"There you go, that is it, eight million in cash." Mr. Gold said, confidently. His hand outstretched to seal the deal. Clara eyed him warily as she looked at the money counting it mentally.
"It is complete." Clara announced nodding.
She took Mr. Gold's hand shaking it firmly. "We are going to need help moving it to the car, if you do not mind." She told Mr.Gold. He nodded and gave the staff a go ahead and they started filling up both Elliot's and Clara's cars.
Once the complete money was moved and secured, Elliot and Clara moved quickly. Clara turned to look at Elliot, "Now, what next?" She asked. “We need to get this to the post office as soon as possible." Elliot said, his voice urgent.
"Okay then, let us go." Clara replied, she was determined. As they sped away from the pawn shop, Elliot finally felt calm enough to check his phone. They had gotten the money, it was all good from here. He opened his phone his attention divided between his phone and the road. Multiple missed calls and messages from Jonah flooded the screen. He scrolled through them quickly, his heart sinking with each message of Jonah begging for help.
The last message read: “Elliot, he changed the location to the bridge overlooking the pier. I will be there, waiting. Please hurry." Elliot looked at the time, it was delivered thirty minutes ago. Elliot’s breath seemed to pause, his heart pounding. He puts a call across to Clara, his hands shaking. He explains the current situation at hand now, and tells her to follow him.
"We need to go to the drop-off location now. Jonah is there.”
"Okay." Clara answered, her phone resting on her lap. As she pressed her foot harder on the accelerator. They soon arrived at the designated spot, the night was quiet and the water dark and still. Jonah was there, sitting against a concrete wall, his head hung low. They rushed out of the car, their footsteps echoing in the silence.
“Jonah! Babe!" Elliot called out, his voice filled with concern. Jonah looked up, his eyes red and swollen. He was dressed in casual clothes. “It is of no use,” he said, his voice cracked. He held out his phone, a video playing on the screen. It showed a package being delivered to his parents’ house, the address clearly visible. Jonah’s voice broke as he spoke.
"They, they already sent something to my parents.” Elliot felt a wave of devastation wash over him. He had failed. He used both his hands to cover his mouth.
"Jonah, I am so sorry,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. Clara placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “We will figure this out, Jonah. We always do.”
"Nah, don't you understand? It is too late, already” Jonah said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Everything is already ruined.”
“Jonah, we have the money, let us get it out of the car.” Clara said trying to be strong.
“What is the point?” Jonah asked, his voice hopeless. Elliot’s jaw clenched, trying to control his own tears too.
"Jonah, we are not giving up. We are going to stop them.”
“Why didn’t you just answer my calls?” Jonah asked, his voice trembling. “I needed you.”
Elliot swallowed, his throat tight. He looked to Clara for help. Clara stepped forward. “We were at a pawn shop, Jonah. We were trying to get the rest of the money. We were so focused on getting the money. We did not have a moment to spare. I am so sorry."
Jonah sighed, understanding dawning in his eyes.
“I get it. You did everything you could.”
"I need to go see my parents,” Jonah said, his voice nervous and anxious. “I need to make sure they are both okay, that everything is okay.” Elliot stepped forward, his hand on Jonah’s arm. “Jonah, please, do not go. I know you want to but now is not exactly the right time to do so. How are you going to face them in this state.” Clara nodded in agreement.
"Elliot is right. We do not know the current situations and you need some rest Jonah. You look like a mess.”
“Elliot, please, take him home,” Clara said, her voice firm.
"Watch him. He is in a fragile state. And make sure he does not think or attempt to do something impulsive.” Elliot nodded, his eyes filled with concern.
“Okay, Jonah. We are going home.” He led Jonah to the car, his arm around his shoulders. Jonah was silent, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. They drove in silence, the city lights blurring past the windows. Jonah felt numb to everything. The air was unusually chilly. They arrived at Elliot's house and both of them moved in silence. Elliot led Jonah to the bedroom. The atmosphere in the room was heavy, Jonah sat on the edge of the bed, his shoulders dropped, his gaze fixed on the floor.
Elliot sat beside him, placing a comforting hand on his back. They settled into bed, the silence broken only by the soft rhythm of their breathing. They laid away from each other, their backs touching but their face meeting opposite ends of the room. They stared in the darkness for some hours before they closed their eyes tightly, forcing their body to sleep. In the waking hours of dawn, Jonah was shaken out of his sleep, groggy by the shrill sound of his ringtone. He answered, his voice low, but the sound of his mother’s frantic, tear-filled voice jolted him awake.
“Mum? What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice laced with panic.
“Jonah… your father…” she sobbed, her words barely audible. “He is in the hospital, unconscious… he has just been admitted.”
"What hospital? What happened?” Jonah asked, his voice rising in alarm. "I do not know what happened Jonah please just come." She told him as she sobbed louder. Elliot was woken up, by Jonah's loud voice.
Elliot rubbed his eyebrows in confusion, he tapped Jonah mouthing, "Who's that?" Jonah ignored him and continued talking to his mum on the phone trying to make sense of what she was saying as she was sobbing profusely. He ended the call and turned to Elliot, his eyes wide with fear.
"It is my dad. He is in the hospital.” He said in a panic. They rushed out of the house dressed in pyjamas, their movements quick. Jonah grabbed the car keys and flew through the roads, racing to the hospital. Jonah's mind was filled with the worst. 'What if his father passed away?' he thought to himself.