Victor smiled

Victor smiled
DAVID'S POV

My mind jumped in great joy although it never failed to imagine whatever danger Jessica could be in.

I stared at the computer's screen while Victor's nails clicked against the keyboard in haste, tension boiling all over.

Sweat broke out on my forehead, even on my chin.

“Turn on the server from your end.“ I swung into action immediately, obliging instantly as if to a command.

“Done.“ I mouthed, mind drifting apart, attention shifting from victor to wherever Jessica could be.

Then I saw Victor's brow furrow as if it was confused, “what's wrong?“

“The networking system remains so bad despite the server and every other one connected to it.“ His eyes did not leave the screen and I grunted in frustration, a strange cold biting into my skin.

“The surveillance too?“ I asked with uncertainty pressing its tension on me.

“Issshhhhh, that's —” he paused and tapped a red beeping button from the desk, someone spoke from the other end.

“Why can't I access the locations and their routes from this end?“

“We restricted it, Andre men were trying to penetrate into our borders.“

“Andre??!!“ We both mouthed.

“Y.. yess.“ The man stammered from the other end.

“Connect my device to the surveillance then.“

“They blocked the cameras and footage…” he paused.

“Hacked and most deleted!!“

“Ha!“ I cried in frustration, this was all planned, huh.

And Andre, that bastard never failed to be a thorn in our legacy even when we were younger.

I gritted my teeth, Victor's gaze matching up to equals, flaming, curious and fuming with rage.

Victor's voice grew stern and cold. “Send in.“

“Sure..e..“ he hadn't responded when Victor hung up on the call, to concentrate on the computer and it was all there. Blank footage, the ones hacked and deleted and we saw — across the borders, the old and deserted garage, one of Andre's men spotted there.

Our eyes clicked at a conclusion even though, unspoke. We looked back at the system there!

That was it. The answer to our questions. Even though not all, that single clue had brought me clarity, it was gonna be easy to find Jessica.

I smiled, happy.

With a victorious laughter, I mouthed “Aha!“

“Bingo!!“ We roared, tapping our palms against each other once we found the location.

And as if I had already won, we cheered but reality never did, it started serious. Yes! … the game was just about to begin.

We climbed a very long staircase and after ages, we saw a door. Twas locked from inside, I locked eyes with Victor as if we had found another clue, he nodded. I pressed my hand on the door knob to click it open but it stayed stuff.

“Fvck shit!“ I hit my hands hard against the door but it wouldn't open. My concentration shifted to Victor who kept losing his guns with bullets and I wondered how it was of help to open the door.

Surprisingly, a shot rang in my ears — so close, I jumped, clearly startled with my eyes widened as I looked into victor who shot consistently at the door. I wrapped my hands to my ears and once we had a hole into the other part of the end from the shots, I pushed my hands inside and opened from there.

We walked in. The room with every description of abandoned, stinking, the stench I wouldn't describe but…

Her cologne.

“Jessica was here.“ I muttered, eyes darting everywhere with full concentration.

“She was here,” I said, swallowing up the lump in my throat. Victor stared at me and with no caution walked away from me while pocketing the gun to his waist line. My eyes never left him.

“Look at this.“ His cold voice distracted me, I looked.

Jessica's panties, I wrapped my hands around my mouth refusing not to show my anger, tears were fighting to fall. I walked to the bed, rough sheets — white.

She wouldn't have slept with him right? And just then, I saw it — an iron lengthened tool that if swung at someone, they could die.

My mind skipped a beat.

What happened here?

Victor stood by the square shaped window, looking below. I walked to him with all curiosity, the depth was too far that I had to squint my eyes from the strain.

“Someone jumped and that's the blood stains there.“

I looked over once again, I never saw that. My balance weakened — could Jessica have taken one more rash decision? My pulse pounded non stop in my ears, its echoes still ringing loud. I screamed from within me, my chest heaving up and down in restless thoughts.

We traced the sticky reddish blood and somehow, we couldn't identify whose it was as it had dried up for a while.

Fastening our pace, we got led to a door, almost broken but locked from inside. I placed my hand on the door knob and twisted it, it didn't open even with force. I took the lengthened iron I had taken from the other room and destroyed the door knob. With a bang the door opened, revealing a frightened Andre already crouching to the floor in fear. Victor barged in, walking towards him and holding him up from his shirt.

I looked to the other side of the room. It was Jessica — eyes widened not in fear but as though something expected had been accomplished.

I saw her face, bruised, pale even whitened as I walked to her, slowly and intently crouching beside her feet to loosen the ropes she has been tied onto.

I loosed the knots from her wrists and placed my hands to her ankle hoping to unknot the tie when suddenly, she wrapped her hands around me.

My body went rigid, I looked up and hadn't realized I had let out a breath I had been holding on until she smiled.

“I knew you would come to save me, David.“ She said sticking her tongue out to Andre in mockery causing me to laugh.

I paused once I saw her brows furrowed, she wore a surprised look on her face that was accompanied with fear, I shook and next, she was pointing out behind me.

I looked over and met his gaze too. It was Victor.

“He came too.“ She mouthed, as she held onto my hand, her grip tightening. And Victor — he let out a dry laugh.

My breath hitch and saliva stuck in my throat.

That was the first and forever
— seeing Victor smile since we were little.

And now, I knew for sure — I had completed my mother's wishes.