Chapter Twenty
· Voight's P.O.V*
Several hours elapsed without any indication of Erin and Soifon's whereabouts. Voight restlessly walked back and forth in the office, contemplating the potential consequences. With his phone in hand, he made numerous attempts to reach both Erin and Soifon, only to be greeted by their voicemail each time. Gazing out of the window, he observed the rest of his team engaging in a conversation with Antonio concerning the unexplained disappearance of Erin and Soifon.
Voight shook his head while contemplating whether he should attempt one final call to Erin, fully aware that it would only result in reaching her voicemail. He let out a sigh before departing from his office. 'Antonio and Jay, let us proceed to Erin's apartment to ascertain their whereabouts or investigate any potential incidents,' Voight declared. Both men acknowledged his instructions and trailed behind Voight, leaving the bullpen after instructing Al, Ashley, and Adam to visit Soifon's apartment while they proceeded to Erin's.
It took Voight, Antonio, and Jay less than ten minutes to arrive at Erin's apartment. 'I have a negative premonition,' Voight expressed his concern while leading the way to the third floor, where Erin's apartment was situated. He effortlessly unlocked the door using a key, disregarding Jay's comment about Voight possessing a key to Erin's apartment, similar to how Erin acquired a key to Voight's house.
Upon entering the room, the men discovered an upturned end table. Voight squinted his eyes and instructed, 'Please thoroughly search the area and report any findings. It is crucial to locate Erin and Soifon as there are no other ongoing cases at the moment.' Moving down the hallway, he cautioned, 'Furthermore, ensure that the federal authorities are not informed about this situation. Disclosing this information would lead to removal of my team, a consequence that I am determined to avoid.'
Voight approached the toppled end table while Jay and Antonio inspected the kitchen and other rooms. He stooped down towards the couch in order to search for any signs of blood or evidence, but he did not find anything. However, he deduced that a struggle had likely taken place, considering the presence of the fallen end table.
Voight released a weary sigh, having spent over an hour searching for any clues. He was just about to investigate the door handle to determine how the intruders had gained entry when Jay's voice interrupted him. 'Voight, we have found a few cameras,' the younger man informed him, emerging from Erin's bedroom with a camera in hand. Jay speculated, 'It appears that whoever kidnapped Erin and Soifon had been monitoring them for weeks.' Voight inspected the camera as Jay spoke.
"Please search the surroundings as there may be additional cameras. I will contact Al to inquire about any findings at Soifon's apartment," stated Voight before departing, leaving Jay and Antonio to continue their search for any additional cameras.
Upon leaving the apartment, Voight proceeded to contact Al, who promptly answered the call by saying, 'Yes?' Voight then enquired whether any evidence, such as cameras, had been discovered at Soifon's residence, to which Al affirmed, confirming the presence of such items. 'Very well,' replied Voight, instructing further investigation while arranging to reconvene at the headquarters. After concluding the conversation with Al, Voight re-entered Erin's apartment.
Upon Voight's arrival, he observed Antonio and Jay holding several cameras in their hands. "Might I inquire as to who would have placed cameras in Erin and Soifon's apartment?" Jay queried, directing his gaze towards Voight and Antonio in search of answers. "We shall elucidate upon our return to Headquarters, as Antonio and I are cognizant of the likely culprit," Voight replied before promptly leaving the premises, with the others trailing behind.
· Erin's P.O.V*
Erin was abruptly awakened when a loud screaming sound emanated from the hallway. The identity of the person making the disturbing noise remained unknown. Erin wondered if it could be Soifon. The cause of Ace's actions towards her, resulting in the intense screams of the raven-haired woman, puzzled Erin.
Despite the pain and cold she felt while attempting to free herself from the restraints, Erin heard her beloved screaming louder than she had ever heard Soifon scream before.
"Please hold on, Soifon. I will find a way to liberate us soon. Stay strong, my little Bee," Erin whispered, aware that her words couldn't reach her lover.
"Darling, please try to remain strong. I promise we will escape from this situation," Erin murmured. A few tears escaped from her eyes as she listened to the agonizing cries of her lover.
She silently vowed that Ace and Jack would face severe consequences once Voight had them in his grasp. They would regret ever crossing paths with Soifon and her.
Erin gazed at the ceiling in an attempt to drown out Soifon's gradually diminishing cries, causing her to grow anxious about the outcome. She uttered a whispered plea, 'Please be alright.'
Erin turned her gaze towards the door as it swung open once more, revealing Jack's entrance into the room with a smirk adorning his face. Jack proceeded to approach the bed where Erin lay, lowering his head to her face.
In response, Erin spat at him, expressing her concern for the well-being of her lover by stating her hope that Ace had not caused her any harm. This act of defiance was accompanied by a display of her intense hatred towards the blond, evident in her blazing green eyes.
Moving his head away, Jack wiped his face with a sneer. 'Don't worry about that,' he said as he backhanded her across the face before he sat down on the bed. 'What do you want now?' Erin hissed, scooting away from him, only to have his hand grip onto her bare thigh to prevent her from moving away.
'You should know by now, like I said before, the only way to hurt Soifon is to hurt you. The best way, I think, is to break her,' he said. Before Erin could speak, he slipped his belt off his pants and wrapped it around Erin's throat, a smirk on his face.
"Please behave and maintain silence, acting as a well-mannered companion." Jack stated while tightening the belt around her neck. "Any noise or resistance will result in the belt being further tightened, however, if you comply, it will be loosened." He added, removing his pants. Before Erin could finish her sentence, the belt abruptly tightened around her neck, cutting off her words. "What did I instruct you, my pet?" Jack growled.
Erin could only give him a disapproving look as he resumed his actions. Each time she resisted, the belt would constrict, causing Erin to emit a hissing sound. 'If you persist in resisting, you will quickly run out of breath before I even finish with you,' remarked Jack with a smirk as he forcefully entered her. Erin bit her lip, asking, 'And what will you tell Ace?' Ignoring her, the blond individual rolled off her, only to be met with a kick to the groin, causing him to fall back in agony.
Upon regaining his composure, Jack stood up and loosened the belt from Erin's neck. He sternly declared, 'You will face the consequences for your actions.' With force, he struck Erin's bare skin, leaving a prominent red mark on her stomach.
Erin quietly endured the pain as he struck her again, remarking, 'This is punishment for your disobedience.' After one final strike, Jack reattached the belt to his pants, warning Erin, 'I will be checking on you tomorrow, and you had better learn to behave.' Without another word, Jack exited the room, causing the door to slam shut behind him.
Erin rested her head upon the pillow, closing her eyes in an attempt to alleviate the anguish coursing through her body. Despite her longing for a prompt resolution, she acknowledged the futility of such hope as long as their means of escape remained elusive.
· Voight's P.O.V*
Back at the headquarters, Voight addressed Jay, Adam, Atwater, Mouse, Al, and Ashley, elaborating on the information that both him and Antonio were aware of regarding the recent events and the duration of their knowledge. Voight clarified, 'We had no knowledge of Ace's imminent attack, as he hasn't posed any threats towards Soifon in the past few weeks.'
Jay inquired, his arms firmly crossed over his chest, "Pray tell, who is this individual that elicits such repugnance? Furthermore, should this person's primary interest lie in pursuing Soifon, what motive could possibly drive him to involve Erin as well?" His demand was accompanied by narrowed blue eyes, while Voight, with a shake of his head, responded, "I have already elucidated the matter, Halstead. As I previously mentioned, Erin became ensnared in this predicament due to her knowledge of the deceitful game Ace was playing on Soifon." Voight's gaze encompassed the entire group as he concluded his explanation.
Antonio expressed, "Does it hold significance at this moment? The sole priority is retrieving them, and we are prepared to conduct further investigation if necessary. Initially, we can thoroughly examine all of Ace's activities and connections." Leaning against the wall, Antonio awaited a response, while Voight, acknowledging the rest of the team, instructed, "Commence your tasks and promptly inform Antonio and me of any discoveries." Voight proceeded towards his office to commence his investigation.