C539 Why Did You Not Take The Shot

Amanda looked at us helplessly. “If she isn’t here, then I honestly don’t know where else she could have gone.” I picked up my phone and read Laura’s message again, hoping I might notice something I had missed the first time. The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I became. “Guys, this doesn’t look good,” I said, frowning. “I think this might be a goodbye message.” Amanda stared at me. “What do you mean?” “Laura has attempted suicide before. She blamed herself for my arrest and thought her actions had ruined everything. What if she’s planning to do something like that again?” “No!” Amanda shook her head immediately. “What she said to me didn’t sound like a goodbye. She knows I need answers from her.” Chris turned towards her. “What exactly did she say?” Amanda hesitated, as though reliving the conversation in her mind. “She confessed her feelings for me. She even kissed me.” Her voice trembled. “She told me that I had always been by her side, and then she thanked me.” Chris raised his eyebrows, and a faint grin appeared on his face. “Amanda, that sounds like someone trying to come clean before doing something big.” Amanda’s expression crumbled. “No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “She can’t do this. I have to find her before she does something she can’t take back.”

Seeing her break down made my chest tighten. We had already lost Alicia, and now Laura had disappeared without telling anyone where she was going. I couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was happening right in front of us, and we were too late to stop it. I looked at Amanda, trying to think of somewhere Laura might have gone. “If the Gomez family doesn’t know where she is, where else could she have gone?” Chris fell silent for a moment before looking at me. “Her father,” he suggested. “She might have gone to visit his grave.” Amanda wiped her tears away. “At the cemetery? At thus time?” “I don’t know,” Chris admitted. “But it’s possible. She might also have gone to their house. You should check both places.” Amanda didn't waste another second. She rushed out of the room, determined to find Laura before it was too late. Chris and I exchanged worried glances. I had just watched the footage proving that Alicia had been abducted, and now Laura was missing too. My wife was being held captive, while one of my closest friend had vanished after sending a message that sounded disturbingly final. I rubbed my face, trying to steady my thoughts. “How did everything fall apart so quickly?” I muttered. Chris had no answer. Neither did I. But I knew one thing for certain. we couldn't afford to lose anyone else. At Hanna's estate, Alicia sat tied to a chair in an unfamiliar room. Her hands were bound behind her back, and the ropes around her body prevented her from moving freely. Hanna sat directly in front of her, watching her with an unsettling calmness. Beside her, Charlie paced impatiently, barely able to contain her anger. “Ann, Alicia is the one who killed my uncle!” Charlie shouted. “I need to avenge him. Let me kill her myself!”

Hanna barely reacted to her outburst. Instead, she offered Charlie a small, almost amused smile. “Let her wake up first. I have a few questions I want to ask her.” Charlie stopped pacing and turned towards her. “What questions could you possibly have for her? We already know what she did!” Hanna ignored her frustration and looked towards the men standing nearby. “Tiger, bring me some cold water. Let's wake our guest up.” Tiger immediately obeyed. He returned moments later with a container of cold water and approached Alicia. Without hesitation, he splashed it across her face. Alicia stirred. “Ahhh!” She groaned, her head aching as she slowly regained consciousness. For a few seconds, her mind was completely blank. She couldn't remember where she was or why her body felt so heavy. Then she tried to move. She couldn't. The ropes around her body tightened as she struggled, forcing her to realise that she was tied to a chair. A familiar laugh broke the silence. “Finally, you're awake,” Hanna said. Alicia slowly lifted her head and examined her surroundings. The room was unfamiliar, and the people standing before her were the last ones she wanted to see. Her eyes settled on Hanna. Then she noticed Charlie. Alicia frowned, confusion spreading across her face. “Where am I?” she asked.

Before Hanna could answer, Charlie stepped forward, her anger returning in full force. “Alicia! Why did you kill my uncle?” Alicia turned towards her, surprise replacing her confusion. “Charlie? You're here?” “Don't pretend you don't know what you've done!” Charlie snapped. “You killed my uncle, and now you're going to pay for it!” Alicia stared at her for a moment before turning back to Hanna. “Why am I here?” she demanded. Hanna opened her mouth, but Charlie interrupted her again. “Ann, please! Let me avenge my uncle. Just give me permission to kill her!” Alicia's eyebrows rose. “Ann?” She looked between the two women, trying to understand what she had just heard. The name seemed strange in this situation, but Charlie had used it as though it were perfectly normal. Alicia let out a short, disbelieving laugh. Hanna's expression hardened slightly. “Enough, Charlie.” Charlie clenched her fists but finally fell silent. Hanna leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she studied Alicia's face. “Now that you're finally awake, I want you to answer one question.” Alicia met her gaze without flinching. “Ask.” Hanna tilted her head. “Why did you save me?” Hanna continued, her voice growing sharper. “You had a clear shot. You could have killed me, Alicia. Just like you did to the guys who were holding me. You had every reason to pull that trigger, and yet you chose not to.” She leaned closer. “Why?”