Chapter 5 — Who Took Austin?

Lucy became delirious when her sanity came back. Kent brought her back home while police officer Damian brought his team to set up there using GPS, a voice analyzer if the kidnapper will call the family, radars, radios, and other equipment of the rescue operation for Austin. Some police patrols are now gathering and guarded the whole area of Makati City. They quickly set up an emergency checkpoint to each boundary of the city. 

“Austin? Where's my baby? Did you find him? Hon, I dreamt about him. He's calling for me. I was not there for him, and I feel guilty. Why did I trust my son to Cassandra?” Lucy wailed in despair and Kent wrapped his arms to comfort her. 

"Don't worry, the police are here to help us. Don't blame Cassandra okay. She's a good nanny for Austin. It's not her fault. Accidents happened sometimes. Maybe he knew us and wait for this day to get his plan done." Kent wanted to enlighten his worried wife. 

They're all exhausted from today's occurrence. This is not a simple problem. This is serious. 

Kent and Lucy were startled when officer Damian called them to answer the call. 

"I think the suspect wanted to communicate!” he said and gave the phone to Kent. 

Kent quickly put the phone to his ear. 

“Hello, where is our son? Who are you? What do you want money? Just tell me and we will give what you want!” he was trying his best to talk to the suspect. Kent's himself wanted to go crazy to think that their son is out somewhere with his kidnapper, cold, scared, and alone. 

While on the other side of the bed, Lucy was there, scared to lose her son again, hopeless, and hated herself for being a careless mom. 

Meanwhile, a huge laughter-filled Kent's ears. The suspect was smart. He used a voice changer again. 

"Why are you laughing? Show us your real voice! Can we talk to our son? I beg you." Kent wanted assurance for their son's safety. 

Lucy heard Kent saying a voice changer and she remembered one. 

"Let me! I think he knew us. " Lucy took the phone from Kent. 

"Talk to me. You know me, right? Just give Austin, Eloisa. If you want revenge, face me." Lucy begs for the kidnapper while Kent is startled to hear Eloisa's name. 

He laughed again. 

"Eloisa? Sounds great to me If it was my name. Well, I just want to have fun. I'll call you again. Bye, Lucy!” Lucy's eyes widened how he calls her name so natural as he knew her well. 

Officer Damian and his team are trying to read the original voice of the caller and his location. 

“Sir, ma'am, we found his location, but you called the killer Eloisa, right? Was she the newlywed and the wife of your brother sir Kent? I think our tracker stops near the Zeus Palace. Are they staying there?” Damian asked the couple to confirm his assumption. 

Lucy quickly nods her head. 

"Yes, they lived there since I gave back the penthouse to Gale before their wedding, so they manage it since I have a new business to build. I will call her!” Lucy said but the officer stops her. 

No. Don't do that. We will go there unannounced to caught them. 

Kent can't believe they did it to their nephew. 

“Wait, honey, are you saying Eloisa and Gale kidnapped Austin? Are you out of your mind? They went from prison to pay their sins and to have a happy family too just like us. This is insane!” Kent cupped his head and face the floor. His head wanted to explode with all the dramas today. 

Lucy came closer and sat beside her husband. She caresses his back and slowly holds his hands. 

"Hon, I don't know too. But the GPS and the voice changer tell us about the suspect. Let's find out, okay. I hope they're not,” she said and embraced Kent. 

Officer Damian instructed them to stay in the mansion and wait for another call. The police were about to go when their phone rang again. 

It was the same number as the kidnapper. 

"I will answer," Lucy insisted. 

Kent let her and wait for a new report. 

"Hello, just give up, please. Can I hear my son's voice? I beg you." Lucy was hoping that he will let her hear Austin's voice. 

There's a silence on the other line. Lucy heard a new voice but this time, he's not using a voice changer. They're fighting. 

Lucy pressed the loudspeaker to let them hear. 

"I told you to be careful! What if they found you? How about this boy? Are we gonna take him—" Lucy shouted when the phone was off. 

“Ahhh, can we call them again? I think they're going to take Austin away from us!” she was scared to lose him again for the third time. 

Lucy is getting hopeless. She frantically keeps crying until she hardly catches her breath. Kent quickly caresses her back to comfort his wife. 

"Just relax. Calm down, hon. They will call again. Sir, can you detect the number? I mean what kind of operation is this? Are there any updates?” Kent became impatient too. 

He doesn't know what to want to do anymore. He decided to call his brother Gale without the police's permission. He won't believe that his brother will do such a thing. 

He told Lucy that he will use the bathroom. He dialed Gale's number. 

“The number you have dialed is unattended or out of coverage area. Please try your call later." 

"Fuck! His phone was off," he mumbled. 

He still has Eloisa's contact. He decided to call her too. 

He was pissed because her phone was off too which is confusing and unexplainable. 

“Why did they turn off their phones? Is the know-how crucial this time for them but they went for their honeymoon? I hope my intuition wasn't right." Kent decided to go back to the living room to check if there are new updates. 

He left Lucy inside to let her rest even she's stubborn to obey him. 

Officer Damian waited for him while his team is busy with the negotiation. 

"Sir, my assigned officers just called, and they didn't find anything suspicious at the checkpoint area. And the worst part is, the caller changed his number and location." Damian informed him and Kent just sat down on the couch while giving himself a hard time. 

***

The kidnapper was smart, and he knew each one of them. 

He walked closer to comfort Austin. 

"Hey, don't be scared. I won't hurt you. We have been apart for so long. Can I hug you, sweetie?” he then wrapped his arms around Austin. 

The ten-year-old boy looks frightened.

“Please, I promise to be good. Just let me go! I want to see my mommy and daddy!” he begs for him. 

His kidnapper and his partner stared at each other. 

He then touches and caresses Austin's face. His swollen eyes are visible with his constant weeping. 

"Don't worry about them. I talked to them, and they told me that they were grateful to have us in their lives. We can take you now," the wife said as the negotiation ended. 

Austin let out a loud cry again. 

"It's not true! My parents love me!” he defended them, but the couple kept trying to brainwash him.

“Enough! Take him inside the car. Let's go to the cabin!” he ordered his wife, and Austin keeps struggling until he was thrown hardly inside the car. 

***

Kent and Lucy were focused on Austin until Lucy noticed something. 

"Wait, honey. Have you seen Cassandra?” she asked him. 

Kent shook his head.