Rejected: A love story-Chapter 68: Full lockdown

Caleb stood at outside as Nathan came out of the living room, he was just pacing to and fro. The tension between them was filled with anger, fear, frustration—everything mixed into one.

He pulled out his phone immediately, already dialing.

"Who are you calling?" Nathan asked without staring at him.

"Ella," he muttered.

’Of course, Fiona’s best friend. She needed to know.’ He thought to himself.

Caleb held the phone to his ear, his face full of something confusing... fear? Probably.

It rang once and she picked at the second ring. Then her voice burst through the speaker, breathless.

"Caleb?"

He closed his eyes for a second like the sound of her voice pained him. "Ella... listen—something happened."

"What do you mean something happened?" Her voice sharpened instantly. "Are you okay? Did something happen to you? Tell me."

Caleb rubbed the back of his neck. "It’s Fiona, she has been taken."

There was pure silence at both ends, like even the air paused.

"...what?"

"Kidnapped?," She asked. "How? When?"

"Nathan and I are already on it. Security is moving, the whole team is—"

"I’m coming." She cut him off quickly. "Send me the location, I’m coming right n—"

"No." His tone changed.

"No? Caleb, what do you—"

"It’s dangerous," he snapped, then exhaled deeply. "Ella, I’m not letting you come anywhere near this. I can’t—" he stopped himself.

"You can’t what?" she asked quietly.

"No." Caleb’s voice hardened. "It’s too dangerous."

"I don’t care—"

"Well I do." He rubbed his forehead. "Ella, listen... I already messed up once. If anything happens to you because of this— I won’t forgive myself."

After a moment of silence she spoke softly, "Caleb... Fiona is my best friend."

"I know," he whispered.

"And I care about her." She said.

"I know."

"And I care about you too even though you act selfish most times."

His eyes shut again. Hard.

"You told me at the fair we shouldn’t... whatever—be anything," she continued shakily. "Fine, let’s forget that. But let me help at least, please."

"You are helping," he said. "By staying away. Ella, I’m begging you. Don’t put yourself in danger. I’m barely holding myself together as it is."

This was the same Caleb who rejected her at the fair, told her they should stay away from each other because he didn’t want things to get complicated.

And here he was, sounding like he still cared—as much as he sounds.

"Caleb..." she whispered.

He swallowed. "I’ll update you. I promise. Just... stay safe."

Before she could respond, he ended the call. His hand trembled slightly as he pocketed the phone.

Nathan didn’t comment, but he noticed.

"You good?" he asked quietly.

He scoffed. "No. But let’s go."

Two cars were already waiting and security were behind them.

But first, the driver..Nathan jaw clenched at the thought, the driver was involved one way or another.

Interrogating the Driver’s Family

Five minutes later, they arrived at a small apartment complex. Nathan’s security had already secured the area, but Nathan wanted to question them himself.

The driver’s wife was crying on the couch, clutching her two children close. The kids were terrified; the youngest couldn’t stop sobbing.

The moment Nathan entered, the room atmosphere changed. His presence was overwhelming.

Caleb softened his tone first. "Mrs. Smith... we just need answers. We’re not here to hurt anyone."

Nathan didn’t sit, he just stood pacing slowly. He decided Caleb did the talking first because he didn’t know how long he could control his anger.

"Where is your husband?"

"I—I don’t know!" she cried. "He left for work this afternoon. He said he was picking someone up from the school. He never came home."

Nathan exchanged a glance with Caleb. Good—this matched the real events that actually took place.

"Did he call?" Nathan asked.

"No! His phone has been off since evening." She wiped her eyes. "My husband is not a bad man. He wouldn’t kidnap anyone. He wouldn’t—he wouldn’t do something like that."

One of the children started crying again.

Nathan knelt down to the child’s level—a rare softness breaking through him.

"Hey... do you remember anything? Did your daddy say anything before leaving?"

The boy sniffled. "Daddy said... he had new people to pick today."

"New people?" he repeated.

The boy nodded quickly. " He said the office said he should pick two people. But he didn’t tell Mommy."

Caleb’s eyes widened. "Two?"

Nathan’s heartbeat slammed in his ears.

Someone else had gotten into that car with Fiona.

Someone Fiona couldn’t suspect and someone she trusted.

Or—someone pretending to be from Nathan.

Nathan stood up abruptly. "We need the driver’s call records. His route logs. Everything."

The head of security nodded and rushed out.

Nathan didn’t say the name forming in his mind.

Natasha!!! Even if she never touched Fiona, someone helped her. Or someone wanted it to look like her.

Nathan looked toward the window, eyes burning with fury.

’Fiona’s out there, tied up, scared and waiting for me. And I—I let her down tonight! I fucking let her down’

Caleb gripped his shoulder as if reading his mind. "We’ll find her."

Nathan’s phone buzzed, he looked at the screen and it was Alex. He picked up instantly.

"Talk, what did you find?."

"Sir—the street cameras caught the car. We traced its route—but the area is a dead zone. No cameras inside."

"Send me everything."

"Yes sir."

"Send someone to the restaurant to retrieve it’s footage for the last 3 hours. I want a full lockdown Alex! When I say full lockdown," Nathan said,

"I mean EVERY CCTV in this city. Every route, every shadow. I want every vehicle that was near that restaurant tracked from thirty minutes before she arrived to thirty minutes after. I don’t care how long it takes."

He ended the call before Alex could answer. He didn’t need too.

Caleb opened the car door. "We’re wasting time."

He was right.

"Fiona... I’m coming for you." He said amidst gritted teeth.

They got into the car again, if he had to search the whole city tonight, he didn’t give a damn. All he knew was that he had to find her.