I tried a sort of new technique with this, if you have any confusion, feel free to ask questions.

• • •

Chapter 35 | False Alarm

"You meet a thousand people and then you meet one person and your life is changed forever."

-Love and other drugs

• • •

It was 5:58 AM.

It had been almost three hours.

As he turned the ignition on, he had but one thought. He had to find her.

Andrew's hands clenched the steering wheel, his knuckles turning ashen. With gritted teeth he forced his eyes on the road. His wipers continued to wipe away the windshield, protecting it from the onslaught of the downpour. The thick cloud cover had reduced visibility. The car swerved on the road time and again, not akin to being driven at such a high speed in bad weather. But he couldn't care less. He was a man on mission. A mission to save a friend, a companion, a supporter.

It scared him. It scared him to no end how easily he had begun to care for the wretched girl. He was afraid of how she had a hold on him. It scared him how he was willing to risk any thing if it meant saving her. For a guy who had vowed to stay away the moment he laid eyes on her, he sure had changed a lot.

And then there was this thing that scared him the most? He couldn't fail her this time.

Not again.

Just as he whispered this to himself, his mind was assaulted by images of a girl, so similar yet so different, a girl from another time. Her black eyes, the ones that had haunted him for years, came back. Fate had a cruel sense of humor, that much he knew.

I found you...

He punched the steering wheel and then hissed in pain. It happened again. Once again, he had given her false hope. For he hadn't found her. He thought he did, but he hadn't. He had just been manipulated to believe that. And there was only one person, who had the courage and the resources to manipulate him. And that's where he was going.

Hang in, Mallory. This time I'll save you.

With a renewed sense of determination, his car sped down the highway; the torrents effort to slow it down all in vain. For he was a man on mission. And even as the thunderclap sent a shiver down his spine, he carried forward. Because in that moment, he was scared of a lot of things, but the impending storm wasn't one of them.

• • •

(One hour ago)

With a flashlight in one hand and a handgun in another, Andrew opened the door of the old building. He winced when it creaked loudly, his senses alert as he looked around. It was close to dawn. Although hidden beneath the dense cloud cover, the sun was nowhere in sight.

His eyes scanned the neighborhood of the old safehouse of 'The Beasts'. It was Sameer who gave him the location. And even though, he knew better than to doubt the guy's technical abilities, he couldn't help the nagging feeling that told him something he didn't want to hear.

It was too easy.

"I tracked the signal, however there's a problem," Sameer had said on the phone.

"Of course," Andrew had pressed the bridge of his nose in disappointment.

"I cannot pinpoint the exact location, would a ten mile radius do? In fact wait a minute, let me see if I can reduce..."

He had stopped mid sentence and Andrew knew he was talking to himself and so he had waited until:

"Bingo! I just reduced the radius to three miles, let me send the location to you."

Andrew's phone had buzzed and the moment he had read the message he knew that there was only one safehouse in that area and without wasting anytime he had called Mallory with the good news.

As he stood at the entrance of the old building, which looked virtually unguarded, his doubt was becoming too strong.

It was too easy.

And nothing in his life ever was.

Slowly he prowled through the door as stealthily as possible. The building had been an old factory which was abandoned years ago only to become one of the safehouse for Antonio's people. The air was stale and dirty like it had been locked up for a long time. As far as he could see there was no one in sight. Yet, he decided to scour every inch of the single floored building.

Everywhere his eyes landed, all he could see was rusted machines and dilapidated walls. After ten minutes of frenzied searching it became evident that there was not one sould in the wretched building and neither was there a sign that anyone had been to the place in last many months. Frustrated and enraged he toppled over an old iron chair. Then he punched the wall only to hiss in pain as the skin of his knuckles broke.

As if on cue, his phone buzzed:

"Hey, Cole. I think there's a problem," It was Sameer Aubrey.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply, "I know. She isn't here!"

"I think someone has tampered with the mobile signal and is hampering triangulation."

"What?"

"Basically, radio transmitter can be determined by measuring either the radial distance, or the direction, of the received signal from two or three different poin --"

"In english, Aubrey."

"Um...yeah, of course," he said sheepishly, "Triangulation is used in cellular communications to pinpoint the geographic position of a user. Ideally a mobile signal communicates with a local tower and then the location of the tower can be tracked. But the signals are being manipulated to give fake locations. It's like a defense mechanism. Everytime I refresh, a different one comes up."

"How is it even possible?"

"In theory, it can be done but it requires a lot of resources."

"When you say resources you mean..." The realization dawned.

"The only people I know who have the resources to execute it are either a part of an intelligence agency or a terrorist organization," his tone held worry.

"So, it cannot be 'The Beasts'..." Andrew muttered to himself.

"Do you mean the American multinational, 'The Beasts'? Why would the -- Oh, you mean the other. The ones who took Emily?" Sameer's voice was almost remorseful as he talked about her.

"Um...yeah. Never mind," he chucked the thought out focusing on problem at hand. "Listen to me, Sam. Can you find out all the locations that are being pinpointed by the mechanism?"

"Umm...I guess it's just an algorithm if I get --"

"Spare me the details. Can you or can you not do it?" His voice bellowed dismissively.

Sameer was used to his friend's hostility and ignored it, "It would take me sometime but I can."

"Okay, so here's a plan," Andrew went on to explain.

Five minutes later he heard a gasp from the other side, "So let me get this straight. You want me to cross reference the entire list of locations the signal gives with the location of all the safehouse that belong to 'The Beasts'..."

"Yeah, and if there is any other location left after doing that, you send me the coordinates." Andrew was playing on a hunch. Something told him it wasn't 'The Beasts' who took Mallory. But someone wanted him to believe that it was them. There was a large chunk of the puzzle that was missing and he had an inkling as to where he would find that final piece.

"I like the way you think, Mon Ami!" Sameer was delighted.

"Okay, get to work. Now, put Nadira on phone."

"Yeah, just a minute. NADIRA!" He yelled on the phone.

Andrew opened the door of the factory and started walking towards the door of his ride. There was commotion on the other side of the line as Andrew slid inside the driver's seat of the car. His fingers impatiently tapped the steering wheel waiting for the girl. Outside the rain had started pouring but he couldn't care less. After what felt like eternity finally he heard her voice.

"Bonjour, Cole. Comment ça va?" Nadira remarked.

"Nadira, do you have authorization over international surveillance cameras?"

"No, I do not. What's wrong, frére?"

"Okay, let me reframe the question. Can you access international surveillance cameras?"

Andrew could almost imagine her smirking on the other side, "Oui. You bet I can."

"Okay, I am texting you an address. I am looking for a young brunette. Seventeen. Scour every single traffic cam or any other surveillance camera. I need to know who picked her up, from where and possibly a trail. If you get a license plate number, run it on the database. I need a name." He ordered.

"I am on it."

With that he disconnected the call and just when he was about to click the lock button his eyes landed on the screen.

It was 5:58 AM.

It had been almost three hours.

As he turned the ignition on, he had but one thought.

He had to find her.

• • •

(California State Prison, Sacramento, (6:42 AM) )

The prison cell that belonged to Antonio Sanders echoed with laughter as it's sole inhabitant was immersed in a sitcom. He sat on a luxurious arm chair whilst he watched the plasma screen TV that had a satellite connection. The uncomfortable jail bed and the hard mattresses were traded off for much more comfortable, soft and plush furniture. On the bed laid a laptop and the headphones. Adjacent to it, a small book shelf and a stocked mini fridge were cramped.

Despite multiple protests amongst the prisoners as well as the officials, it only took some money and some right connections for Antonio to come out victorious. As he chomped down on the candies, he heard the door open.

"Oh, hello, Officer Jefferson. What did I do to owe the pleasure of an early morning visit by you?" He said muting the volume as the commercials ran.

"Did you even sleep last night?" The prison officer, Jefferson noted scrunching up his nose at the mess the cell was. It hardly looked like a prison cell anymore. In fact it resembled a teenager's personal room.

"I don't know, did I? I definitely don't remember sleeping. You see I started watching this show called 'Sherlock' yesterday and it's so addictive!"

"Okay, I'll take your word for it."

"You never answered my question. Why are you here?"

Jefferson sighed, "The governor wants to see you."

"And why would that be?"

"Let's go and find out."

Antonio got up from his place and began brushing away the tiny pieces of candy from his clothes. "After you, Officer."

Officer Jefferson retrieved a pair of handcuffs and began unlocking them.

"I know you are kinky and everything but are handcuffs really necessary, Jeff?" He winked.

"I am afraid so, Mr. Sanders," came the reply as the inmates hands were bound together in front of him.

Their shoes clanked lightly as they made their way to the governor's office on the first floor of the building.

Governor Paula Clement was an elderly lady who was just on the cusp of her retirement. Even after the wrinkled skin and shabbily dyed grey hair, one could easily make out that she must have been an attractive woman during her youth. She sat back on her rolling chair timidly waiting for the most high profile convict of her prison to arrive. Finally the door opened.

"Hello, Paula. How have you been? Long time, no see?" She was greeted by Antonio.

"Well, I've been good for most part."

"Are the kids bothering you? Wasn't it Eugene's wedding last month. Did it go nicely?"

"Thank you for asking, your happiness is duly noted. But we aren't here to talk about my children. We are hear to talk about you."

"Oh yeah?" Antonio's eyebrow crooked. "In that case, may I sit?"

Without waiting for the permission he shrugged away Jefferson's grip and sat down on the chair opposite to Paula. He placed his handcuffed hands on the table and began cheekily, "Let's talk."

"These are your release papers."

"Oh, my God. What a surprise! It's finally happening." He said, clearly feigning surprise.

"Spare the act, Antonio. Both of us know what has happened here!" She was enraged.

"We do? Well, why don't you tell me what you think happened here?" The smile never left his face.

"Your goons paid some high ranking official, didn't they?"

"How would I know? Poor little me remains cooped up in that hellhole you call cell." He leaned back in the chair casually.

"These paper say early release for good behaviour. I don't know why no one found it strange that the moment you complete one third of your sentence and become eligible for early release, these papers came in?"

"Well, what can I say, I have been a good convict, now haven't I? I'm sure even Jeff agrees?" He smirked as he winked at Jefferson.

"Early release? Are you joking? Have you forgotten the fights you have had with every single guard in my prison and innumerous convicts? You are probably the only inmate who has been sent to solitary confinement more than two hundred times! Who calls that good behaviour?" She uttered in disbelief.

"People who know me." The convict shrugged.

"And you know what's the worst thing?"

"That you cannot do anything about it," Antonio pretentiously blew on his nails.

"Precisely,"

"So, I guess this is goodbye, then?"

She was dejected. It was the worst thing that happened in the the prisons. The influential ones getting out early and it would suffice to say that she despised it. "I guess it is. Though it's a temporary one."

"Temporary, huh?"

"You see, Antonio, people like you, prisoners like you have a thing for chaos. And you can't stay away from it. Sooner or later you'll make another mistake and I'll be right there to see to it that this," she pointed to the papers, "doesn't happen again."

"Is that a threat, Ms. Clement?"

"It's a promise, Mr. Sanders."

• • •

Did ya like the chapter? Then, tap the VOTE button!

Hello everyone!

How are you this cold morning/evening?

So, finally I decided to post. That too within 10 days of my previous update. Woah, am I amazing or what? ;) :P

Anyway, what did you think about the chapter?

I had to research so much about Triangulation and then the prison release thing. I hope I got it all right. I tried to make it as professional as I could. What's the verdict?

Okay, so tell me everyone, now that Antonio is out, what are you all looking forward too? Did you like Governor's role? Or maybe not? What about Antonio?

Also, who do you think is Andrew going to? Do you think his plan would work? Or are you still convinced that 'The Beasts' took Mallory?

Are you people missing her, btw? Mallory, I mean!

Stay tuned for next update.

Until then,

With loads of love,

-Ridhima