~ Asher's POV ~
"Asher, wait!"
Landon was chasing after Ash, and so were the other guys. Malcolm and Hayden were close behind, and Mikey grabbed a laptop before running out too.
"Get outta my way!" Asher shoved past everyone to get to the red Camaro. Once he got inside, he closed the door shut and revved the engine.
"Ash, where are you goin' man?" Hayden said, appearing on the window next to him. "We got a race tonight,"
"Screw the race,"
"But-"
"This is bigger than that, guys," Mikey interjected, stepping in and putting the laptop on the car's hood.
"Tell me where to go, Mike," Ash said.
"Yeah, I'm triangulating her position now, just give me a minute,"
Landon was watching as Mikey typed a bunch of zeros and ones into the computer. It was a high level hacking kind of thing. Within seconds, a map and a dot appeared. The dot had Zoie's phone number on it, so Mikey was somehow able to track her location using her ping signals.
"She's on the move..." Mikey trailed, still furiously typing.
"Guys, fill up the tank," Asher said to Malcolm and Hayden. The guys were silent at first, not knowing what to do. "Do it!"
Malcolm quickly moved and grabbed a jerry can full of gasoline. He filled up the Camaro's tank and Hayden helped him too. Asher didn't know how long of a drive it would take to get to Zoie, but he figured he couldn't be too prepared.
"I just need ten more seconds..." Mikey said. Her location was getting clearer and clearer.
"So, you've been following her, huh?" Landon said to Asher. He also noticed the unicorn doll sitting in the passenger's seat.
"You're not the only one who can hire a PI," Asher scoffed. "Should've used it on her instead of on me,"
"Ash, I think we have a problem!" Mikey exclaimed, showing him the computer screen. "She's already on the air!"
On the screen, the dot was seen moving through the Atlantic ocean.
"Shit!" Asher banged his fist on the wheel. "Can you find out where they're going?"
Mikey turned the computer around and began typing furiously again.
"I'm trying to log into the pilot's route, but it's gonna take some time," he replied, pausing for a beat before adding, "According to this trajectory, though, I think they're going somewhere in... Europe,"
"Europe?!" Asher got out of the car and slammed the door loudly. Malcolm and Hayden flinched back in shock. "Who the hell are we dealing with here?!"
As if to answer him, suddenly, Landon's phone began to ring. Landon pulled it out and his face went pale when he saw the caller ID.
"Yes, Uncle Damon?" he said as he picked up.
Asher threw his glance at Landon, studying his expression.
"I'm with Asher right now..." Landon said. "Ok. We're going straight there,"
Landon turned off the call and Asher quickly said, "I'm not going anywhere until I find her,"
"Uncle Damon already found her," Landon said. "Whoever took her left a note. Uncle Damon wants to see me. And he wants you too,"
Asher knew he didn't have a choice now. If he was going to find Zoie, this was going to be the way.
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Damon did not waste any time. He flew in a private jet to meet up with Landon and Asher in Miami. Asher, Landon, Mikey, Malcolm, and Hayden all got inside the red Camaro and they drove to the hangar to meet Damon. Once the plane arrived, the plane's door opened to let them in. About twenty bodyguards came out to guard the area. Everyone was dressed in black and carrying at least two guns.
Asher, Landon, Mikey, Malcolm, and Hayden all went inside the plane where Damon was waiting with Zach, Zander, Zane, and Liam. They were all standing around a table in the middle. On the table was a piece of paper with a picture of a satellite map.
"How could you let this happen?!" Zander yelled and he went straight for Landon, grabbing him by his collar.
"Stop it! We're not blaming Landon for this," Zach was yelling too, causing Zander to loosen his grip.
"You're supposed to be her bodyguard! You shouldn't be letting her out of your sight!" Zane added, standing in front of Landon.
Everyone's eyes were directed at Landon. Damon didn't have to say a word, but he was disappointed and angry too, obviously.
"I was only gone for a few hours..." Landon said, throwing his gaze to the ground, feeling the guilt of the world on his shoulders. "And the only person who knew I was leaving was Uncle Damon. No one else knew..."
"Landon was following protocol but whoever took Zoie was one step ahead," Damon said with a long sigh. "They were probably watching her 24/7 looking for the perfect time to strike,"
"I'm so sorry, Uncle Damon," Landon said, his eyes were pleading with Damon.
"We'll deal with you later, but for now, we need to figure out how to bring her back," Damon said firmly.
"Isn't that it?" Zander nodded at the paper on the table.
Asher took a step closer to see the paper. It was a letter and it said:
To the Van Zandt family,
In case you're wondering where your beloved daughter went, here is a map to her location. You will find her here in good health and we hope to have a conversation negotiating her release.
PS. This invitation is extended to members of the Van Zandt family only. Damon Van Zandt, Zachary Van Zandt, Zander Van Zandt, and Zane Van Zandt. We will not accept any other invitees. If anyone else tries to enter the premises, we cannot guarantee the safety of your daughter's life.
Sincerely, Giulio Hugo DeSantis.
"Giulio DeSantis?!" Landon's breath was caught in his throat. He remembered Giulio, the Italian exchange student, and he was one of Zoie's friends at college. They hung out together a few times. How could he have missed this?!
"Dad, I thought you eradicated all of DeSantis's men? All of his illegitimate sons too?" Zane asked.
"We did," Damon replied, turning his head to Liam.
"But we missed one thing," Liam spoke. He pulled out his phone and showed a picture of a guy holding a baby in his arms. "This is Carlo DeSantis, one of Hugo's illegitimate sons. He had a baby right before we killed him. We burned his house down and everyone died in the fire, but it seemed that the baby escaped with one of their maids. Then, a DeSantis sympathizer took him in and protected him all these years. We never figured it out until... now,"
Liam bowed his head down in guilt and fear. He was supposed to be in charge of the security of the Van Zandt family. And this one small mistake proved to be extremely costly.
"Did you find out who it is?" Damon asked.
Liam nodded his head.
"It was an old man who came from Hugo's village. He was poor, but he had no other family. After he died three years ago, he left everything he had to Giulio. A plot of land and some animals. And somehow, Giulio turned that into a business. He's got at least thirty men working for him now-"
"Twenty men is nothing!" Zander interjected. "We have more people and more resources. We can totally take them down!"
"We have twenty with us now, and we can send another fifty men to meet us in Italy," Zane agreed.
"But what if it's a trap?" Zach asked his brothers. "Maybe he wants us to think that we're more powerful than them so we'll go out there, but then he's gonna ambush us,"
"Of course, it's a fúcking trap! Are you dumb?" Zander snapped. "He wants to get us all there so he can kill us all! End the Van Zandt name, that's what he wants!"
"But what do you suggest we do, sit here and do nothing?" Zane added.
"We're not gonna sit here and do nothing, but we gotta smart about-"
"Send me," Asher spoke up suddenly. He hadn't said one word to anyone, and this was the first time they'd heard from him. Everyone's eyes were now watching him.
"I'm not a Van Zandt, but I am Adrian Luciano's son. I'm sure he'd want to see me, the person who killed his grandfather," Asher continued, staring at Damon intently. "Send me in first. If it's a trap, then you'll know,"
Everyone went silent. Asher kept his gaze on Damon and everyone turned to watch him too.
"But that's... gonna be dangerous," Zach spoke finally.
"I wanna go," Asher nodded his head, keeping his eyes on Damon. "Send me,"
Damon didn't speak for the longest time. Everyone was waiting for his reaction. And finally, just as Damon was about to speak, Landon spoke first.
"If Asher's going then I'm going too,"
Everyone's eyes now turned to Landon.
"No!" Asher said firmly.
"Why not?"
"One person is enough, you can wait with the rest,"
"Two people will be less suspicious than one. I'm sure he's gonna suspect something if he only sees one person going in there, and he knows Zoie has at least three brothers," Landon argued.
"I can take Mikey," Asher argued back.
"Whoa," Mikey put his hands up in an act of surrender. "Mikey's place is behind the desk, behind a computer, with a headset on,"
"You don't get to decide things for me, Ash," Landon said, taking a step in Asher's direction, "I make my own decisions and I wanna go in there,"
"You're not going in there and that's final!" Asher replied, taking a step in Landon's direction.
"Says who?"
"Says me,"
Asher and Landon were locked in a staring contest. The tension in the air was so thick, you could cut through it with a knife.
"Okay, you two, that's enough!" Damon spoke finally, ending the tension.
"You can't lose Landon or any of your kids, Uncle Damon. We both know that. But I'm expendable. You can send me!" Asher said to Damon.
"You're not expendable, Ash," Damon narrowed his eyes at him. "You never was,"
Asher's breath was caught in his throat. Damon was supposed to hate him, why does he care if he lives or dies?
"If Asher's going in then I'm going too," Landon interjected, putting himself in between Damon and Asher. "That's my final decision,"
Asher looked at Landon and he wasn't backing down. He then looked at Damon and Damon nodded his head.
"On second thought..." Asher turned his head back to Landon. "Can you drive a stick?"
"Uh... Yeah... Why?"
"Guys, I think I have an idea!" Asher said to the people in the room. "And we're gonna need the red Camaro with us,"
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~ Zoie's POV ~
Zoie sat in silence for the rest of that plane ride. It was the most excruciating twelve hours of her life. She didn't dare say another word to Giulio. Thankfully, he wasn't in the mood to talk with her either. He spent the rest of the time inside the cockpit, talking to the pilot and a few of his men. Meanwhile, he had the rest of his guys watching Zoie.
After the plane landed, Giulio had one of his men put duct tape over her mouth and they put a burlap sack over her head too. She was brought into a car with her hands and feet tied together. They put her in the trunk and they drove for another two hours.
During this time, Zoie was going in and out of consciousness. She hadn't eaten or drunk any water. Her body was feeling weak. But despite all that, she wasn't losing hope. She knew her dad would find her somehow. And Landon too. They must've realized that she went missing. It was only a matter of time until they'll find her.
And until then... I just must survive.
Suddenly, the car pulled to a stop and Zoie banged her head on the side of the car. She grimaced in pain, but she held it back. Then, she heard the sound of the car trunk being opened. Someone pulled the burlap sack over her head and she saw light for the first time hitting her eyes. The light was blinding and it took her a moment to adjust.
"Ah, the sweet smell of revenge!" Giulio said, stretching his arms out wide. "Isn't it nice?"
Zoie looked around to see where she was. She was in front of an abandoned and burned down mansion. There were still some walls that stood the ground, but most everything was burned down.
"I know this isn't the five star treatment you're used to, but bear with me for a moment, alright? Once we have our plan in motion, things are gonna turn around," Giulio said as he pulled her up. He cut through the ropes that tied her feet together so she could walk. Then, he forcefully pulled her so she'd walk with him into the abandoned mansion.
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- - - - - - To Be Continued - - - - - -