Until The Trial

Chapter 16

Lucas

Lucas is reaching for his towel when he hears the first pop go off. He jumps into action immediately, despite being almost certain they are not gunshots. Grabbing his gun from his dresser, he shoves on some sweats in one swift move, ignoring the fact he is soaking wet. His senses are on high alert as he peaks through his window and sees the sky lighting up with colors. Glancing at his watch, when he sees they are just in time, only then does he allow himself to relax. Fireworks are all it is, just as Julian warned him earlier via text. The local fair had announced there would be some tonight. Julian had told him to tell Samantha. Lucas tenses. Shit, he forgot to mention it. Not bothering to stop to put on a shirt, he runs down the stairs to where she is supposed to be reading. He feels himself stop breathing for a second when she is not there.

"Samantha!" he calls out, checking the kitchen. "Samantha!"

Shit. Shit. Shit. Maybe they were gunshots. No, they weren't. But what if they were? His brain tells starts theories even though he knows what real gunshots sound like.

"Samantha!" he finishes checking the bottom of the house. What if they took her? His fist clench at the thought of someone manhandling her. He checks the alarm systems. No one left or entered the house. Rushing back upstairs, he checks every room while calling her name, but she is nowhere to be found. A shocking amount of fear for her well-being hits him like a punch in the stomach. He grabs his phone from his dresser and dials Julian.

"Yo?" his brother greets in a cheerful voice.

"I can't find her," Lucas blurts, shocking himself with how breathless and scared he sounds.

"What do you mean you can't find her?" Julian's cheerfulness goes away at once.

"I can't find her," Lucas repeats now forcing himself to sound calm. "The fireworks went off, and I checked to make sure that's what they were. Then I remembered that I had forgotten to warn her. I ran to where she was, but she isn't there."

"Did you check the rest of the house?"

"Of course, do you think I would call you if I didn't? I can't find her, Julian."

"The alarms didn't go off?"

"No one entered or left. But what if there was a hacker, and they took her?"

"I  think the fireworks must have spooked her. She is probably-"

"Fucking damn it! I should have remembered about the fireworks and not taken a shower. What if they already-"

"Lucas focus," his brother orders, "did you check the whole house?"

"Yes."

"Every single part that she could've hidden?"

Lucas thinks of the layout of the safe house. She doesn't know about the panic room, something which he will tell her about if he finds her. No, not if,  he does when. He has to find her. Apart from the panic room, there is only the attic. Lucas groans. Of course, the attic. She loves the attic.

"I haven't checked the attic."

"Do that and call again. I'm heading there already, just in case."

"Okay," Lucas pulls down the ladder to the attic and hangs up. "Myers?" he calls softly. He looks around, willing himself to stay calm, ignoring the thought of her not being here either. A whimper comes from behind several boxes that breaks something in him and gives him relief at the same time. Pulling back boxes and pushing them away, he uncovers Samantha, who has shrunk herself as small as she possibly can. Lucas stares at her vulnerable position, all his previous anger at her fading completely. Worry replaces it, as he watches her shiver pangs of emotions hitting him. She portrays such a hard exterior that her moment of vulnerability are hard to watch.