can kiss your position goodbye. I'll see to it personally that I have you dropped back down to a janitor! Am I clear?!" Lauren yelled.

The dread on Mary's face spoke for itself, "y-you c-can't d-do t-that! I-I s-said s-she'd b-be i-in t-that r-room! A-and s-she w-was! I-It i-isn't m-my f-fault s-she f-found a-a w-way t-to e-escape!" She defended.

"Did you just tell me what I can't do?!" Lauren's smile had darkened in a challenging tone.

Not wanting to make the situation worst for herself, Mary shut her mouth and shook her head. Lauren scoffed seeing how easily Mary submitted.

"Get out of my office! And get me that girl!" She warned seeing the hate in Mary's eyes as she scrabbled her feet out the door.

Finally left in the room all alone Lauren couldn't help but releasing one of the loudest shrieks she had ever made. "How can an entire team of trained professionals not be able to find one girl?!"

She swept the entire contents of her desk off and onto the floor not caring of the damage she was doing. Throwing her body back down into her chair she punched the wall besides her, denting the material inwards.

After an episode of endless growling and swearing, Lauren felt her entire being freeze. She felt paralyzed in the middle of her tantrum. The noise that broke its way through her shouting and yelling was her phone laying on the floor near the edge of her desk.

She peered over the edge seeing the contact info that was pulled up. In three bolded letters she read out "mom". She couldn't breathe and couldn't think. All she could do was mindlessly pick it up. Her hand was shaking so much she nearly declined the call. Taking a moment to breathe and fully take in the situation she moved her thumb to hit the bright green button.

"Hello..." her voice was as shaky as Mary's was only a few moments prior. The confidence and adrenaline all left her body leaving her as an empty shell of a person.
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Let me know what you think happened to Kaila. Thanks Lexx signing off