CHAPTER ELEVEN
997 Words
THE SCREAM
Brian was already running before Vincent could say a word.
“Lila!”
His footsteps hit the stairs hard.
Vincent followed close behind.
The scream had come from somewhere below them, but by the time they reached the ground floor, the warehouse was silent again.
Brian turned in every direction.
“Lila!”
Nothing.
He ran toward the back of the building.
Vincent grabbed his arm.
“Wait.”
Brian pulled away.
“Don't touch me.”
“You're running around without knowing where she is.”
“And you do?”
Vincent stared at him.
“No.”
“Then get out of my way.”
Brian pushed past him.
Vincent watched him disappear down the hallway.
There was something different about Brian now.
The anger was still there, but underneath it was fear.
Real fear.
Vincent looked back toward the staircase.
The photograph was still in his hand.
He looked at the people standing in it.
His father.
Lila's parents.
His uncle.
And the baby.
Who was the baby?
He looked closer.
The photograph was old and slightly damaged around the edges. Someone had scratched part of the baby's face.
Vincent rubbed his thumb across the mark.
Why would anyone do that?
“Vincent!”
Brian's voice came from the other side of the warehouse.
Vincent put the photograph in his pocket and followed.
Brian reached an empty storage room.
The door was open.
A chair had been knocked over.
There were marks on the floor.
He crouched down.
“Lila?”
He noticed something near the wall.
A piece of fabric.
He picked it up.
It was from the sleeve of Lila's blouse.
His face tightened.
“She was here.”
Vincent appeared behind him.
Brian stood immediately.
“She was here.”
“I know.”
Brian looked at him sharply.
“How?”
Vincent held up the piece of fabric.
Brian's eyes moved to it.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then Vincent asked quietly,
“Why didn't you tell her?”
“Tell her what?”
“That her parents knew my family.”
Brian's expression changed.
“You think I didn't try?”
Vincent frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Brian looked away.
“It means some things are better left alone.”
“That hasn't worked very well, has it?”
Brian looked back at him.
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain it.”
“I can't.”
“Can't or won't?”
Brian didn't answer.
Suddenly, something crashed in the hallway.
Both men turned.
They ran outside.
A metal door at the end of the corridor was swinging slowly.
Brian rushed toward it.
He pulled it open.
Nothing.
Only an empty passage leading outside.
Then he saw a black car speeding away from the warehouse.
Brian ran after it.
He stopped at the entrance.
The car disappeared around the corner.
Vincent came up beside him.
“Did you see the plate?”
“No.”
Brian stared at the empty road.
Then his phone rang.
He answered immediately.
“Hello?”
There was silence.
Then a child's voice whispered,
“Brian?”
Brian froze.
Vincent noticed the change in his face.
“Who is this?”
The voice spoke again.
“Come home.”
The call ended.
Brian lowered the phone slowly.
Vincent looked at him.
“What happened?”
Brian didn't answer.
He simply started walking toward his car.
“Brian.”
Still nothing.
Vincent followed.
“Where are you going?”
Brian finally turned.
“Home.”
“Why?”
Brian's eyes were cold.
“Because I think someone wants us to stop looking for Lila.”
Vincent stared at him.
“And?”
Brian opened his car door.
“They just made sure I won't.”
Lila opened her eyes.
Her head hurt.
She slowly looked around.
She was no longer in the room.
She was sitting in the back seat of a moving car.
Her hands were free.
The windows were dark.
She couldn't see outside.
She tried the door.
Locked.
“Where are you taking me?”
The driver didn't respond.
Lila looked at the person sitting beside her.
It was the man from the warehouse.
“Why am I here?”
He looked straight ahead.
“You'll find out soon.”
“I want to go home.”
“You will.”
“When?”
He finally looked at her.
“When the right person finds you.”
Lila frowned.
“What does that mean?”
The man said nothing.
She looked through the window again.
The car slowed down.
Then stopped.
Lila heard a gate opening.
The car drove inside.
She looked ahead.
A large house stood in the darkness.
She had never seen it before.
The man opened the door.
“Get out.”
Lila hesitated.
“Where are we?”
He looked at the house.
“Somewhere your family has been before.”
Lila stepped out.
Her eyes moved toward the building.
There was something strangely familiar about it.
She couldn't explain why.
Then she saw a photograph hanging beside the entrance.
She stopped.
It was a family photograph.
The Kane family.
And standing at the far side of the picture was Lila's mother.
Lila's breath caught.
She stepped closer.
Her mother was holding a small child.
Lila stared at the child's face.
She had seen that face before.
But not in a photograph.
In the mirror.
Her heart began to race.
“Who is that?”
The man stood behind her.
For the first time, his voice sounded uncertain.
“You.”
Lila slowly turned toward him.
“What?”
Before he could explain, the front door opened.
An older woman stood there.
She looked at Lila for a long moment.
Then her eyes filled with tears.
“Oh my God…”
Lila couldn't move.
The woman whispered,
“You're alive.”
And behind her, someone stepped into the doorway.
Vincent's uncle.
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