Chapter 915
Lillian stepped outside, hoping the people on the other end would want to see Ruby, talk to her, or something like that.
This would buy them some time, but the person on the other side was clearly very alert.
He hesitated for just a moment before speaking in a chilling tone.
"Don't bother looking. If you try anything funny, watch out for the kid!"
Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the shadow holding Taylor in front of the camera suddenly let go.
Lillian watched in horror as Taylor fell, hitting the ground with a thud, followed by his sharp cries. Then the screen went black, and everything disappeared.
Lillian stared at her phone, her fingers trembling as she pressed the screen, trying to bring the image back.
Her whole body shook, on the verge of a breakdown, but she couldn't make a sound.
Her vision blurred with red, and all she could see in her mind was Taylor being thrown down, his cries echoing in her ears, so piercing.
He was so small, he couldn't even speak yet, couldn't express his needs or fears.
His cries were a call for his parents, but she could only watch, unable to do anything.
She couldn't do anything.
"Lillian! Lillian, don't hurt yourself, I'm here!"
Lillian was brought back to reality by Jackson's familiar, urgent voice.
She looked around frantically and saw Ambrose and Oberon surrounding her.
They both looked extremely worried, and the voice had come from the phone in Ambrose's hand.
On the screen, Jackson's eyes were filled with the same red worry.
While Lillian was on the video call, Ambrose had been live-streaming with Jackson.
"Lillian, let go!"
Meeting Jackson's gaze, he spoke again, his brow furrowed.
Lillian realized her mouth was filled with the taste of blood.
She had bitten her lip so hard when she saw Taylor fall that it was now a bloody mess.
She tried to move her lips, but the pain couldn't compare to the agony in her heart.
She couldn't wait another day; she had to rescue Taylor immediately.
Otherwise, who knew what those maniacs would do to him next?
Ruby and her people were heartless lunatics.
She was genuinely afraid that one day she would receive a bloody part of Taylor's body.
Lillian quickly turned to Zephyr, "Zephyr, how's it going? I didn't buy enough time, I..."
Her voice trembled, and Oberon, seeing her like this, patted her shoulder with his aged hand, also looking hopefully at Zephyr.
Zephyr was experienced. The video call was short, but he had brought top-notch tracking experts, including one sent by Jackson specifically for this.
Just as he was about to speak, a police officer responsible for tracking suddenly exclaimed.
"Got it!"
Zephyr's expression changed, and he quickly walked over to the equipment.
Lillian's eyes lit up, and she hurried after him.
When they reached the equipment, the tracking expert and two assisting officers stood up, pointing at the large screen. A red circle was flashing, indicating the last known location of the signal.
"Zephyr, Mr. Kelly, this is the area where the video call took place. We didn't have enough time to pinpoint the exact location, but this range is very small. If we had just a few more seconds, we could have gotten the exact spot. It's a shame..."
The officer spoke excitedly.
"Mr. Frane, the location has been shared."
Next to him, the expert Jackson had sent immediately reported to Jackson on the screen.
"Good job," Jackson said, his voice carrying a hint of relief.
He had already scanned the location on his tablet several times.
Though it wasn't precise, there were only four blocks to search, making it much easier.
Staring at the red circle, Jackson's eyes were filled with a cold, deadly intent.
Taylor was there, and he wouldn't let anyone who hurt Taylor get away.
Taylor's heart-wrenching cries had filled him with as much anger and pain as Lillian's.
With the location confirmed, Jackson's breathing finally eased.
At the same time, a dozen black cars sped towards the indicated area like panthers in the night.
Meanwhile, bodyguards scattered around the area received orders and began closing in from all directions, forming a tightening net.
The night grew deeper, the wind howling.
Lillian kept her eyes fixed on the red circle on the screen, her fingers gripping the chair in front of her.
"Lillian, let's go home and wait for news. Grandma is still at home."
Ambrose saw Jackson's team spring into action and ended the video call.
He stepped forward, gently touching Lillian's head, comforting her like a child facing a tough exam.
Lillian blinked her sore eyes and finally looked away from the screen.
She turned to Ambrose, who gave her a reassuring smile, his confident demeanor calming her.
"Don't worry, I trust Jackson's abilities."
Lillian trusted him, too.
She nodded and turned to help Oberon.
"Grandpa, let's go home."
Oberon hadn't rested well in days. Now that the crucial location was identified, he felt a bit relieved, and fatigue washed over him.
He squeezed Lillian's hand, and they walked out together.
In the elevator, Lillian reached to press the button for the ground floor, but Oberon pressed the top floor instead.
"Grandpa, you pressed the wrong button."
Oberon smiled, pulling his hand from hers.
"No mistake. I arranged a helicopter for you. You don't need to stay with me. Go to Miracalia."
Oberon knew how anxious Lillian was.
Waiting here was too torturous.
Lillian's eyes sparkled. She had planned to take Oberon home before heading to the airport, but he had made arrangements for her.
The elevator reached the top floor and opened.
Oberon hugged Lillian, saying, "Go. I'll be waiting for you both to come back. If it weren't for all the things here, I'd go with you."
Ruby was still around, and someone needed to keep an eye on her to prevent any more trouble. With the turmoil in the Kelly family and the situation still unstable, Oberon indeed couldn't leave at this time.
Lillian looked at Ambrose, who smiled and nodded at her, no words needed.
Lillian smiled, "Alright, Grandpa, make sure to prepare a room for Taylor. We'll be back soon."
She turned and ran into the wind.
'Taylor, don't be afraid. Mommy is coming.'
---
Miracalia.
Several cars were parked on the outskirts of the targeted area, ready to move.
Harry stared at his tablet, frowning slightly, and pointed to a section of the map.
"Mr. Frane, I believe this area is the most likely. It's a dirty, chaotic slum with many places lacking surveillance. The people there are a mixed bag, making it easier for these scumbags to hide. Plus, there are many illegal buildings with basements and attics, perfect for hiding and escaping."
The first step was to pinpoint the most likely location.
If they couldn't strike accurately, any disturbance could anger the kidnappers, putting Taylor in danger.
Although the area was tightly surrounded by the Frane family's people and the police, making it impossible for the kidnappers to escape tonight, Taylor was still a hostage. If they couldn't subdue the kidnappers quickly, the situation could spiral out of control.
The targeted area was unique, with an unrenovated slum on one side and a high-rise, upscale neighborhood across the river, including luxury apartments and villas.
Harry was convinced that Gemma and her group were hiding in the slum.
But Jackson didn't respond to Harry's suggestion.
Harry then looked at the police chief, who was also frowning.
"What does Zephyr think?"
Zephyr nodded, "Mr. Frane, I agree with Harry. The kidnappers clearly gave Taylor a sedative at the start of the video, worried that his crying would attract attention. Compared to the upscale neighborhood with good soundproofing and spacious villas, the slum's poor soundproofing means a crying child would be heard by everyone around. I suggest starting the search from the edge of the slum, where the population is less dense, making it easier to buy supplies and escape."
Zephyr pointed to an area, and Harry nodded in agreement.
However, Jackson remained silent, his gaze heavy.
Instead, he put on his headphones again, closing his eyes to listen carefully.
He replayed the audio from Lillian's video call with the kidnappers.
Jackson's brow twitched, and he tapped the screen to pause the audio.
He handed the headphones to Harry and Zephyr.
"Listen to this part," Jackson said, his voice low and intense. "There's a faint sound in the background. It's not just the kid crying. It's something else."
"Listen to this part again. Do you hear a faint dragging sound?"
Harry took the headphones and listened closely. Zephyr also brought his laptop over, turning up the volume to listen carefully.
"It does sound like something being dragged, covered by Taylor's crying. It sounds like furniture being moved upstairs!"
Harry's expression brightened.
Zephyr agreed, "I hear it, too. This suggests the slum, where soundproofing is poor. In those old buildings, you can hear everything, even a cough from two floors up."
Harry looked at Jackson excitedly, "Mr. Frane, what are we waiting for? Let's move!"
He was ready to be the first to storm in and make those who dared to kidnap Taylor regret it.
But Jackson said, "No, start with the villa area."
"Alright, I'll lead..."
Harry began to open the car door, then turned back in shock, thinking he had misheard.
"Why?" Zephyr was also puzzled.
Jackson explained, "They knew they would be on video and prepared accordingly. The sedative and the dragging sound could be distractions. The slum is chaotic, but many people have lived there for a long time, making it a risky choice. They can't keep Taylor sedated forever, and when he wakes up, he'll cry. Remember, they didn't hesitate to hurt Taylor at the end of the video. His cries were loud, contradicting the use of a sedative."
A contradiction meant a cover-up.
Harry thought it over, "You're right!"
Jackson continued, "The villa area has low occupancy, strong security, and many have basements or wine cellars, perfect for hiding a child. Ruby hasn't financially neglected Gemma's family. They've likely lived well. Would such a family fit into a dirty, chaotic environment?"
Zephyr's eyes lit up, looking at Jackson with undisguised admiration.
"Searching the villa area is simpler. I'll have the surveillance footage, homeowner information, and recent activity pulled up immediately."
Zephyr quickly gave the orders.
Unlike the slum, gathering information in the villa area was much easier.
Within five or six minutes, the surveillance footage and homeowner data were on the computer.
Jackson scanned the villa owners' information, quickly locking onto a name.
He tapped the name with his finger.
Harry looked over, "Gwyneth? That name sounds familiar."
As he tried to recall, Zephyr said, "It's on the list of fake identities from Seaspring Valley City. Let me confirm."
That afternoon, they had received a list of fake identities created five years ago.
Zephyr remembered the name Gwyneth because it was unusual.
He was about to compare the list when Jackson said, "It's her! The homeowner's ID matches the fake identity. Gwyneth is Gemma!"
Jackson stared at the name, his eyes filled with a chilling resolve.
"Taylor, I've finally found you."
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