Chapter Seventeen

Chapter 17

"The servers are down!" Alan's urgent declaration reverberated through the Emergency Room at Jay's house. Jay frantically dialed numbers, seeking CCTV footage from every corner of Rome, hoping for a glimpse of Dennis's car during Jemima's abduction.

Dimitri, a tech whiz like Alan, joined forces in scouring the web for leads and a possible GPS tracker. Vanessa observed intently, her arms crossed tightly, brows furrowed in concern.

"If the servers are down, can't we reroute the connection through the router?" Dimitri's suggestion sparked a nod of agreement from Alan, who swiftly acted on the idea.

"Damn it!" Jay's frustrated outburst filled the room, his actions mirroring his agitation as the chair collided with the couch, resonating with a heavy thud.

"What's wrong?" Vanessa inquired, her hand on her chin, trying to mask her unease. She studied Jay, noting his exasperation.

"The CCTV on Second Avenue was sabotaged right before the abduction," Jay disclosed, his distress evident as he sank back, signs of a panic attack surfacing in his restless leg.

"Damn it! Dennis is a calculative snake!" Vanessa cursed softly, the tension in the room escalating as they grappled with the dilemma of rescuing Jemima. Involving the cops seemed futile, and confronting Dennis directly posed its own risks. Jay paced around the room as he raked his hands through his hair, attempting to come up with possible solutions for Jemima’s safe rescue.

"There is a signal!" Alan's voice cut through the tension, drawing all eyes to him as hope flickered in the dim room. He typed away at his keyboard, his fingers dancing with urgency, as he zoomed into the ominous red dot pulsating on his monitor. Everyone fixed their gazes on the screen before glancing at Alan to elucidate on what exactly they were looking at.

“What is that?” Jay asked, squinting his eyes to get a better look while Dimitri yawned, everyone was exhausted and needed rest.

"That is the tracker Jemima had slipped on him. No signal until now, but look, there it is, emanating from an abandoned warehouse in the heart of nowhere," Alan revealed, prompting puzzled frowns from the group. Momentary silence befell everyone as they contemplated the next line of action, each of them wrapped up in their own individual thought.

"Let's head there immediately then,” Vanessa proposed, her eyes fixed on the screen. Adrenaline coursing through her veins as the possibility of saving Jemima danced around her head.

"No!" The trio's synchronized protest jolted Vanessa, freezing her momentarily.

"Why not? We know the location; we can take our team and catch them off guard," Vanessa suggested, her gaze locked on the blinking red dot, voicing her plan.

"I'm uncertain if this is the precise spot," Alan cautioned, deepening Vanessa's confusion.

"But if the tracker's signal matches Dennis's device, shouldn't it be him?" Vanessa's mind raced with possibilities, perplexed at the dilemma of Jemima.

"It could be Dennis, or it could be a decoy," Dimitri added cryptically, leaving Vanessa perplexed.

"It's either Dennis and the exact spot or a trap to mislead us," Jay interjected softly, his hand stroking his chin in contemplation.

"In that case, there is only one way to know for sure," Vanessa declared, reaching for her phone to make a call. Everyone's attention snapped to her, exchanging puzzled glances as they fixed their gaze on Vanessa.

"What are you doing?" Dimitri's inquiry cut through the tension, his hand confidently resting on the table as they all locked eyes on Vanessa.

Vanessa remained silent, her lips pressed together tightly, the persistent ringing of the phone on the other end echoing in the room.

"Hello?" Vanessa's voice was laced with skepticism as she cautiously answered the call, activating the speakerphone for all to hear.

"And this must be Vanesaa?" The voice of Dennis Saunders reverberated through the line, causing Vanessa's eyes to widen in disbelief.

"Disconnect the call!" Jay's urgent command pierced the air, prompting Dimitri to swiftly grab the phone from Vanessa's grasp and hurl it against the wall in a sudden, violent motion.

"Fuck!" Alan's expletive filled the room as he clutched his head in aggravation.

"I didn't know Dennis was going to pick up," Vanessa's defense was tinged with tears welling in her eyes, the weight of her actions sinking in.

"Why would you even make that call? Would a captive have access to her phone?" Alan's reprimand reverberated with anger as he paced the room, his frustration evident in the forceful kick he delivered to a nearby chair.

"You've just compromised the situation for Jemima further!" Jay's dangerously calm voice delivered a stark warning.

Suddenly, a beep emitted from Alan's computer, drawing everyone's attention to the screen. A Zoom call was incoming.

Alan glanced at Jay, receiving a subtle nod of approval, signaling him to accept the call.

"Greetings, everyone!" Dennis's sharp voice pierced through the speakers, eliciting grimaces of annoyance from the group.

"Behold your beloved Silent Killer!" Dennis's declaration accompanied the camera's pivot to reveal Jemima, who has suspended by the hand above the wall, half dead. She was stark naked, marks of whip lash designed her body and blood dripped from her nose.

"Jem!" Alan's cry pierced the tense air, a mix of sorrow and rage coloring his voice as his fist collided with the table in frustration.

The team's eyes conveyed a blend of empathy and sorrow, mirroring the torment etched on Jemima's battered form.

"What do you want, Dennis?" Jay's words seethed through clenched teeth, his fury palpable as he awaited Dennis's next move, the screen holding their collective gaze in suspense.

"I know you hold can give me anything I want, but that's not what I seek," Dennis's voice dripped with malice as the camera focused on him once more.

"Then what is it that you desire?" Alan's exasperation boiled over.

"I want to be the one to take out Silent Killer, your most precious asset," Dennis's chilling words hung in the air as he aimed the gun at Jemima, the shot echoing through the room.

“No!”