The moist grassland was now exchanged by the solid ground as she retraced her path to the mansion. She stuck out her hand and felt her skin burning, therefore, the umbrella was a must at this time. She thanked the man once again in her heart.

It seemed like a rare, sweltering summer solstice of long days in Seattle where there were no hints of clouds and rain. Strange.

Suddenly a black car pulled over on the front porch, and the two, small, bald men stepped out in monastic suits. One amongst them had a possible rank of a senior whose eyes fixed longingly on her face. "Elizabeth Warner, very good morning to you. Mrs. Warner deeply regrets not meeting with you at the mansion, so she has sent me to drop you at her institution."

Ruby questioned him bluntly, "But she was sleeping in her room a while ago? I'll clarify it first." As she padded onward she heard someone calling her name.

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Please listen to me . . ."

She turned to the side only to find the blue-eyed guy leaping in her direction. His olive green cardigan shone brighter than his dusty golden hair. He slowed down, thinking she push the brakes and listen to him.

"Tasher." Ruby wrung her hands and without saying anything further got inside the car. "Please take me there. Fast."

"Wait right there! Where are you going, Elizabeth?" Tasher shouted more aggressively, sprinting to catch a glimpse of her expression which was not possible since the car accelerated at a high speed. He managed to take a blurry picture of the car's number plate. "I─ came here to say you and a goodbye and ─ to return your phone Godammit!"

The disorder was seen in everyone's activity. Nobody knew what to do until the main head Mary approached the problem. "What happened? Why is everyone so loud." She closed the distance after getting down the stairs.

Lucy dashed to her and said in a trembling voice, "A few people came and took, Elizabeth with them."

"How did the guards even allow them in?"

"They must have brought fake identity cards," Tasher added. "Needless to say, daily hundreds of people pay a visit for many purposes here."

Someone interrupted from behind Tasher, "There is no need to panic. We have sent our team to track down the kidnapper," his voice was tainted with caution. "He wouldn't have gone far."

Tasher looked at the man with a pretentious lopsided smile. As if, they would find her before the night falls. He wanted to search for her by himself. Independently. So he turned back and would have proceeded where the breccia marble work ended, when Mary prompted, "Tasher! Take Joseph along with you."

Tasher faced her aridly. "Joseph? I heard he's good at office work and preaching philosophical notes. But, since when he excelled in hunting down people?"

Mary's predatory look made things more sorted and he nodded inertly, using Ruby's phone to make the call. Joseph picked it up and muttered a worried 'hello'.

Tasher hated this moment as much as Joseph would have once he knew who was he talking to. Tasher knew beforehand that he would keep the phone silent if Joseph demands any explanations from him.

"Hello Joseph, I better not waste my time telling you who I am. Ruby has been kidnapped as far as I can tell. I'm anticipating your presence at the mansion any minute now."

And there he ended the call without waiting to get a corresponding reply from the other side.

Twenty-five minutes passed away, and Tasher's feet were not put to rest; he was pacing around his yellow Lamborghini. "Who were these jerks? How would I get to grips with these fucking assholes? Argh!"

Suddenly Joseph pulled up the car and stormed toward Tasher with angry fists.

Tasher closed his eyes and was counting the seconds in his mind until he felt a tight punch on his face. But it didn't happen. Mary came from nowhere and held Joseph's hands, begging, "Joseph, save your Ruby. Her life is in danger."

Joseph's eyes welled and he assured her by placing hands on her shoulders, "Tight the security around and tell everyone to stay in one place. We don't know what these people want from us."

Tasher intervened enthusiastically, "Joseph, I managed to click a picture of the number plate of the car. And I know someone who could give me a history about its owner──"

"I'll deal with you inside the car."

Tasher sat in the driver's seat. Turning on the engine, they embarked on the hunt.

"How come you have her phone? It was not meant for just anyone to use it, keep it . . ." Joseph bit his index finger, looking straight.

"It's a long story man. I wonder where she had spent her whole night. Maybe at your spiritual home."

"It's a long story," Joseph retaliated bitterly. "Just concentrate on your work."

Tasher laughed a little and then became serious as their destination arrived.

"Here."

They walked into the territory.

"A garage is anybody's guess? Of all places, you brought me here . . . to this dead place where you think we will get a clue about her. There is no one around!"

"Joseph, calm down. These types of creepy work are done under the blanket. No one screams about their crimes." Tasher gnashed his teeth and earned a scoff from Joseph and walked past him.

Tasher outpaced him and pushed the rusted iron door of a cubicle. A wide blueish office chair with cotton peeking from the holes pivoted with a creaky sound, and the man's not-so-subtle stare inferred his nature.

Tasher looked at Joseph with a doubtful attitude. Whereas, Joseph scanned his room, keeping his hands at his waist.

"Tell me who is the owner of this car?" Tasher tossed the phone on the dirty table, poking his tongue in the cheek.

His glance didn't even fall on the image for five seconds and he reclined back, getting up from the seat and slithering his way out.

Tasher again looked at Joseph, but this time beams emitted from Joseph's eyes were for the other man instead.

Tasher blocked his way pushing him against the greasy wall. "So we gonna do this the hard way. By any chance is it Arnold Garfield's car that you don't want to disclose?" Thomas yowled.

Joseph grabbed his arm from behind, and Thomas jerked it away.

Tasher brought his face closer than before and slammed his arm against his neck, "C'com open your fucking mouth-"

"Y──es."

Tasher moved away cussing a paragraph of ill words inaudibly, but the grip didn't lose. "Tell me where he would be now? We'll not spare you if you have some foul play in your mind. TELL ME WHERE HE WOULD BE NOW?"

"Ugh. . . Laxpol constructing site," his voice died away as he was knocked to the ground.

Tasher got suspicious and turned to see what Joseph was doing. At the same moment, Joseph threw a gun in the air and Tasher seized it. Joseph carried a bag of ammunition that was kept under the boss's table and took a leave.

"This day has some other way of rewarding me, Tasher or Ethan Hunt should I say." Tasher winked and flew his hands backward to fix the pistol in his waistband.

Word count - 1200

a/n; this book is going to end soon 😔 but let's enjoy the remaining (supposedly 5 moreish chapters) 😚