Chapter 336 Five Hundred Million Dollars
"Lucas," Emma's voice shook, tears brimming in her eyes.
Mia's face went pale, her voice laced with fear, "This is Phoenix's warning."
Billy muttered a curse under his breath, "That psycho, what the hell is she up to?"
Ethan's expression was just as grim. He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed a number, "Get all the surveillance footage from around here right now. Find out who that delivery guy is and where he came from!"
After hanging up, Ethan turned to Emma, "Emma, don't worry. We'll find Lucas. Since Phoenix sent this, it means she's still close by. We still have a shot."
Tears streamed down Emma's cheeks, "Lucas, what if he's already dead?"
"He won't be!" Mia gripped Emma's hand tightly, "Lucas is still alive. Phoenix won't hurt him easily; she's just using him to get to you."
Ethan stood up quickly, "I'll get the entire Martinez family on this. You guys keep looking for clues. Emma, stay calm. Phoenix might reach out to you again."
Emma nodded, forcing herself to stay composed. She knew their only hope was to find Phoenix and rescue Lucas as soon as possible.
"Lucas, hang in there," she whispered.
Lucas was locked in a dimly lit room, his hands and feet bound with rough rope, a rag stuffed in his mouth making it hard to breathe. His eyes strained to adjust to the darkness, searching for any chance to escape.
Outside the door, Phoenix and a man in black were talking in low voices, their conversation coming through in fragments. Lucas strained to listen.
"When Emma takes the bait, we'll make our move," the man's voice was cold and sinister.
"Are you sure she'll come?" Phoenix asked, a hint of doubt in her tone.
"She'll come," the man sneered, "Her son is the most important thing to her."
Lucas's heart sank. He knew Emma would come to save him, but he couldn't let her walk into danger. He had to find a way to send a message.
He scanned the room and noticed a piece of broken glass in the corner, likely from a shattered window. His heart raced as he carefully moved his body, trying not to make any noise, crawling towards the glass.
The rope chafed his wrists painfully, but he gritted his teeth and kept moving. Finally, he reached the glass, carefully picking it up with his fingertips and starting to cut through the rope.
Minutes ticked by, sweat beading on Lucas's forehead. His wrists were cut and bleeding, but he ignored the pain, focused only on freeing himself.
At last, the rope snapped. Lucas quickly untied his feet and removed the rag from his mouth, gasping for air.
Now that he could move, he needed to call for help.
Lucas remembered the small signal transmitter he always carried, a little gadget he used for playing with radio waves. It was simple but fully functional.
The transmitter was strapped to his belt, unnoticed by his captors. Lucas quickly placed it on the ground and checked its status. The battery still had power, but the signal strength was weak, not enough to send a distress signal. Lucas frowned, his mind racing through his knowledge of radio waves.
Lucas looked around and spotted a pile of discarded electronic equipment in the corner. There was a piece of copper wire and a small circuit board. His eyes lit up as he crawled over and picked them up. Using the broken glass, he cut the copper wire and stripped the insulation, exposing the metal inside.
He connected the wire to the transmitter's antenna, trying to boost the signal. His fingers moved quickly and deftly. Despite being only six years old, his understanding of electronics far surpassed his peers.
He remembered his teacher saying that the longer the antenna, the stronger the signal. So, he stretched the wire as long as possible and fixed it to the window frame.
With the transmitter modified, Lucas took a deep breath and began inputting Morse code. He skillfully tapped out a clear signal: [SOS Lakeside Haven West Factory.]
Nearby amateur radio enthusiasts or stations might pick up the signal.
His heart pounded as he prayed someone would hear and decode his distress call.
Just then, footsteps approached the door. Lucas quickly hid the transmitter back in his belt and pretended to still be tied up. The door opened, and Phoenix glanced at him coldly, "Stop dreaming; you won't get away."
Lucas lowered his head, feigning fear, but inside, he was filled with hope.
He knew his signal was out there, and rescue might be on the way.
Emma sat in the living room, clutching her phone tightly, her eyes fixed on the screen as if she might miss any news about Lucas in the next second. Suddenly, the phone vibrated, displaying an unknown number. Her heart raced as she quickly answered, her voice trembling.
A deep, cold voice came from the other end, "Emma, your son is with me. If you want him alive, prepare five hundred million dollars in cash, unmarked bills. Don't call the cops, or you'll be picking up his body."
Emma's spirits plummeted, her voice striving for steadiness as she said, "I need to hear Lucas's voice to make sure he's safe."
The man chuckled darkly, then Lucas's faint voice came through, "Mom, I'm okay. Don't worry."
Tears welled up in Emma's eyes, but she bit her lip, trying to stay composed, "Lucas, don't be scared. I'm coming to get you."
The man took the phone back, his voice icy, "No tricks. You have two hours to get the money. I'll contact you with the drop-off location. Remember, no cops, or else."
Emma seized the moment, trying to buy time, "Five hundred million in cash is a lot. I need more time to gather it. Can you give me a few more hours?"
The man laughed mockingly, "Emma, don't play games with me. Two hours, not a minute more. Don't try to stall or trace this call. Your son's life is in your hands."
With that, the call ended abruptly, leaving only the cold dial tone. Emma quickly looked at Ethan, her voice urgent, "Did you trace it?"
Ethan shook his head, his expression grave, "He hung up too fast. We only got a vague area, too large to pinpoint a specific location."
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