"Any result?" Raymond stood, his body tensed with an uncharacteristic restlessness. His eyes were locked onto the monitor screen, tracing every move of the technician submerged in his work.
Gilbert's hands moved steadily across the keyboard, weaving through layers of encrypted data to breach the network. The sound of his heavy, ragged breathing made Raymond's brow furrow. He waited in silence for an answer, until Gilbert finally glanced up.
"Still nothing. Her last trace was at the previous hotel, followed by a brief hit on the street, that was final coordinate. After that … she simply evaporated. No digital footprint, no signal. Nothing."
Raymond's jaw tightened. "Where the hell did she go? How could she drop off the grid entirely?"
"I'll run another sweep, Boss." Gilbert muttered, his focus snapping back to the cascading data on the glowing screen.
Mind working overtime, Raymond thoughts flickered back to the shadows of the gala. He stepped closer to the workstation, his presence looming. "Access these points," he commanded. He didn't utter the names; he punched in coordinates that made Gilbert's pulse quicken.
"Sorry boss, but don't we have a non-interference pact with them for the foreseeable future?"
"Yes," Raymond replied coldly. That was exactly why he hadn't spoken the names aloud. "We aren't engaging. Just a silent sweep, I need to know if she's in their territory or not."
"But they'll likely detect a breach in their network."
The gaze that snapped toward Gilbert was sharp and unwavering. "That's exactly why I'm telling you to do it. Because I trust you to do it cleanly!"
Gilbert fell silent for a beat, a heavy sigh escaping him before he gave a slow nod. "Understood Boss." It was a crushing weight; being the lead architect of their IT infrastructure meant that while he was trusted with everything, the price of a single mistake was a debt he could afford to pay.
****
Raymond stepped forward, moved away from the monitors to stare out the window. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number that was rarely used. The connection was almost instantaneous.
"Hello, what's the occasion? What kind of data are you hunting for this time?" a slick voice answered on the other end.
"Any new arrivals at Resonick Hall?" Raymond asked his voice low.
"Goods? You'll have to be more specific. What kind of item are we talking about?" The man on the phone couldn't quite grasp the context Raymond was implying.
"Living one," Raymond replied coldly.
"Oh… there were three or four, I believe. Why?"
"Send me the data, now!"
A heavy silence followed. The informant seemed to catch the gravity of the request, his tone shifting to one of caution. "I can't. Not yet. I've just met them to forge a new partnership, so I can't afford any reckless moves right now. But you just calm down... I won't let you down. So, just tell me who exactly are you looking for?"
"And what makes you think I'll believe a single word you say?"
"Hey! I still enjoy breathing the air in this world, and I'd like to live long enough to enjoy my success later. I guarantee the answer I give you won't be a lie. Who is she? Who has you suspicious?
"A woman. Under thirty. Non- Italian."
"Nothing." The answer was immediate, devoid of any hint of a lie. "Every soul brought in yesterday was male. There wasn't a single woman, let alone a young one. I can guarantee the person you're looking for didn't enter as a prisoner. Seriously though… who are you chasing?" the man asked, his curiosity piqued. "Since when does a Raymond Rodriguez care about a young woman? Have you finally found—"
"None of your business!"
Raymond cut the call abruptly, convinced that the man wouldn't dare to lie to him.
*****
"The last trace was at the airport, Boss. She was there for quite a while before the signal completely."
Hearing the report made Raymond fall into a heavy, serious silence. "What was she doing at the airport? Why did she disappear so suddenly? Did she realize was being monitored?" His gaze was thick unspoken questions.
"No, Boss. I can assure you, she had no idea we were watching. It's highly likely she lost the signal, because she boarded a plane."
"Where is she going? Is she… trying to get away from me?"
The words escaped Raymond's lips spontaneously, leaving Gilbert stunned. He stared at his Boss, his mind racing. He knew better than anyone that Raymond was never the type of man to lose sleep over a woman, but ever since Phoebe entered the picture, everything had shifted.
"I'll find out where she's headed," Gilbert said, returning to his screen. Raymond gave a curt nod, waiting for an answer while settling his other affairs.
Meanwhile, high above the clouds, Phoebe stared out the cabin window, her gaze deep and distant. Neither Celia or Zara asked any questions; they understood that she needed her space.
My purpose here was to ease the pain, she thought. I've had fun and some of my smaller goals have been achieved. Now, it's time to go home.'
She let out a heavy sigh. In truth, a part of her wanted to stay in Italy longer, but she was acutely aware that her life in Australia was waiting. There were too many things left unresolved, and she knew that staying in Italy forever wasn't the right choice.
What he said is true. I can't avoid problems forever. If I simply vanish from their lives, they'll only feel at peace, while I continue to live in the shadow of my trauma.
With every tremor of the plane, even as she closed her eyes during takeoff, she reaffirmed her resolve. She had to return to Australia and take full control, ensuring her pain was met with their regret.
Aside from the people who need have to regret underestimating me back home, I can't stay here much longer. If I do, I'll likely keep crossing paths with the strange man who… stayed with me that night!
her mind flashed back to the events of that night, the parts she could barely remember. Yet, it was impossible to forget the intensity of Raymond's face when they were so close, in that dark hallway at the Gala. It was enough to convince her that she couldn't linger in Milan a moment longer.
*****
"What's our next move, Boss?" Gilbert asked. He hesitated before adding. "We could force a cancellation or divert the flight if we wanted to, but since it's a commercial aircraft, we can't afford to be reckless."
Gilbert wasn't trying to lecture him; he was merely offering a reminder. He feared that Raymond might be acting on impulse, driven by a surge of uncharacteristic emotion.
"Let her reach Australia safely," Raymond replied. His voice was eerily calm. "Besides… I already have a plan."
Gilbert's brow furrowed at the chilling composure in Raymond's tone. Looking at that dark, calculated smile, he was certain of one thing. Whatever his Boss had in mind, it wasn't an act of mercy. It was the beginning of something far more sinister.
"Boss, I'm not so sure what you're planning is a good thing." Gilbert admitted candidly.
Ramond didn't argue. He only smiled, a silent confirmation that Gilbert's instincts were chillingly correct.