Milan stood in the middle of the safe house living room, his phone pressed tightly to his ear. His usually calm demeanor was shattered, his voice sharp and laced with urgency as he spoke.
“I don’t care what it takes, Raul. You’re the best private investigator I’ve ever worked with. Find them,” Milan demanded, pacing back and forth. “Start with the parking lot where they were last seen. Look for any cameras, witnesses—anything.”
Raul’s voice on the other end was steady. “Understood. I’ll have my team on it immediately. We’ll follow every lead, no matter how small.”
Milan hung up, his jaw clenched as he turned to Enzo and Thiago, who were both equally consumed with their own frantic attempts to track Jade and Mia.
Enzo was seated at the dining table, his laptop open in front of him and his phone balanced between his ear and shoulder. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he coordinated with his network of men scattered across the city.
“I don’t care if you have to knock on every door in this city,” Enzo barked into the phone. “I want eyes on every van that matches the description I sent you. Someone knows something.”
Thiago, standing near the counter with his arms crossed, was speaking in a low, firm voice. “Yes, I understand the protocol, but this isn’t just a regular situation. These women are in immediate danger, and I’m not asking for a favor—I’m demanding it. Pull whatever strings you need at the FBI. Get me a task force on this now.”
Milan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair as the weight of the situation pressed down on him. He hated feeling powerless, and every second they wasted felt like a lifetime. He turned to Enzo. “Anything?”
Enzo shook his head, frustration etched into his face. “A few sightings of similar vans, but nothing concrete. My men are combing through the leads.”
Thiago hung up his call and leaned forward, his expression grim. “The FBI’s on board, but they need more specifics. I told them to focus on vehicles matching the one from the video Vivienne sent. If it’s stolen or rented, it’s only a matter of time before we track it.”
Milan nodded, though his patience was wearing thin. “Good. Between Raul, your contacts at the FBI, and Enzo’s men, someone has to find something. We’re not stopping until we have them.”
The room was heavy with tension as the three men worked tirelessly, pooling every resource they had. Hours passed, and frustration grew with each dead end.
Then, Enzo’s phone buzzed. He picked it up, glancing at the screen before answering. “What do you have?”
The voice on the other end spoke quickly, and Enzo’s eyes narrowed as he listened intently. “A warehouse? Where?” He grabbed a pen and scribbled down an address on a nearby notepad. “Got it. Send me everything you have on the place.”
He hung up and turned to Milan and Thiago, his expression shifting from frustration to determination. “We’ve got a lead. One of my guys tracked down a warehouse on the outskirts of the city. It matches the location seen in the video Vivienne sent. It’s been rented under a fake name, but the timing lines up.”
Milan’s eyes flashed with a mix of hope and anger. “Are you sure?”
“As sure as we can be without kicking the door down,” Enzo replied. “But it’s our best lead yet.”
Thiago grabbed his jacket, his expression set. “Then let’s move. We don’t have time to waste.”
Milan held up a hand, his mind already racing. “Wait. We need to be smart about this. If Vivienne’s involved, she’ll expect us to act impulsively. We can’t just storm the place without knowing what we’re walking into.”
Enzo nodded, though his impatience was clear. “I’ll have my men scout the area first. If there’s anyone inside, we’ll know.”
“I’ll coordinate with the FBI,” Thiago added. “If this is the place, they’ll be ready to back us up.”
Milan turned to both of them, his voice low and firm. “Good. But if they’re there, we move fast. No hesitation. I don’t care what it takes—Jade and Mia are coming home.”