Chapter 172: Messed up

Alex was still staring at his screen, Lucas’s unanswered chat burning into his eyes, when his phone buzzed with an unknown number.

For a split second, his chest tightened painfully.

Please, don’t let it be Mac Hunter. He thought within himself.

Swallowing hard, he answered, forcing his voice to stay steady.

“Hello?”

A low chuckle came through the line, slow, amused, unsettling.

“Hey, honey.”

Alex’s grip on the phone tightened instantly.

“I have someone you might be interested in saving his life here with me.”

His pulse spiked, “No.” His mind raced, dread creeping in fast and suffocating him.

“Not Lucas. Please, not Lucas.” He whispered to himself.

He didn’t speak for a second, afraid his voice might betray him.

“Who is this?” he asked finally, tone sharp, controlled, but barely.

Another chuckle came, then silence followed. It was deliberate and taunting.

“Get ten million ready,” the voice said casually, as if discussing the weather. “I’ll send you the location later.”

Alex’s eyes darkened, every nerve in his body on edge. “Who the hell are you?” he demanded, the calm in his voice now forced, stretched thin over rising fury.

A pause, then…“This is Mac Hunter.”

The name dropped like a stone.

“Get the cash ready.”

The line went dead.

“Damn it!” Alex snapped, pulling the phone away and staring at the blank screen.

His heart was still racing, each beat louder than the last. “Mac again?

The name echoed in his head, but it wasn’t the name that terrified him, It was what he’d said.

I have someone you might want to save his life.

Alex ran a hand through his hair, pacing rapidly now, thoughts crashing into each other.

Who? Whom did he have? Could this Mac be James?

His chest tightened violently as his thoughts spiraled.

“Lucas. No…” he muttered, shaking his head as if he could physically push the thought away.   “No, he wouldn’t..”

But the timing. The unknown number. The demand. And Lucas is not picking up his calls.

A cold realization crept in, sending a chill down his spine. This wasn’t random. This was targeted.

Alex’s expression hardened instantly, fear giving way to something sharper and deadlier.

“Hunter…” he repeated under his breath. Then he grabbed his phone again, already dialing.

“Try your best and trace this number, now” he ordered the second the line connected, his voice now all business, all steel.

He ended the call before waiting for a response, his jaw clenched tight.

“Ten million? Fine. But if you hurt my own or actually touch Lucas”

Alex’s eyes darkened dangerously.

“Then money would be the least of my concerns.”

Alex dialed Lucas’s number again, and again.

Each unanswered call tightened the pressure in his chest, his patience snapping little by little. His thumb hovered for only a second before hitting the call once more.

Then it connected.

Alex straightened instantly. “Lucas dear, where…”

“Quit calling,” the voice on the other end snapped coldly. “Get the fucking cash ready.”

The line went dead.

Silence crashed over him as recognition hit him like a punch. That was James' voice. So he was Hunter. Alex slowly lowered the phone, his eyes narrowing, every muscle in his body going rigid. He had kidnapped Lucas. The son of a bitch dared to take Lucas.

His jaw clenched hard, a dangerous growl slipping past his lips. “James.”

That voice… he would never forget it.

Rage flared, hot and immediate.

“How dare you…” Alex muttered, his grip tightening around the phone. “How dare you pull this stunt again, James?”

Then, Alex thought of everything that had been happening.

The call, the setup, and every other thing.

Alex’s head snapped up, dread slamming into him with full force.

“Lucas…”

His breath hitched.

Without wasting another second, he dialed again, this time a different number.

Dan picked up immediately. “Yes, boss.”

“Lucas has been kidnapped,” Alex said, the words sharp and urgent. Barely laced with restrained fury. His hand trembled despite himself. “James took him. I need you to trace Lucas’s number. Now.”

A beat.

“On it, boss.” The call ended.

Alex stood there for half a second, chest rising and falling, before he moved, fast, purposeful. Grabbing his keys, his jacket, everything in him now focused on one thing, finding Lucas, before it would be too late.

His eyes darkened, a storm brewing behind them.

“James…” he muttered under his breath as he headed out.

This time, there would be no escape.

In a dim, abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city, the air smelled of rust, dust, and bad decisions.

Lucas was tied to a chair in the center, wrists bound tightly, his breathing controlled but sharp. He didn’t panic outwardly, but his eyes never stopped watching and calculating every movement around him.

Near the far end of the room, James leaned against a table stacked with a small metal briefcase. Beside him stood another figure in a mask.

The mask tilted slightly as the man spoke, voice low. “Once the money drops, we split and disappear. No mistakes.”

James gave a short laugh, tapping the briefcase. “Relax. Alex will bring it. He will especially know it’s about Lucas.”

Lucas’s eyes flicked up at the mention of Alex, something unreadable passing through his expression.

The masked man said nothing for a moment. The silence lingered too long.

Then quietly, almost to himself, he added, “He won’t just bring the money.”

James frowned slightly. “What?”

But Zenith had already turned away, adjusting his mask. “Forget it. Just stick to the plan.”

Unseen beneath the mask, his gaze drifted briefly to Lucas. His gaze was intent.

Hours later. James stepped away, phone pressed to his ear.

“It’s done,” he said. “Location sent.”

Then he ended the call.

Meanwhile, across the city, Alex’s phone buzzed. Location received.

His eyes darkened instantly.

Without hesitation, he moved.

The warehouse was surrounded within minutes.

Police had hidden in corners with Tactical units in positions silently, waiting for command.

Alex stepped forward alone, jaw tight, every muscle in his body coiled.

A senior officer tried to stop him. “Sir, you need to stay back.”

Alex didn’t even look at him. “That’s my fiancé inside and I didn’t like what you guys just did.”

Then the officer stepped aside.

From another location close to the warehouse, James smirked as he saw them moving around like ghosts.

“They’re here,” he said casually. I knew he would be stupid to report to the police.

Zenith smirked, It seemed his feelings for Lucas had made him lose his senses.

In a sudden crash, the main doors were blown open.

Light flooded in.

“Police drop your weapon!”

Chaos erupted instantly as police ran around the warehouse but there was no sign of James or Lucas.

Alex stood in confusion

He walked in slowly, eyes scanning the room, ignoring everything except one thing. To see Lucas but he wasn’t there.

James scoffed, from where he was. Then pulled out his phone, and dialed Alex.

With a trembling hand, he picked up instantly but couldn't say a word.

James burst with laughter. “Oh Alex, what do you think you’re doing coming with the police?