Keifer's POV
It started normally.
Too normally.
We were in the living room. Snacks were supposed to be here already. Movie night was ready. Lights dimmed. Blankets stolen. Arguments pending.
But no snacks.
And no Jay.
And no Yuri.
Luke glanced at the clock. "They've taken long."
From the corner, the Section E boys started complaining immediately.
"We can't watch a movie without snacks."
"This is emotional sabotage."
"I specifically requested sour candy."
Adrian groaned. "Relax."
Ciel frowned slightly. "It's been over an hour."
I leaned back in my chair, jaw tight. "They don't take this long."
Luke looked at me.
We didn't say it.
But we both felt it.
Ciel pulled out her phone. "I'll call Yuri."
It rang.
And rang.
Then stopped.
She blinked. "That's strange."
She tried again.
Nothing.
Then she frowned harder. "Wait."
She looked up.
"He left his phone here."
Silence.
The room shifted.
"Call Jay," Adrian said quickly.
Ciel dialed.
It rang once.
Then ended.
She tried again.
Rang once.
Ended.
"She's not answering."
Adrian tried to sound calm. "Maybe they're busy."
I stood up.
"Nope. Something is not right."
And that's when Luke's phone rang.
Unknown number.
We all froze.
He looked at the screen.
Then answered.
It was a video call.
He put it on speaker.
"Jay?" he said immediately.
The screen flickered.
Then—
Sienna appeared.
Smiling.
Cold.
"You guys think you can trick me?"
Luke didn't blink.
"Well," he replied smoothly, "we tricked you for almost two days. So yes. We can trick you."
I leaned closer to the screen.
Behind me, I whispered to Endrix, "Hack the location."
Endrix nodded.
He and Ciel moved quickly to the dining table with their laptops.
Sienna chuckled. "You love to joke."
Her smile widened.
"Maybe you'll love to see this."
The camera turned.
My blood froze.
Yuri.
Tied to a pillar.
Head slightly down.
Alive.
Then—
The camera shifted again.
Jay.
Hanging.
Hands tied above her.
Suspended.
I stepped forward.
"What the hell did you do to Jay?!"
Sienna tilted her head. "Why don't you come along with your little doctor and see?"
Adrian stepped closer. "Do you think you can scare us?"
Sienna moved the camera again.
Closer.
Closer.
And then I saw it.
Behind Jay.
Open air.
A cliff.
The wind was visible in her hair.
"If I cut this rope," Sienna said calmly, holding it up, "do you want to see where she falls?"
My heart slammed against my ribs.
"No," I said sharply. "You won't cut it."
Suddenly something small hit my shoulder.
I looked down.
A tiny folded paper.
I glanced up.
Ciel held up her fingers behind Luke.
Thirty.
She mouthed.
Talk for another thirty seconds.
Luke saw it too.
He straightened slightly.
"Oh Sienna," he said casually. "Oh, I mean Ma'am Sienna."
Her eyebrow twitched.
"The men who work for you are stupid."
She narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?"
"You know why?" Luke continued smoothly. "Because they don't know the difference between a real argument and a fake one."
He didn't let her respond.
"Do you know why?"
He smiled slightly.
"The man outside last time? The poor one whose nose got hit? He could have left. But he chose to stay."
Sienna's expression shifted slightly.
"And at the end," Luke continued, voice calm and sharp, "you'll get arrested. So will he."
Sienna's smile disappeared.
"Do you realize I just threatened you?"
Luke nodded lightly. "Oh, I know. But you know me. I love jokes."
Behind him, Ciel gestured again.
Location found.
I stepped forward.
"Sienna. Just don't harm any of them."
She smiled again.
"You have thirty minutes to reach here."
The call ended.
Silence exploded.
"Shit!" I snapped, almost throwing the phone.
Luke grabbed it quickly. "Don't. Please. It's my phone."
I exhaled sharply. "Sorry."
I turned toward Endrix and Ciel. "Have you found them?"
Ciel nodded. "Yes. Near a cliff area. But it might take one hour to reach."
"One hour?!" I ran a hand through my hair. "She gave us thirty minutes!"
Luke stepped forward.
"Leave that to me."
He pulled out his phone.
Called someone.
Walked aside.
We could only hear parts.
"Yes."
"Now."
"Clear route."
" ready."
He ended the call.
Turned back to us.
"Come on," he said calmly. "I have someone waiting. They'll help us avoid traffic."
No jokes.
No teasing.
Just command.
We grabbed our car keys instantly.
Adrian. Me. Luke.
David took Yuri's car.
The rest split up.
Engines roared.
Doors slammed.
As I got into the driver's seat, my hands were shaking.
Thirty minutes.
A cliff.
Jay hanging in the air.
Luke's voice came through calmly from the other car.
"Don't panic."
I tightened my grip on the wheel.
"I'm not panicking."
But I was.
And we were running out of time.
End of Chapter