Chapter 102 She's out
CHAPTER 102
She's out
Blake clenched his jaw slightly.
“Whoever did this…” he whispered under his breath.
His grip tightened against his arm.
“They knew exactly where to hit.”
He pulled out his phone again and dialed Ruby's number, he called several times but the phone was on voicemall. Blake closed his eyes briefly. “Come on…” he muttered.
He tried again. Same result.
His frustration grew, mixing with worry.
“She wouldn’t ignore this…” he said to himself. Not Ruby, not when it came to Leo.
Something wasn’t right but right now he didn’t have the luxury of chasing that thought because the situation in front of him was already spiraling.
Blake pushed the door open and stepped inside the room. The soft beeping of the monitors grew clearer as he walked closer to the bed. He pulled a chair beside Leo and sat down slowly, his eyes scanning his friend’s face.
“You really picked the worst time to collapse,” he said quietly.
Blake leaned back slightly, exhaling again.
“You’re supposed to be the strong one,” he added, a faint, tired smile tugging at his lips.
Blake leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“You scared me,” he admitted under his breath.
It wasn’t something he said often but it was true. Seeing Leo fall like that completely helpless, it had shaken him more than he expected.
“You can’t go down like this,” he continued softly. “Not now.” His gaze dropped briefly. “There’s too much going on.”
Too much at stake.
~\`~\`~\`~
Carl stepped out of the car with purpose, his expression already tense, something wasn’t right..Ruby wasn’t answering her phone, not even after repeated calls.
And that alone was enough to set off alarm bells in his mind. He moved quickly toward the school entrance, scanning the area with sharp, trained eyes.
“Where are you…” he muttered.
Inside, Jane stood near a group of students, forcing a smile as she responded to conversations she barely paid attention to. Her mind had already drifted away, toward Ruby.
“She should have called by now…” she murmured.
“Jane?”
She turned.
Carl was standing right in front of her. Her brows furrowed immediately. “Carl? What are you doing here?”
Carl didn’t waste time. “Where’s Ruby?”
Jane blinked.
“She left,” she said. “She said she was going to the hospital.”
Carl’s expression hardened instantly.
“When?”
“A while ago,” Jane replied, confusion beginning to creep in. “Why?”
Carl’s jaw tightened. “I haven’t seen her.”
Jane’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean you haven’t seen her?” she asked quickly.
Carl shook his head. “She never got to the car.”
The words hit hard. Jane’s eyes widened.
“No… that’s not possible. She left right in front of me.”
Carl stepped closer, his voice lowering.
“Did you see her leave the building?”
Jane froze. Her mind replayed the moment.
“I… I didn’t follow her out,” she admitted.
Carl’s expression darkened. “Then she’s still here.”
Jane’s heart began to race. “Something’s wrong,” she whispered.
Carl didn’t argue. He already knew. “Let’s go,” he said.
They moved quickly inside the school building, their footsteps echoing through the now quieter hallways. The celebration noise faded behind them, replaced by an unsettling silence.
Jane’s chest tightened with every step.
“Ruby!” she called.
No response. Carl moved ahead, checking corners, rooms, every possible space.
“Stay close,” he instructed.
Jane nodded, her fear growing by the second.
As they turned into another hallway, a figure appeared ahead.
Victor was leaning casually against the wall, scrolling through his phone—
but immediately straightened when he saw them rushing toward him.
“Hey, what’s going on?” he asked.
Carl didn’t slow down. “Have you seen Ruby?”
Victor frowned. “No… why?”
Jane stepped forward. “She never left the building,” she said quickly. “We can’t find her.”
Victor’s expression shifted. “What?”
Carl’s tone sharpened. “When did you last see her?”
Victor thought quickly. “After the ceremony… she was heading toward the back hallway,” he said.
Carl’s eyes narrowed. “Show us.”
Victor didn’t hesitate. “Come.”
The three of them moved quickly now, tension rising with every second. Jane’s voice shook as she called again.
“Ruby! This isn’t funny!”
Still nothing. Carl’s mind was already racing through possibilities, too many none of them good.
They reached the back corridor, the one leading toward the storage and utility rooms.
Victor slowed slightly. “She came this way,” he said.
Carl stepped ahead, his instincts screaming now.
“Ruby!” Jane called again, louder this time.
Silence.
Carl stopped instantly. “Wait.”
Jane froze. “What?”
Carl held up a hand. “Did you hear that?”
Victor frowned. “Hear what?”
They stood still listening and then a weak sound. Like a whisper. “…help…”
Jane’s eyes widened. “That was her!” she said.
Carl’s head snapped toward the source.
A large industrial refrigerator door at the end of the hallway. Without wasting a second, he ran. Victor and Jane followed immediately.
“Ruby!” Jane shouted, her voice breaking.
Carl reached the door, grabbing the handle, it was locked. His jaw tightened.
“Step back,” he ordered.
Jane and Victor moved aside instantly.
Carl didn’t hesitate. He slammed his shoulder into the door once. On the third hit the lock was given. The door burst open.
Cold air rushed out violently.
Ruby curled slightly on the floor, her body trembling uncontrollably, her lips pale, her eyes barely open.
“Ruby!” Jane screamed, rushing forward.
Carl was already there, pulling her out carefully but quickly, wrapping his jacket around her.
Ruby’s eyes fluttered weakly. “C… Carl…” she whispered.
“I’m here,” he replied.
Jane dropped beside her, tears already streaming down her face. “Oh my God… Ruby…”
Victor stood frozen for a second before snapping out of it. “What happened to her?” he asked.
Carl didn’t answer immediately, his focus was on Ruby. Her breathing and condition.
“Call the car,” he said sharply. Victor nodded and rushed off.
Jane held Ruby’s hand tightly. “You’re okay… you’re okay…”
Ruby’s lips trembled slightly. “It was… dark…” she whispered weakly.
Jane shook her head. “It’s okay now… we found you…”
Carl lifted her carefully. “We’re getting her out of here,” he said.