Chapter 79 Rebecca...
Chapter 79 Rebecca...
Raven's POV
“A message?”
The scientist brought out a small device, and I couldn't help but stare at it. It looked like a phone, but not quite.
He gave me a faint smile before pressing a button on its side. The screen lit up.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then my mother's face appeared.
My heart clenched.
“Mom,” I whispered.
Rebecca's face filled the screen. She looked utterly exhausted. Her hair was disheveled, and dark circles surrounded her eyes. She kept glancing over her shoulder as though she were afraid someone might walk in at any moment.
Then she looked directly into the camera, her breath coming out weakly.
“If anyone is seeing this, then something has gone terribly wrong.”
She coughed lightly, and it felt like a direct blow to my gut seeing her in such a fragile state.
I watched as her eyes slowly softened.
“Raven, if you're watching this, I need you to listen carefully.”
I stepped closer.
“Whatever you've been told about Aster, the Origin, or the experiments... there are things you still don't know.”
The recording flickered for a second before stabilizing.
My mother took a shaky breath.
“The ring was never meant to lead you to me. It was meant to lead you to the place where everything began.”
My fingers curled around the ring in my pocket as I listened intently.
“The people behind Aster will do anything to get it. Do not trust anyone who claims they can take you to me.”
My heart sank as I glanced at the scientist, who simply rolled his eyes.
The recording suddenly distorted.
My mother's expression changed.
For the first time, I saw genuine fear in her eyes.
“And Raven... if Adrian is with you, don't let them separate—”
The screen went black.
“Mom!”
I reached for the device, but the scientist pulled it away.
“That's all you're getting.”
He shoved the device into his pocket.
My fist clenched as I stared at him.
“What happened to her?” I gritted out.
He shrugged.
“I have no idea, but I do know where she is.”
“Then take us to her,” I demanded.
His lips curled into a smile.
“Gladly, but...” He raised a finger. “You and Adrian would have to come with me.”
I frowned in confusion.
“Of course we're coming with you. That's the whole point.”
The scientist scoffed.
“Not to your mother, silly. After I've taken you to your mother and you've confirmed she's safe, you both are coming with me.”
Dael immediately stepped forward.
“No, she is not,” he growled. “We only agreed on you taking Adrian, not Raven.”
The scientist looked at him.
“Well, change of agreement. I'm taking them both.”
Dael's eyes hardened, his jaw clenched.
“Our agreement was simple. Adrian for information.”
I glanced between them.
What on earth was going on?
Dael's expression was hard, but there was something beneath it.
Fear.
“I never agreed to hand over Raven,” he continued.
The scientist chuckled.
“Well, now I'm changing the agreement. I want them both.”
“You can't.”
Dael raised his gun slightly.
“You wanted Adrian. You said nothing about Raven.”
The scientist sighed dramatically.
“Fine. Adrian, then.”
“Since that's settled, let's go,” Dael said.
But the man chuckled.
“No way. I'm not taking you guys anywhere.”
“You agreed to take us to my mother,” I said, almost shouting.
“Yes, I did. But since Dael doesn't want me to take you, I can't keep to that agreement.”
He shook his head dramatically.
“Such a shame. I was even ready to do you guys a favour.”
He turned to leave, but I stopped him.
“Wait!”
He stopped and turned toward me.
“Fine. Let's make a new deal. Me for the information about my mother,” I stated.
I felt Adrian pull on my hand as Dael's jaw clenched in disagreement, but I ignored them.
Dael had gotten us into this mess in the first place by bargaining Adrian away.
“Do we have a deal?” I asked.
His face lit up with a grin.
“We do.”
“Now, come on, you guys. My men are waiting outside. We'll drive you all there.”
We all moved to leave.
“Wait,” Dael growled.
We turned to him.
“If Raven is going, then I'm going too.”
The scientist's smile disappeared.
“No.”
Dael frowned.
“You're not exactly in a position to refuse.”
“Yes, I am. You're not part of our agreement.”
Dael stepped closer.
“And neither was Raven.”
The scientist stared at him.
“Give me one good reason why I should take you.”
Silence.
Dael looked at Adrian and me before turning back to the man.
“If you take them without me, you have no guarantee they'll cooperate once you reach your facility.”
The scientist stared at him.
“And you can guarantee they will?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because I can make them, and you know that,” he simply stated.
The scientist remained silent as he thought it through.
Dael continued.
“Besides, I'm sure you need someone who knows the old facility. I remember the security systems, the hidden entrances, and the routes they used to move the subjects.”
The scientist's eyes narrowed.
“You still remember that much?”
Dael nodded.
“I remember enough.”
The man studied him for several seconds before sighing.
“Fine. You're coming.”
Dael nodded.
“Let's get going, then. Time is of the essence.”
The scientist turned and walked out.
I glanced at Dael. I wasn't sure whether he'd done that to protect us or because he had his own reasons for going.
But whatever it was, I didn't care.
He had bargained Adrian away.
“Raven,” Dael called, trying to talk to me, but I raised my hand, cutting him off.
“Agreeing to give up Adrian?” I glared at him. “What were you thinking?”
I scolded him before storming out.
Adrian stayed beside me while Dael walked several steps behind us.
That was the best arrangement.
Still, I had noticed the tension between them even before the exchange, as well as the fleeting jealous look I'd caught from Adrian earlier.
“Adrian.”
I pulled on his arm, bringing him to a stop.
He looked at me.
“What?”
“You looked jealous.”
His eyebrows shot up.
“What?” he asked, confused.
“Earlier. When I comforted Dael.”
His expression hardened.
“I wasn't jealous.”
“I saw your face, Adrian. Don't deny it.”
Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair as he shifted from one foot to the other.
“Seriously, Raven, this really isn't the time for this.”
“Why can't you just admit you were?”
“Raven, we're walking into a situation where a scientist from Aster is taking us to an unknown facility, and that's what you're worried about?”
I folded my arms.
“You're avoiding the question.”
“Because there's nothing to answer,” Adrian emphasized.
Before I could respond, Drew appeared beside us. He looked from me to Adrian.
“Whatever you're arguing about, save it for later. We have to go.”
Adrian gave me a look.
I rolled my eyes.
“Fine,” I spat.
We continued toward the vehicles.
Once we reached them, Adrian pulled out his phone and moved away from us.
“Where are you going?” I asked, looking at him curiously and maybe a little anxiously.
I didn't want to go through another separation.
He raised his head, and his eyes softened once he saw the look on my face.
“Relax. I'm just calling Styles.”
He stepped away from us and made the call.
After a few rings, someone answered.
“Styles? It's me.”
I couldn't hear Styles' response, but Adrian's expression softened.
“I'm fine. I found Raven.”
He paused.
“I'll explain everything when I'm done. Just don't panic, okay?”
Another pause.
“Yeah. I promise.”
Then he ended the call.
But instead of putting his phone away, he quickly opened another application.
I watched him tap the screen several times before locking his phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” he replied quickly.
I narrowed my eyes, but he just gave me a small smile before climbing into the vehicle.
I could tell he was hiding something, but I decided to let it go... for now.
I climbed into the vehicle.
The scientist sat in the front with one of his men driving. Dael sat across from Adrian and me, while Drew and Rhea took the back.
The journey was silent for several minutes.
Then Adrian's phone rang.
He frowned when he saw the caller.
“It's Cole.”
I arched a brow, surprised.
“My dance teacher?”
Why would he be calling Adrian?
Adrian nodded and answered.
“Hello?”
“Adrian?”
Cole's familiar voice came through the speaker.
“Thank God. I've been trying to reach Raven, but her phone has been unreachable.”
Adrian glanced at me.
“She... isn't with her phone right now.”
“Is she okay?”
His voice sounded panicked.
“Yes. She's here.”
There was a brief pause.
“I see.”
Something about the way Cole said those two words made Adrian and me look at each other.
It was almost as if he'd been expecting that answer.
“Can I speak to her?”
His voice came out softly.
Adrian held the phone toward me.
I slowly took it.
“Hi, Cole.”
“Ma chérie,” he addressed me with the pet name he always used. “I'm so glad to hear your voice.”
He sounded relieved.
“I've been worried about you. I tried calling several times.”
“I'm sorry. Things have been... complicated.”
“Are you safe?”
I glanced around the vehicle.
“Yes.”
There was another pause.
“Okay, good. That's all I needed to know.”
I frowned slightly.
“Why? Is something wrong?”
“Nothing. I just heard something earlier and thought you might be in trouble.”
“What did you hear?”
“Nothing you need to worry about, chérie.”
His response came too quickly.
I studied Adrian for a moment before looking out the window.
“I'll be fine, Cole.”
“I know you will.”
His voice softened.
“You've always been good at finding your way out of difficult situations.”
A faint smile made its way to my lips.
“That's one way to put it.”
“Just be careful, Raven.”
Cole sighed, and I nodded even though he couldn't see me.
“I will.”
“And Raven?”
He paused.
“Hmm?”
“Be careful who you trust, all right?”
My smile disappeared.
“What do you mean?”
He chuckled softly.
“Nothing specific. Just a feeling.”
A strange uneasiness settled in my stomach.
“Okay,” I forced out.
“I'll let you go now, dear. Call me when you're free.”
“I will.”
The call ended.
I stared at the phone for a few seconds.
Something about that conversation bothered me. Especially the way he'd said, I know you will.
How could he sound so certain?
“Everything okay?” Adrian asked.
I handed the phone back to him.
“Yeah. He was just worried.”
Adrian nodded, apparently satisfied.
I looked out the window again.
I couldn't shake the feeling that there had been something strange about Cole's call, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was.
The vehicle continued down the deserted road.
After nearly an hour, the scientist finally spoke.
“We're close.”
My stomach tightened.
The vehicle turned onto a narrow road surrounded by thick trees.
A few minutes later, a large concrete building appeared in the distance.
It looked abandoned.
Old and forgotten.
But the cameras mounted around the perimeter told a different story.
So did the armed men standing near the entrance.
The gates opened as we approached.
My heart began pounding.
The vehicle stopped.
“Everyone out,” the scientist ordered.
We stepped outside.
The scientist walked toward the entrance while his men surrounded us.
I stayed close to Adrian.
Dael remained on my other side.
Suddenly, the massive doors opened, and we walked inside.
The building smelled of dust, chemicals, and something else I couldn't identify.
We passed several empty rooms before the scientist stopped in front of a metal door.
He entered a code.
The door opened.
“She’s inside.”
My heart nearly stopped.
I rushed forward.
“Mom?”
No answer.
I slowly stepped into the room.
Everything inside was overturned.
Documents were scattered across the floor. A chair lay broken near the wall, and glass covered part of the floor.
Then I saw her.
My mother.
She was sprawled motionless on the floor, her hair covering half her face.
There was blood near her temple.
“Mom!”