Chapter 8

At Kennedy Airport, at the same time, Amanda arrived in the squad of Frank Novak's team, accompanied by two police officers. The young woman had immediately accepted as soon as she was asked to identify one of her neighbor's potential abductors. The blonde entered the intimidating plane. Immediately all eyes turned on her. Franck came to talk to her for a few minutes and then brought him to see Tasha's family to make the presentations.

"I present Amanda Perkins the neighbor of Natasha. She was the one who informed the police right after the abduction of Zapata. She came to help us confirm the identity of the men responsible for her disappearance."
"Hello, miss, thank you for coming and thank you for calling the police. You gave us precious time," Rosa thanked, shaking her hand. She was aware that the more time went by and the more her little girl was suffering or risking dying and that terrified her, she kept her head up for her family.
"Please call me Amanda and you don't have to thank me. I did what I had to do. I sincerely hope that everything will be fine for Tasha she is a wonderful person and she doesn't deserve that."
"If you want after the identification you could stay with us while we have more news," She continued aware that the two young women were surely very close.
"I would very much like. To be honest, I began to circle alone in my apartment."
"We are all worried. Let's be totally useless together," The younger brother came out sarcastically
"Luke!" His brother and sister-in-law became angry.
"It's okay, sarcasm never hurt anyone. I totally understand that you are all on the nerves, impotence is the worst feelings in the world," The understanding blonde conceded. She had known this feeling during her assault, and it was probably the worst. So, she understood very well that not being able to protect a loved one in danger of death was more than disturbing and very frustrating. The brunet looked at her interlocutor surprised by this answer and smiled weakly.
"I'm sorry I did not want to be mean it's just that ..."
"It's good I get it, sincerely."

The student thanked the rest of the family and then Bishop took her to a separate room for identification. They were all almost sure that Ramon Zapata was responsible for the kidnapping of his daughter only, they didn't want to take any chances. They did a job where doubt was not allowed especially with the number of enemies that the Hispanic had made over time.

To carry out the operation James had made several series of photographs where there were perfect strangers, some people Tasha had arrested and who were likely to want revenge, her father but also some of his ex-cellmates. Indeed, the kidnappers were two in number and identifying the second agents would have a better chance of locating their missing.

A good ten minutes later the computer scientist, John, and Amanda returned to the open space and the leader meets everyone.

"We have the identity of our two kidnappers. Your fears were real your father sponsored this kidnapping. The second man was identified as Eduardo Flores. He was one of the fellow inmates with whom your father was most seen. He is rather young, but he has a long locker. James, you search their internet history and their account statements. Removing an agent from the CIA doesn't happen like that they had to leave tracks. Kennedy, you research all the people they have in common who could have helped them or know where they are. Bishop and Kick you will interview the prison staff and their reintegration counselors to see if they have noticed anything. As for you, will it be possible for you to draw up a list of the places where Tasha has gone since their liberation? They had to follow her before the kidnapping ..."
"If we find them on surveillance cameras, we should be able to trace their route. Of course, we make this list right away. Rich and I are going to do the research," Patterson finished, perfectly following the logic established by the oldest agent.
"We should try to contact Keaton to see if he knows anything?" Jane suggested.
"Who is this Keaton?" Luke and Javier asked.
"Her chief to the CIA. You can try but the CIA will never take part in the search they have a very clear policy regarding their agents," Weller explained.
"Do you mean to say that her own employers would not help us even if they could," The youngest of the brothers said.
"It's complicated but unfortunately yes. But I didn't want to ask him as a supervisor but as a service. Behind his cold airs, he holds to his agents. In addition, he trained Tash' and I know they are friends. In any case, what is closest to it and if we consider that Jack Keaton can be close to anyone. Well, I think if he can help us, he'll do it. Moreover, if I ask him, he will not tell me no. He owes us that," The young tattooed said resolutely. She was ready to do anything to find her best friend, including putting pressure on the deputy director of the CIA.
"Listen if you think you can convince him to go" Reade approved extremely worried. He was not a big fan of her friend's boss, only he knew that Jane was right. If he had a way, even indirectly, to help Zapata he would."

They were all ready to perform the assigned tasks when the cell phones of Javier, Luke and Karen began to sound strident and unusually.

"What was that?" The young woman asked worriedly. This sound didn't sound like any of their ringtones. Carefully they all took their phones.
"I just received an email. The address is very strange and the only thing it contains is a video," The older Zapata brothers said, looking at the agents.
"Same," his wife and brother exclaimed.
"You think it could come from your father?" Patterson questioned, imagining back on the trail of the email or analyzing the metadata of the video.
"It's quite his style."
"Very well in this case you no longer should touch your phone. James will analyze them to see if the mail does not contain a virus. Then we will download the video to an external server to be able to watch it," Franck explained while his agent retrieved the evidence. He went immediately to execute the order that his boss had just given.
"In your opinion, what's on this video?" Amanda asked anxiously.
"Sincerely we have no way of knowing it. If you want my opinion, I think you should not be there during the viewing. We don't know what we are going to find, and it can be quite stressful," John suggested to the family.
"Agent Bishop is right, it's better not to see that," Kurt agreed.
"To be precise agent Weller I was also addressing to your team."
"With all the respect I owe you we are also on this case. We're not going to retire like that," Edgar started upset.
"I completely understand your anger, but Bishop is right. Tasha is your friend and god only knows the horror of what we will find on this video so unless it is necessary, I do not think you should see that. At least not until we know what we're dealing with," Franck explained calmly. He understood the annoyance of this team only in view of the profile of their kidnapper they had to expect everything. Nothing could guarantee that this email didn't contain images of torture, rape or even those of a dead body. The officer felt that no one should see anyone he likes to suffer such atrocities. He preferred, therefore, to watch the video before showing it to anyone to gather as much information as possible and avoid inflicting another test on a family that had already suffered so much. Reade and Weller prepared to reply but were quickly interrupted by their teammates.
"They are right. I can't see Tash' going through all of these atrocities unless it is really necessary," The blonde began.
"In addition, she would hate us to see her weak and diminished. She is like that," Her colleague adds.

The two agents looked at their female colleagues and then nodded. Bishop, Franck, Kick, and James went to watch the video for the first time. Half an hour later they returned to see the team rather shaken.
"So, what happens?" Kurt asked immediately.
"She is alive but to be honest it's pretty ugly," The consultant admitted.
"It's true, but you must not lose hope. She is conscious and visibly alert which is a good sign. Tasha knew that we were filming her. She spoke to you," The computer scientist continued.
"Like a goodbye?" Her grandmother asked.
"No, it is impossible, she would not give up. It's not her style to give up. Tash' is a fighter," Javier began.
"In appearance, they are goodbye messages but as you said it's not her type. The words seem to be chosen and the sequence of ideas is not always coherent."
"It is necessary to see this video. I hate that too but now we have no choice. If she left us a message, we are the only ones who can decipher it," The deputy director began.
"How bad is it?" The future lawyer asked worried in view of the expression that stood investigators.
"She is holding up but as I said it's not nice to see," Kick replied.

All the relatives of the young woman looked at each other hesitantly. After a few seconds, Rosa agreed. She knew that watching this recording would be very hard and that her granddaughter would hate the fact that her team saw her in such a position only it was the only track they had to find her. Besides, she could have left a message to any of them. They all stood in front of a control screen and a technician started the video.

Tasha appeared immediately on the screen. She seemed exhausted, exhausted to the point that she struggled to stay upright. The pretty brunette was sweating, out of breath and on the edge of fainting. She was trying to stay strong but there she was suffering the martyr it was obvious. For about ten minutes they watched her being hit, receiving strong electric current and getting barbiturates and amphetamines injected to weaken her heart while allowing her to stay awake. They listened to the conversation between Zapata and her father, but they saw nothing but insults and hatreds. At one point and to everyone's surprise the brunette laughed.
"What? What do you find funny dirty bitch?"
"You really believe that you will succeed to get from me what you want in this way? I never obeyed you when I was a child so if you think I'm going to start today it's not only that you're a monster, you're really a moron."
"Oh, but I don't want anything from you. You don't have to obey or do anything. I'm here for revenge and when I'm done with you, you'll beg me to kill you."
"I don't think so. We both know my limits and I know very well that you are no longer able. I do not excite you anymore right dad. At the same time, I'm not ten years old anymore. Nothing you can do will break me more than you already did, so you can go fuck yourself. I'd rather stick a bullet in my head than give you that pleasure."
"Who say to you that I will not let one of my men take care of you? After all, I have heard them discuss and for some reason, they find you very attractive."
"You could but something tells me you will not do it. You hate when someone else takes control. You are way too obsessive. In addition, you have no esteem for these men. They are like Javier, Luke and me at the time: replaceable, toys that you only use when you need them. To give them this pleasure would make them too uncontrollable for you."

Knowing she was right; he began to hit her again. Her friends were watching her being brutalized with rare violence. They would have given everything to stop this horror. Reade knew he was going to fall apart. To see her like that, so weak physically but so strong was the hardest thing he ever did. Tasha always had that wonderful inner strength and Edgar always wondered where it came from. He always wondered how a person could be so brave, loyal, honest while caring for the well-being of others before her own? He thought that she had become used to this kind of violence in the past and such a thought made him shiver. The idea that he could lose her cut his breath. Nobody should have to suffer that. He was about to crack because it broke his heart to see the most important person in his life in such a state only, he kept looking. He had to be strong, exploring all the tracks because she was still alive, and he would do everything bring her back to his side.

"Honey, say goodbye to your brothers and your dear friends of the FBI. Unfortunately, you will not have the chance to see them again," Ramon said pointing the camera. Zapata looked up and stared at the device. She took a few seconds to speak.
"I have no idea of who will watch this video, but I want you to know that I am sincerely sorry for all this mess. I love you all and even if you can't find me in time everything will be okay. Boys don't blame yourself and keep living your life because I promise I will come back to haunt you if you don't. Tell the kids that I really love them. Grandma without you we would not have a second chance so thank you. Thanks to you I am happy. For the team, I know that you will be shocked by what you learned but you must know that I never pretended with you. Whatever happens, you are my family and all I want is you to be happy. I know you will feel guilty but I'm sure that if you hadn't found me it's because no one could. Patterson if I don't come back, do what we told before your accident in the lab and please don't worry. We stop human traffickers with a heart-shaped necklace so I will find a way out," The brunette declared moved. Only a few seconds after the end of her tirade the video stopped, and the screen froze on a Tasha covered with blood and sweat. It was hard to tell if what she said was the truth or if there was a message hidden behind her words. Agent Novak's team, standing back, watched as Rosa stepped out of the room. She was quickly followed by the rest of her family and Amanda. Jane had taken refuge in her husband's arms to find comfort and Rich had an arm around the shoulder of her colleague computer scientist to give her some support. He was not close to the young Hispanic, but what he had just seen moved him. Edgar, meanwhile, was staring at the screen. It all seemed so awful and unreal. Seconds later, the deputy director hurried out of the plane. He needed air. He couldn't breathe.

Franck, Kick, Bishop, and James looked worried. They were beginning to doubt their ability to find the young woman alive and they all knew that even if they got there, after going through such a hell, nothing would ever be the same again.