STUCK IN TIME

(xxxviii) Book 1: Chapter 31- To Find Her

Asher's POV

We found out about dad's secret laboratory few weeks ago and we were carefully planning as to how to get there. Careful planning was required because his links were too deep and we couldn't afford our plan being backfired on us.  However with Kitten kidnapped too, we are losing our minds. I want to crash that fucking place and get her out but can't do it on my own. My rash decisions have costed me a lot. I don't want to mess up this time because it's a life and death situation for her. No chance of mistakes.

The plan was to find where the headquarters of dads illegal businesses are located. We have been hesitant to involve the police because he has deep links and can know the direction of police investigation and prepare accordingly. The entire plan would fail if the element of surprise is removed. However after we find where this lab is located we will involve the investigation offices but before that I'll make few arrangements. That is where I need uncle Michael's help.

Emir took Mr Zaroon into confidence and explained him a lot about what we are planning on doing and what we already have found. But this is a place where peaceful civilians can do nothing. None of Mr. Zaroon's money can do any good. The only thing that can work here is power and links. These both things are possessed by Uncle Michael. I never wanted him to know anything about dad's interest in these sisters but apparently it is my last option. So helpless and desperate I am here in front of him demanding something that can cost me being bound to him and his illegal businesses forever.

"What is it son? Why do you look so worried?" He inquiries after he realizes taht I am not here for usual business discussions.

"Uncle I think the day has come where we take our revenge. But I have more to gain from it this time. I won't lie to you at all but at this point I don't want my revenge at all. All I want is to save a friend and in the process your revenge will be taken too."

"Interesting." He says with creased forehead and sips his drink. "Let's listen to what you have to propose." He always choses his words carefully. Asking me like that is an indication that he doesn't want his revenge as a consequence. And if that be the case, I will have to make perfect sense.

"Uncle before I say anything let me make it clear to you that my life depends on it. If you really see me as your son then you must understand that if we don't succeed in this. I don't care if I live or die." I try to speak honestly without beating about the bush and testing what he says to me everyday, that I am his son. "It's about Ayana."

"Zaroon's daughter?" Uncle asks.

"Yes."

He motions for me to continue.

"Uncle you remember we were looking for so long into what dad's illegal business is but we could not find out and thought all his money is legal? Apparently it's not. He is running a side business too, it's a science project, what grandpa initiated he has taken over it and moved it underground."

"Ahh! I don't understand why he would do that. He stopped funding his own father in his life because it was a stupid research. Now why would he suddenly want it."

"Not suddenly. He had started that from the day grandpa died. Looks like grandpa's research was not this much a waste of time. They are people who actually believe in all of that and they are powerful people. They are funding that. Its experimentation on human mind and they kidnap young people who have brilliant minds and experiment on them."

"I knew it he was into something. No matter what I do to crash his business it would again be at the top. None of my schemes to bring him down ever worked. I thought he is just a lucky bastard but turns out he had really deep roots. This is more illegal than all of my side businesses combined."

"He only abducts people with extra-ordinary mental skills, how he finds them, how he abducts them, how he uses them, we have to find everything and expose his entire web. but before all of that I want Ayana back. He has kidnapped her fer days ago. A month ago her younger sister was kidnapped. I don't know what they would be doing to her." I say as the realization again panics me making my chest feel constricted.

"So you already used my people, my money and my resources to chase her sister and when things got out of your grasp you decided to inform me. Did you think I wouldn't let you use the authority I have given to you for yourself? Did you think I lied to you when I called you my son? Did you think I would deny you something so close to your heart even after I promised you half of my fortune. You disappointed me Asher."

"Uncle you wanted me to marry Lauren, I thought it would hurt you to see me showing so much interest in someone else." I respond knowing I am hurting him but what can I do? I can't handle it. I can't sit normal so ai stand and awkwardly run fingers through my hair and then confusedly sit again. I can neitger control my thoughts nor my actions. I must be looking like a fool at the moment.

"And here I thought that there is one person in the world who actually understands me." Uncle says in a small voice.

"I am sorry Uncle. You are right. Blame me all you want. You can scold me, punish me, take back everything you gave to me. But please don't deny this to me. I want her saved Uncle and every second is precious. I am desperate for your help. Please." I beg with tears threatening to fall from my eyes.

"Relax son. You don't have to beg me for sich a small thing. I can give you all that I have in a hearbeat. I am not going to deny this to you. Also I have a lot to gain from it as well." He says making me relax a little.

"Thank you so much uncle."

"Son I was never gonna force you to marry Lauren. I left my family and all my fortune for the woman I loved. How can I force my son to mae3of my choice. I know you are not my real son, but you are so much like your uncle. Don't worry, I will put my revenge on second priority and your wish at first. We will find her." He pats my back and leaves the room.

********

All this time what had amazed me was how was kitty able to find out about dad's involvement earlier than I was. So after her kidnapping we find her communication record and find out about Sean. She turned out to be smarter after all. reckless yes but that didn't get her caught so I would say she was smart.

After talking to Sean we realized we are lucky to have found him because his hacking skills are really appreciable. A good hacker is what uncle's little army lacks. So in order to find out more about dad we needed his help and as he did not want to be involved in anything risky therefore it was really hard to convince him.

Sean was doing a good job but the problem was that he was only able to find out what dad did based on online transactions. The information that we received from Sean had to be analyzed too much and seen where does a link break because obviously dad was really smart and probably made his illegal spending based on manual transactions however there were few ostensible accounts that we found out from where I marked few people who now will have to be found out.

I used uncle's people to spy on those people and after a weeklong efforts I have found the location of dad's laboratory. I confirmed about it before telling the police and now all of us scared that if at this point something went wrong then we might lose her forever. So not trusting completely on police was my advice. I have two plans. The other being the backup plan.

I proposed to Emir that we should now act under the cover of authorities. Investors would love to take creadit of this case and uncle will be avenged too. In case if there is even a small hint that dad has links up there too then we have uncle's men as a backup plan who will turn that place upside down in minutes.

I hope that plan A works and we don't have to use uncle's men because if we do that there will be a lot of bloodshed and it's better to let the government handle this because if dad falls in uncle's hands I am sensing another trouble over here.