Chapter 79 The Wrong Place
Rafael didn’t bring one file.
He brought two.
He placed them both on the table.
Didn’t speak immediately.
That was how Alessandro knew—
this mattered.
Alessandro didn’t sit.
Didn’t touch them.
“Talk.”
Rafael glanced between the two folders.
“Two locations,” he said. “Same pattern. Same timeline.”
A pause.
“Both possible.”
Alessandro stepped closer.
Opened the first.
Old structure.
Hidden.
No official registration.
Medical supplies routed through third parties.
Staff inconsistent.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
The second—
Cleaner.
Legitimate front.
Private facility.
But—
irregular internal activity.
Restricted access.
Security layered where it shouldn’t be.
Alessandro closed both.
“Distance.”
“First one—twenty minutes.”
“And the second.”
“Forty-five.”
Silence.
Short.
Heavy.
“We split?” Rafael asked.
“No.”
That answer came instantly.
Because this wasn’t a search anymore.
This was time.
And splitting meant delay.
Miscommunication.
Loss.
“Then which one,” Rafael said.
Alessandro didn’t answer immediately.
He looked at both folders again.
Not emotionally.
Mathematically.
Time.
Distance.
Probability.
Then—
“The closer one.”
That was the moment.
The decision.
Small.
Simple.
Irreversible.
They moved immediately.
No delay.
No discussion.
The road emptied as they drove.
Streetlights faded.
Buildings disappeared.
The world narrowed into direction.
The structure appeared without warning.
Hidden behind walls that didn’t belong to anything modern.
No sign.
No identity.
No reason to exist.
Alessandro stepped out.
Paused.
Something felt wrong.
It was really quiet.. there was people but you couldnt see them. It felt as if everybody was whispering.
They entered without knocking.
Inside—
Movement.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
People were there.
But they didn’t want to be seen.
Eyes dropped.
Steps shortened.
Voices disappeared and yet they felt that they were being watched..
Alessandro walked through the center.
Didn’t slow.
Didn’t acknowledge anyone.
“Who runs this place.”
No answer.
Rafael stepped forward.
“That wasn’t optional.”
A man froze.
Looked at them.
Then away.
“We don’t— we just—”
Alessandro grabbed him.
Fast.
Close.
“Who is here.”
“I don’t know—”
“Wrong.”
Grip tightened.
The man gasped.
“We don’t get names—” he rushed. “People come in— they stay— they leave—”
“When.”
“I don’t— I don’t know—”
Alessandro let go.
Already moving.
Rooms.
Doors.
Corridors.
Same pattern.
Same silence.
Same nothing.
Time passed.
Too fast.
Too slow.
Impossible to measure.
A locked room at the end of a narrow hall.
Matteo forced it open.
Inside—
A girl.
Dark hair.
Pale.
Sitting still.
Alessandro stopped.
Everything inside him—
stopped.
She lifted her head.
Slowly.
For a second—
It was her.
He stepped forward.
Once.
Twice.
Closer—
Not her.
The difference was small.
But absolute.
Wrong eyes.
Wrong presence.
Wrong silence.
The girl recoiled.
Afraid.
Of course she was.
Alessandro stepped back.
Control returned instantly.
Like it had never left.
“Continue,” he said.
The search became harder.
Sharper.
Less patient.
“Who came here.”
Silence.
“When.”
Nothing.
Alessandro’s hand hit the table.
Once.
Everything froze.
“You are wasting time.”
His voice was low.
Flat.
Worse than anger.
A woman stepped forward.
Shaking.
“We don’t ask questions—”
“Start.”
Fear shifted.
People looked at each other.
No one helped her.
“People come,” she said. “Private cases. No records.”
“Pregnant woman,” Alessandro said.
Silence.
Too long.
“Answer.”
“I don’t know—”
Rafael stepped closer.
That was enough.
“I haven’t seen one,” she said quickly. “Not recently.”
Alessandro watched her.
Measured.
Truth.
Useless.
More rooms.
More questions.
More time.
Nothing.
Finally—
Rafael stepped beside him.
“She was never here.”
Alessandro didn’t answer.
Because he already knew.
He had known—
too late.
He turned.
“Second location.”
They moved fast.
No hesitation now.
The drive felt longer.
Because it was.
Because time had changed.
Alessandro stared ahead.
Silent.
Then—
“Call them.”
Rafael didn’t ask who.
He already knew.
The line rang.
Once.
Twice.
No answer.
Rafael’s jaw tightened.
“They’re not picking up.”
Alessandro’s eyes darkened.
“Drive faster.”
They arrived—
too clean.
Too normal.
Too visible.
The guards moved—
then stopped.
Guns.
Understanding.
They stepped aside.
Inside—
Everything looked untouched.
Routine.
Movement.
Life.
Alessandro didn’t slow.
“Where.”
Confusion.
Fear.
Delay.
“They don’t know yet,” Rafael said.
“They will.”
It didn’t take long.
Places like this always had layers.
The corridor shifted.
Quieter.
Cleaner.
Controlled.
VIP.
Doors opened.
One by one.
Important people.
Protected ones.
Hidden lives.
Not her.
Then—
The last room.
Open.
Inside—
Prepared.
But not used.
Too clean.
Too recent.
Alessandro stepped in.
Stopped.
Something in the air—
wrong.
“Who is in charge.”
The nurse came quickly.
Older.
Composed.
But her eyes—
not steady.
“I don’t—”
“Don’t.”
She stopped.
Measured.
Chose.
“There was a woman.”
Silence tightened.
“Pregnant.”
The word stayed.
“She wasn’t alone,” the nurse continued. “An older woman. And security. Always.”
“How long.”
“A few days.”
Close.
Too close.
“When did she leave.”
The pause—
gave it away.
“When.”
Her voice dropped.
“Two hours ago.”
Nothing moved.
Not even the air.
“Why.”
“I don’t know— they just left. Suddenly.”
Not enough.
“They got a call,” she added quickly.
There it was.
Alessandro’s eyes darkened.
Completely.
“They knew,” Rafael said quietly.
Alessandro didn’t answer.
Because it wasn’t a question.
Someone had warned them.
Someone had moved her—
because of him.
Because of the choice he made.
The closer one.
The wrong one.
He turned.
Walked out.
No hesitation.
Outside—
The air felt sharp.
Cold.
Clear.
Rafael followed.
“They’re watching.”
Alessandro stared ahead.
“Yes.”
A pause.
Then—
“Good.”
Because now—
this wasn’t a search.
It was a race.
And he had just lost time—
he wouldn’t get back.