CHAPTER 27: TO TRACK YOU DOWN

Chapter 27: To Track You Down

When Theo and Danielle stopped responding, Frank knew something was off.

He sat in the control room, watching the screens flicker as one of his men reported, "Their tracking signal is gone, sir."

Frank stood up so quickly that his chair fell behind him. "Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"It vanished ten minutes ago. No signal or GPS, nothing. Their car was last seen leaving the city road."

Frank’s heart pounded in his chest. He looked at the map on the wall, blinking hard. "Get the team ready. Now."

Within minutes, three black vehicles left the base, speeding toward the last recorded location.

When they reached the crash site, the headlights showed the car turned on its side. The windshield was shattered, the driver’s seat was empty, and blood covered the ground.

Frank climbed out of the car and approached slowly. "Driver?" he asked in a low voice, but he already knew the answer.

The man was lifeless beside the road, and there was bullet wound between his eyes.

Frank’s jaw tightened. He turned to his men. "Spread out. Look for any sign of Theo or Danielle."

They moved through the trees, flashlights cutting through the mist. One of the men shouted after a few minutes, "Sir, I found something!"

Frank ran over. On the ground was a blood trail leading deeper into the forest. There were footprints like two large ones and smaller ones following closely.

Frank crouched, touching the dried mud. "They were running."

Another guard pointed ahead. "There are tire marks too. Big ones. This is not a civilian vehicle."

Frank looked closer, tracing the marks with his fingers. He didn’t need to think twice. He knew exactly which group used such vehicles. His voice grew louder. "They belong to him."

The men turned quiet. Everyone knew who "him" meant.

"Follow the trail," Frank ordered. "And be careful. They’re not amateurs."

They moved deeper into the forest. Frank’s flashlight caught flashes of blood again on leaves, on tree trunks, on broken branches.

Then, under a tall oak tree, they found him.

"Theo!" Frank shouted and ran to him.

Theo was sitting against the trunk, his shirt soaked in blood. His face was pale, eyes half-open. A knife wound bled just below his ribs.

Frank knelt down, checking his pulse. "Theo, can you hear me?"

Theo opened his mouth slowly. "Frank..." His voice was cracked, almost gone.

"What happened? Where’s Danielle?"

Theo coughed, a drop of blood sliding from the corner of his lip. "He took her."

"Who?"

Theo looked up at him with blurry eyes. "Ethan..."

Frank’s mouth froze for a second. "Ethan? That’s impossible. He’s dead."

Theo gave a weak laugh. "You should know by now...he never dies when he should."

Frank tore his jacket and pressed it against Theo’s wound. "Stay with me. Don’t talk. Save your strength."

Theo shook his head. "No. You have to go after her. He’ll hurt her, Frank. He’ll use her to get to me."

Frank’s throat tightened. He glanced at his men. "Call for a medic, now!"

One of them ran back toward the vehicles.

Theo grabbed Frank’s sleeve weakly. "Promise me you’ll find her."

Frank met his eyes. There was no space for false comfort. "I promise."

Theo’s head leaned back against the tree. His breathing was uneven, disappearing. "He said...he said she’ll find out who I am. That she’ll hate me for it."

Frank pressed harder on the wound. "Stop talking. You’re losing too much blood."

Theo’s eyes blinked. "You don’t understand. If Ethan tells her...she’ll never forgive me."

Frank didn’t answer. His focus stayed on keeping Theo alive.

After a few minutes, the medic arrived and began treating Theo. Frank stood up, wiping his hands on his coat. He turned toward the dark woods that stretched endlessly ahead.

Somewhere in there, Danielle was being taken away.

Frank’s voice came out confidently but cold. "Leave two men with him. The rest, with me. We’re going after her."

As he walked away, the ground crunched under his boots, and he looked back once at Theo, who was barely conscious.

"Hold on," he muttered quietly. "We’ll bring her back."

But deep inside, Frank already knew Ethan never took anyone just to let them go.

And the forest ahead felt like a trap waiting to close.

Frank wasn’t intimidated by Ethan’s presence...their whole childhood was a rivalry made by their parents until Frank told them enough.

But what Frank was afraid of was Ethan telling the truth to Danielle. "He should’ve stayed dead," Frank gritted his teeth.

If that silver-haired fox was going to open his mouth, Frank’s whole mission would’ve been wasted...especially, his efforts of getting rid of this Tyrant president.

No, unlike Theo, Frank didn’t care about Danielle’s safety or well-being. He just couldn’t afford losing everything just because she would talk."

And she was so spoiled, arrogant and unstable-he never knew when she’d blow it off.

"I can’t afford this...he’d kill me if I do..."

The forest was gloomy, like his father..."I was so close...so close...I’m going to kill Ethan and end his life forever..."

Frank’s breath came out shaky as he pushed deeper into the forest.His flashlight caught blood again. It looked still fresh.

He followed it until he reached a path of crushed leaves, where boot prints were leading uphill.

He raised his hand for the men to stop. Somewhere ahead, he heard a small voice.

It was crying?

Frank walked faster and noticed a small cabin there, made of wood and stone, the windows looked dark except for one candle inside.

"Check the back," Frank whispered.

Two men went around the sides while he stepped to the door. He could still hear the crying.

He kicked the door open...hoping it would be her...But it wasn’t Danielle.

It was one of his own men, tied to a chair, mouth was bleeding, shaking. A note was stabbed into his chest with a knife. Frank ripped it off and read the words written in black ink.

"Too late. She’s already gone."