The monster unleashed
953 Words
Richard stood in the centre of his office, staring at the phone in his hand.
The call had ended thirty seconds ago.
Thirty seconds since he had learned that Jane was gone.
The room felt strangely silent. Too silent.
The men standing around him exchanged nervous glances but said nothing. No one wanted to be the first person to speak.
Richard slowly placed the phone on the desk.
“Tell me exactly what happened.”
His voice was calm.
That frightened them more than shouting would have.
One of the guards stepped forward.
“Sir... Miss Jane left the café fifteen minutes before the attack. Our men followed the planned route, but two vehicles blocked the road. The security team was separated, and”
“And you lost her.”
The guard swallowed.
“Yes, sir.”
The room fell silent again.
Richard lowered his head.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then he laughed. A short, cold sound that sent chills through everyone present.
The guard’s hand trembled at his sides. Sweat gathered on his forehead despite the cool air in the room. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been this terrified.
Richard lifted his gaze.
His eyes were empty.
Dangerously empty.
“I trusted you with one job.”
The guard’s face turned pale.
“Sir—”
“One.”
Richard’s voice remained quiet.
“Single.”
He took a step forward.
“Job.”
Nobody breathed.
The air itself seemed frozen.
“I leave the city for a few hours, and the woman under my protection disappears.”
His jaw tightened.
“You expect me to believe that’s an accident?”
“No, sir.”
Richard nodded slowly.
“Good.”
He turned toward his desk.
“Find every camera within a twenty-kilometer radius.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Track every vehicle involved.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Check hospitals, warehouses, abandoned properties, private docks, and every road leading out of the city.”
The orders came rapidly.
Precise.
Ruthless.
No hesitation.
No emotion.
Only purpose.
The men hurried to carry them out.
Within minutes, the mansion transformed into a war room.
Phones rang nonstop.
Security monitors lit up.
Vehicles were dispatched across the city.
Richard stood before the wall of monitors, his eyes fixed on the endless stream of footage. Every passing second hardened the knot in his chest. Jane was out there somewhere, frightened, alone, and he had failed to protect her. The taught made his jaw to clench.
One of his lieutenants approached carefully.
“We found one of the attackers.”
Richard turned.
The man instantly regretted speaking.
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Bring him.”
Ten minutes later, a bruised man was dragged into the room.
The kidnapper tried to appear brave.
That confidence vanished the moment he saw Richard.
Everyone in the city knew stories about him.
Most people assumed they were exaggerated.
Looking into Richard’s eyes now, the kidnapper realized the stories hadn’t gone far enough.
Richard pulled a chair forward.
Then sat.
Calmly.
Patiently.
“Where is she?”
The kidnapper remained silent.
Richard nodded.
“As expected.”
He leaned back.
“You have one opportunity.”
The man looked away.
Richard sighed.
A disappointed sigh.
The kind of teacher might give a student.
Somehow, it felt worse.
The room remained silent for several seconds.
Then Richard stood.
His expression didn’t change.
But something about him did.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
Even his own men stepped backwards.
They had seen this before.
Very few people survived it.
Richard walked toward the kidnapper.
Slowly.
The man tried to maintain eye contact.
Failed.
Fear finally appeared on his face.
“Where is Jane?”
No answer.
Richard’s gaze hardened.
The kidnapper’s confidence crumbled completely.
“I—I don’t know!”
Richard stared at him.
Studying him.
Searching for lies.
Finally, he looked toward his security chief.
“He’s telling the truth.”
Relief briefly crossed the kidnapper’s face.
It vanished instantly.
“That means someone higher up gave the orders.”
Richard turned away.
“Find out who.”
The guards dragged the man out.
Nobody asked questions.
Nobody argued.
Everyone knew what was at stake.
Hours passed.
The search spread across the city.
Meanwhile, news travelled fast.
Across the city, the news spread like wild fire. Powerful businessmen abandoned meetings midway through negotiations. Crime bosses ordered extra security around their compounds. Politicians who normally ignored everyone suddenly began answering calls personally. Nobody wanted Richard Ashford to believe they were involved.
Men who rarely feared anyone.
All heard the same message.
Richard Ashford was looking for someone.
And Jane was missing.
The reaction was immediate.
Meetings were cancelled.
Phones were switched off.
Private jets prepared for departure.
People began disappearing before Richard could reach them.
Not because they were guilty.
Because they were afraid of becoming suspects.
One underworld leader reportedly abandoned a multimillion-dollar deal and fled the city before sunset.
Another locked himself inside a heavily guarded compound.
A third offered information without being asked.
Nobody wanted Richard’s attention.
Back at the mansion, another phone rang.
A technician rushed toward him.
“Sir.”
Richard turned sharply.
“We found a vehicle.”
The room instantly became alert.
The technician pointed to the screen.
A warehouse appeared on the monitor.
It is located near the edge of the city.
Abandoned.
Isolated.
Perfect for hiding someone.
Richard stared at the image for several seconds before turning away.
“Prepare the cars.”
His voice was quiet and deadly.
Everyone in the room understood what he meant.
Someone had touched the one person Richard had cared about.
Tonight, they would pay for it.
- Writer
