024 A Missing Truth

Karl

Lana looked like she didn't know what to say.

What did those bastards tell her?

I have always been worried about this exact thing, I have been afraid of drawing her into my world because it's not a place for someone like her.

I didn't expect my fears to haunt me so fast, I can still remember how fucking scared I was when Ryan told me she was missing.

I was already drawing up a list of possible suspects in my head but none of them fit.

When I realized that, I got even more scared because I don't know the enemy or how to find Lana.

I was more than glad to know there were cameras on the streets where her apartment building is located. It wasn't hard to find the car they took her in.

“Lana” I heard Beatrice call, and then my bedroom door pushed open.

Beatrice ran to her sister and engulfed her in a tight hug while I stood up from the bed, my eyes falling on Ryan.

“I was so scared,” Beatrice says.

“You're suffocating me” Lana taps her sister lightly.

“Sorry,” Beatrice pulled away.

“What happened? Are you hurt?” She asked, running her eyes through her sister.

“I'm fine,” Lana assured her sister.

“Oh God, you have no idea how sacred I was, I told dad, and he totally freaked out. He said you called him and asked about mom and-”

“You told dad?” Lana cut her off.

I turned to Ryan, who shrugged in response. What's that supposed to mean?

“I had too, do you know how scared I was? The worst part was, Katelyn wasn't at home, and I couldn't find Lily either, I almost had a heartattack” Beatrice defended.

Lana rubbed her forehead softly. It looks like she doesn't get along well with her father, or maybe she is scared of stressing him out, but that wasn't what bothered me.

Beatrice said Lana called her dad to ask about her mother, why would she do that?

“Katelyn and Lily went to see Lily's grandparents” Lana finally said, and Beatrice sighed in relief.

“Okay… I’m glad you’re doing alright and you weren't hurt, fortunately, but do you have any idea why you were kidnapped? Let's make sure it won't happen again” Ryan said, walking towards Lana.

Lana looked like she was deep in thoughts, like she wasn't sure whether to tell us or not, and something told me she wasn't kidnapped because of me.

I have literally gone through all the possibilities in my head, and none of them fit this abduction.

It made me begin to think if it was someone new, someone who has enmity towards me enough to kidnap Lana to get to me.

But it turns out I was in the wrong direction, I just assumed she was taken because of me, but what if she wasn't taken because of me but because of her mother.

I really can’t picture Lana as someone who would annoy a person enough to want to have her abducted.

“They didn't say anything, I was unconscious most of the time, and when I woke up, it didn't take long before Karl came” Lana replied.

“Those bastards,” Beatrice seethed.

Ryan looked at me, and I could tell he also didn't believe Lana didn't know why she was taken.

I sighed.

“Ryan and I would be right outside,” I told Lana, and we left the room.

“We both know she was taken by the venoms, right?” Ryan said to me.

“We would find out after we interrogate those two” I say, referring to the man and woman we took while rescuing Lana.

“Erhmm about that” Ryan rubbed the back of his head.

“What happened?” I frowned.

“There’s bad news and good news. Which one should I say first?" Ryan asked.

“Ryan” I gritted his name out, and he cleared his throat.

“They sort of killed themselves,” Ryan said.

“Sort of?” I raised an eyebrow.

“They both had suicide pills in their mouths,” Ryan explained and clenched my fist.

I should have expected that.

“But the good news is…. The guy that replaced Derek is pretty efficient. It turns out Jessica has something on us that could destroy us, and the venoms are looking for it” Ryan said, and I frowned. "they believed she either told Lana about it or she is hiding it somewhere only Lana knows." Ryan added

“What could that possibly be, what on earth does she have?” I asked.

“No idea, but I am pretty sure it's loads of bullshit. They are chasing something that's not even real, I feel sorry for them,” Ryan chuckled.

“Let's not assume that yet,” I say. “First I need to speak with Lana”

“Don't you think you should tell her about her mother? I mean, she did get kidnapped and all” Ryan suggested, and damn I know his right.

“It doesn't feel right dragging her into all this” I sighed.

“she is already in this,” He informed me like I didn't know.

I opened the door and walked back into the room. “Why did you come downstairs? Were you meeting someone? From the camera we saw, it looks like you were waiting for someone,” I asked.

“Cole texted me to meet him downstairs” she says, realization dawning on her “There's no way Cole would be involved in this” she defended him, and I clenched my fist.

“Cole? As in Jenna's friend?” Beatrice asked, and Lana nodded.

“We can't be so sure yet. People are not always like they seem,” Ryan said, and I nodded.

“I would talk to him,” Lana replied.

“And you think he would say the truth?” I raised an eyebrow.

“I would have to try, he is not someone to do something like this,” Lana defended him again and my hatred for this Cole guy grew uncontrollably, but I stopped myself from saying anything that would make Lana pull away.

She did once, and it broke something on me, I won’t let it happen again.