ErosThere was utter chaos all around as the police took over. Silas screamed to warn us of him, but they handcuffed him and dragged him along with them. “The ambulance is here. Let’s carry the injured to the hospital, fast!” yelled Officer Agelastos. The team inspected Athena and carried her to the ambulance. I limped over to Anacá and Mamá, both lying in a pool of blood. Anacá had hit her head and fallen unconscious while my mamá hadn’t moved an inch. Panic settled in my heart as I leaned towards them. “Mr. Nikolaou, you’re injured. Please let us do our job,” said Officer Chloros, carrying Anacá away. “My mother isn’t responding, Officer.” I patted her stone-cold cheek and gasped with disbelief. She wasn’t breathing at all. He checked and shook his head. “She’s no more. I’m sorry, Mr. Nikolaou.” My heart constricted with pain as I gaped at him in disbelief. This couldn’t be happening. How could my mamá die? “Her injuries are deep. She was almost over your wife. Maybe she died
Anacá Athena fell backwards from the aftershock of firing a bullet. It was her first time, and maybe she hadn’t expected the extent of recoil and shockwaves.Silas had kidnapped Athena last, and we still had no idea why. Athena was just eighteen, and her father ran a bar nearby. What motive could Silas have for kidnapping her?“Careful, Athena!” I yelled as we watched the accomplice fall to the dusty floor of the basement complex. With a single bulb lighting up the place, visibility was low.After shifting us here, they had opened the gag but had kept us tied up. It was Athena’s lessons in self-defense that had helped us open the knots and free ourselves. Therefore, when Silas’ right-hand man, Steve, entered the place to give us food, I kicked the pistol out of his hands, and Athena picked it up and shot him between the eyes. He was dead in a matter of seconds. But our relief was short-lived. Theia gasped at the sight of Silas storming into the place in a fit of rage. “What the h
Eros“Your daughter’s fate is in your hands, Mr. Demos. Cooperate with us and lead us to Silas. We’ll rescue your daughter and the other hostages,” said Officer Agelastos. “But I don’t know where Silas is or where he has hidden my daughter, Athena. How will I help you?” He broke down again. “Look, Mr. Demos, we know Silas was here. He called Mr. Nikolaou for ransom from this place. Maybe you can throw light on that? Show us the footage of his arrival and departure.” Mr. Demos wiped his eyes and gave us a wide-eyed look. “Please come this way. Silas came earlier to threaten me. He made a phone call, changed his attire, and then left.”“Why did he change his clothes?” asked Officer Chloros. “I don’t know, Officer.” He led us further down the corridor to an enormous room with five consoles manned by almost six people. “Ajax, please show us the footage of Silas entering the bar and leaving it,” he instructed his man. After two minutes, the screen filled with the footage of Silas walk
Eros“Damn!” Officer Agelastos punched the desk in frustration. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t engage him in a conversation. He disconnected the call before I could speak. Didn’t you get his location, Officer?” I felt guilty for losing our only chance. “Yes, we have his location, but he’s playing a game with us. He was calling from Bar 22 itself. It’s an upscale, peaceful neighborhood, and I don’t think he can transport two unconscious females to a crowded bar. He has them hidden somewhere else, and we have to find them first before handing the fake notes to him. Or he’ll have them killed when he realizes we have played him.”“Yes, sir. But it’s impossible to do so much in half an hour. So, the only way out is to go to Bar 22 and arrest him,” said Officer Chloros from the team. “Right, let’s go. Mr. Nikolaou, please pick up the bag of fake notes. Here is a tracker device I’m attaching to you. It will help us know everything happening around you. We will listen to your conversation and resc
Eros“It’s difficult to see the number plate. Can you zoom in?” asked Officer Agelastos. Despite zooming in, the number plate was hazy.“Let’s check the footage of the store. They would have wider coverage. I want this car’s number at all costs.”We rushed to the convenience store and checked the footage. Just as we had expected, the number plate was clearly visible from the footage of the store. “Good job!” Officer Agelastos took pictures of the number plate and called the traffic control to get an update on the car and its whereabouts.One of his team members came in with an update: “Sir, Mrs. Nikolaou’s phone number was last traced to Kolonos, a fifteen-minute drive from here.”“Right, let’s go. He might have held both prisoners there. It was the same area where we had arrested his brother. I have a feeling they both operate out of the area.”We rushed to our vehicles and headed towards Kolonos. Lucy and I followed the patrol car all the way to the location Anacá’s phone had been
ErosI drove over to my dad’s house feeling extremely upset. Mamá was sleeping, and Dad arrived at the hospital after some time to relieve me. I left them at the hospital for an hour, intending to go back for the night. I had waited for Anacá, but she didn’t consider it necessary to visit my mamá even for a few minutes. It proved she didn’t care about me or my family. My heart was numb with grief. I couldn’t see Mamá in this condition. She had stopped caring about herself a long time ago and now faced the consequences. The cancer had spread, and she wasn’t responding to the treatment. The situation was grim, and we grappled to accept the bitter truth. Yet dad and I knew we wouldn’t give up. We would try to give her the best treatment at all costs. Dad was devastated. He realized how much harm his actions had on Mamá. She never protested, but she gradually destroyed herself over the years. More than fate, it was my dad who had destroyed my Mamá’s life. He realized the extent of the