Who is he?

Elijah’s phone buzzed on the table as he leaned over a stack of paperwork. He had been trying to piece together what felt like a hundred loose ends. His mind was already miles away from the mundane tasks at hand. 

He had a plan in motion that he’d been working relentlessly on. There were a few leads concerning Clara’s network and he was hoping to finally infiltrate the meeting she had set by the Marina. 

But something felt off today, he had a gut feeling something wasn’t right. The uneasy feeling gnawed at him for hours. And then, the call came in.

Elijah didn’t speak.

“Boss. It’s about Jasmine.”, he said. 

His bodyguard’s voice crackled through the phone, “She’s gone missing, sir.”

Elijah’s heart skipped a beat as he sat up straighter. 

“What the fuck do you mean, gone missing? There are two of you and one of her.”, he yelled into the phone. 

“Yes, sir. She went into the bathroom at the dorm... and didn’t come out. We checked after a while and found some blood on the window.”, his tone worrisome. 

Blood. The word echoed in his mind like a bell ringing out a warning. His grip tightened on the phone.

“Who the fuck was in the bathroom with her?” he demanded.

“We don’t know, sir. She went in before we could clear it. We’re still searching the area.”, he informed. 

Elijah didn’t wait for any further details.

“Fuck! Keep searching. I am on my way.”, Elijah’s tone was full of rage. 

His pulse raced as his mind quickly processed the situation. Jasmine was supposed to be meeting Maya… if she was hurt... no. He couldn’t let himself think like that. He had to find her. 

Now.

He slammed the phone down and rushed out of the office, grabbing his jacket and keys. His thoughts were a whirlwind of uncertainty. His focus sharpened by the fear that was beginning to settle into his chest. 

The Marina meeting, his investigation, everything… It all had to wait. He had to set it all aside for now. Jasmine was possibly hurt and missing, and nothing else mattered.

Elijah’s car roared to life and the tires smoked, as he floored the accelerator. The engine growled under the strain of anger and speed. His guards followed close behind. The train of black SUVs tailing him as they sped through the streets toward the University. 

His mind raced, but his body was cool with the sharp intensity of someone who had been trained to think quickly under pressure.

He wasn’t new to dangerous situations, but Jasmine was different. She wasn’t just a team member or a business dealing gone wrong. She was someone he wanted, someone he cared about in ways he hadn’t expected. 

The thought of her in danger triggered something deep inside him, fear. He fought the rising panic that threatened to take hold. She needed him to keep a clear and sharp mind. 

Pulling up near the campus, Elijah stopped his car in a parking spot with precision. He barely gave the wheels a chance to stop spinning before he was out of the vehicle. His bodyguards flanked him, moving swiftly, scanning the area with military precision. 

He motioned for his men to check the building while he took a breath and reached into the glovebox of his car. There, hidden away, was a small silver pistol. He pulled it out and slipped it into waistband before heading toward the entrance of the dorm building.

They were already making their way through the halls when Elijah spotted a familiar face. A hacker who had been part of the university’s staff and occasionally helped with his operations. Elijah grabbed him by the arm.

“I need you to trace a phone. I need to know where it is?”,  Elijah barked. The desperation creeping into his voice despite his efforts to stay composed.

The hacker hesitated for a moment before nodding, “I’ll run it now, sir.”

Elijah didn’t wait for the confirmation. He turned and walked down the hall with his guards following close behind. He couldn’t help but feel the pressure building with every step. 

Jasmine had been in that bathroom, and now... now she was gone. There had to be a clue. There had to be something. He wasn’t going to let this go.

“She turned off her phone.”, the hacker reported, “We’re not getting anything.”

Elijah cursed under his breath. If Jasmine had intentionally turned off her phone... it meant someone was controlling the situation. The thought gnawed at him. Clara.

Hours passed. The search continued. He wasn’t getting any closer to her.

Elijah’s frustration grew with every empty hallway and dark corner they checked. His phone buzzed again with an update from the hacker. He had no luck with the trace.

His patience was wearing thin. He was about to head back to his car when something caught his eye. A sleek black car pulled into the lot near where he had parked. Elijah squinted, narrowing his eyes as he recognized the car. It was Maya.

He strode over quickly. His steps heavy with purpose, as his shadow fell over the car as he approached. Without a word, he opened the passenger door and looked inside.

Jasmine was there. She was slumped in the seat, looking dazed and confused. Her hair was messy, her clothes slightly disheveled. Elijah’s heart clenched at the sight of her.

Without thinking, he reached inside the car. He unbuckled her seatbelt before gently lifting her into his arms.

“Maya.”, he said. His voice low but sharp, “My house. Now.”

Maya didn’t argue. She simply nodded. Her face tight with concern. 

Elijah carefully carried Jasmine toward his car. His mind a flurry of questions. What had happened? What had she gotten involved in this time?

As he set her down on the trunk of his car, he looked into her eyes. His voice soft, but urgent. “Are you okay?”

Jasmine blinked. She had been so caught up in the adrenaline of her mission that she hadn’t taken the time to feel. His question pulled her from that haze and her hand instinctively reached to touch the back of her leg.

A pang of pain surged through her body. It was then that Elijah saw the blood. A thin streak of crimson stained her skin, the faint trace of a cut.

“What... ouch. What the hell?” she murmured. Confusion clouding her eyes, “Shit did they shoot me?”

“Did who shoot you?”, Elijah’s jaw tightened. 

He gently turned her leg to inspect the wound. A small piece of glass had cut into the back of her leg, not deep enough to cause major injury, but enough to cause blood loss. He reached into his back seat and pulled out a first aid kit he kept on hand. 

His hands were steady as he cleaned the wound, his eyes never leaving her face.

“You didn’t realize?”, he asked quietly. His tone almost softer than usual. “You’ve been bleeding. The bathroom window cut you. We found your blood dripping down the side of the building.”

Jasmine looked down, her face blanching as she saw the blood. Her breath caught in her throat. “I... I didn’t even feel it.”

“Doesn’t matter now.”, Elijah muttered. 

Finishing up, he helped her into the car. His mind still spinning. He knew it was only a matter of time before she was in danger again, but he needed to try to not let anything else happen to her.

As the car started moving, Elijah quickly called the doctor.

“I need a house visit. Now.”, he said. 

His voice sharp and urgent. He could hear the doctor’s voice on the other end. Quickly confirming the appointment.

The ride was silent between them, the weight of the situation heavy in the air. Jasmine, exhausted and in pain, leaned back against the seat. Elijah’s gaze was fixed on the road ahead, his mind turning over the questions he needed answers to. 

What had happened to her? And why was she in danger? Who shot at her?

When they arrived at Elijah’s house, the doctor was waiting for them. The moment they stepped inside, Elijah motioned for Jasmine to sit on the couch. His eyes never leaving her. 

The doctor moved to inspect her. Checking her leg and asking a few questions, but Elijah couldn’t wait. He needed answers.

“Where did you go, Jasmine?”, he demanded. His voice a little sharper than he intended. “Tell me everything. What did you mean by someone shot at you?”

Jasmine’s eyes flickered to Maya before she took a deep breath. Maya nodded as if approving her telling the truth. They both knew he would find out eventually. 

“We... we followed Clara. Maya and I had planned this long before you build this team. We went to a place by the Marina. We thought we could get evidence to help you break the marriage contract. We took photos... we have proof of the meeting, but we don’t know who the man is.”

“Her men spotted us and started shooting at us. We got out unharmed and lost them. They didn’t follow us back to the University.”, Maya added. 

Maya pulled out her computer, showing Elijah the images that they had captured. The photos were grainy, but clear enough to make out the person Clara had been meeting with. Elijah stared at the photo for a long moment, his jaw clenching.

“Get me Jason, Now.”, Elijah ordered to one of the bodyguards.

Jason came running in, “Yes, sir?”

“I have seen him before. Do you know who he is?”, Elijah pointed to Maya’s laptop. 

“We know exactly who that is, sir. I am not surprised she was meeting him.”, Jason replied. 

“Who is it?”, Jasmine asked, “This meeting had been set up for weeks. I took photos of her calendar when I was working for her.”

“That’s... Clara’s family hitman.”, Elijah muttered. Realization dawning on him, “This is much bigger than we thought. He has a unique set of skills and has never been caught”

Jasmine and Maya exchanged a glance, both of them feeling the weight of the discovery settle heavily on their shoulders. 

“What does that mean? Who could he be after? What does she want with him?”, Jasmine asked as a tear fell down her cheek. She already knew the answer. 

“You, ma’am. I’ve been watching him, and he’s been asking around about you. He’s just hard to catch.”, Jason answered. 

“I won’t let that happen, we won’t let that happen.”, Elijah ordered. 

The look in her eyes spoke volumes. This was more than just a game now. She was in serious danger.

Elijah stood up, his mind already racing through the next steps. “We need to figure out where he is going to strike. We have to stop Clara before it goes any further.”

Jasmine nodded in agreement. Knowing that this was only the beginning of a far more dangerous plan. The stakes had just been raised to life or death.