Chapter 54
Usagi turned hesitantly, her eyes meeting Naru's familiar figure, and a hint of relief washed over her. "Usa? Is it you?" Naru asked gently, but Usagi was unable to respond. Instead, she fell into Naru's arms, sobbing under her protection. Naru was initially taken aback, but then she lovingly embraced Usagi and soothingly stroked her back.
"It will surely be okay. Come with me to our spot and calm down a bit. Have you eaten anything today?" Naru asked empathetically, leading Usagi to an improvised sleeping place near the burning barrels. The blonde shook her head, her emotions choking her appetite. She sat down beside Naru's little brother, who was already deeply asleep, pulled her legs close, and wrapped her arms around them.
Naru offered her a hard piece of bread. "Here, take it. You look like you need it. It's not much, but you know how it is." Usagi gratefully smiled at her but declined, "No, it's okay. Keep your supplies. You need them more. Besides, I have no appetite."
Naru noticed Usagi's longing gaze directed at the flames. She covered her brother once again, sitting silently beside Usagi. Conversations about the circumstances that led each of them here were rare, but Usagi used to be open about it. So, Naru tried again.
"Usa, may I ask what happened? When we last met, you seemed fine. I hope you don't consider me nosy now, but I just want to understand. I never expected to meet you here again."
Usagi lowered her gaze, and her eyes reflected the pain buried deep within her. A heavy sigh escaped her, and the events of the past hours flooded back into her consciousness. She remained silent for a while, unsure of how to respond or what steps to take. But one thing was clear to her: she couldn't go back to the tower, nor did she want to continue being a pawn for her father. Kenji would undoubtedly have the tower guarded, as well as Taiki's external office and most likely the harbor. Then an idea struck her.
"That's the problem; I hardly understand it myself. The events suddenly escalated. All I know is that I can't just go back," she finally revealed, her gaze still fixed on the fire. Naru silently accepted her answer, and they sat together in silence for a while. Suddenly, Usagi turned to her, and the thought from earlier had transformed into a plan.
Usagi's cold fingers clasped Naru's, and her gaze was pleading. "Naru, can I ask you for a favor?" The fear in her voice was unmistakable.
"Yes, of course. What is it?" Naru responded immediately.
"Can you go to the harbor for me tomorrow morning and deliver a message to Seiya Kou?"
"Is he your husband?" Naru inquired, looking at Usagi from the side.
Usagi closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. "No," she replied shortly, adding in her thoughts how much she wished it were true. Naru's eyes briefly lingered on the brunette boy behind her.
"Am I putting myself in danger by doing this?" Naru asked.
Usagi paused for a moment. She would have liked to say "no," but she wanted to be honest with her good acquaintance, who was currently her only hope of contacting Seiya. "I hope not. No one knows that we know each other... But it's possible that someone is watching Seiya," she broke off her explanation. Unconsciously, her hand drifted back to her lower abdomen, and she realized that she and her unborn children were even more valuable to him.
Naru's expression became serious, and she began to ponder Usagi's words deeply. Finally, she nodded. "Usa, I'll do it, but promise me that you'll keep an eye on him while I'm on the way... and... if something happens to me, take care of him," she whispered to Usagi, gently stroking her brother's back.
Usagi felt a lump in her throat and nodded silently.
Taiki and Seiya had already left with Yaten's men from the estate. The villa appeared deserted, Kenji had disappeared, and a heavy silence surrounded the abandoned property. Seiya grumbled discontentedly in the passenger seat of Taiki's car. He had reluctantly handed over his car keys to Haruka. Until the last moment, he had been convinced that he was still capable of searching for Usagi or at least driving himself. However, his brother and his best friend had outvoted him. So he conceded, with crossed arms, scrutinizing the passing surroundings.
"Any updates from Yaten?" he asked into the silence. His thoughts still revolved around Usagi, and he prayed that his brother had found her by now.
"Seiya, how should I know? I'm at the wheel. You have something in your leg, not your hand. Just check your phone. Yaten will get in touch if there's any news," Taiki muttered, in a sour mood. Tension gripped him, and the events of the past hours still churned within him.
"You passed by the hospital," Seiya remarked dryly, earning a sharp look from Taiki.
"Do you really think I'd take you with a gunshot wound to the hospital? How would you even explain that to them? ... Amy knows. A medical kit was delivered to my tower office," Taiki explained.
"Well, if she thinks she can handle it... She better hurry. I need to—"
"You need to do nothing except sit still for now. Leave the searching to Yaten; he'll find her. And I beg you, don't do anything impulsive. Prepare yourself for the fact that Father will show up soon. Knowing Kenji, he'll probably go to him," Taiki interrupted.
Seiya huffed and drummed his fingers against the door. The uncertainty tormented him, and the helplessness of not being able to do anything to find Usagi nearly drove him mad. But he knew Taiki wouldn't let him go. He glanced in the rearview mirror; Haruka was right behind them, and she would keep a watchful eye on him. She could smell trouble from ten meters away if he had something in mind. Searching again in the next few hours seemed hopeless for him.
Yaten relentlessly rushed forward, his steps echoing in the dark corridors as he directed his team in all directions. The urgency to find his sister-in-law drove him. The darkness of the cellar vaults surrounded him, and his heart pounded so loudly that he believed it could break the silence. He wasn't exactly sure what Kenji planned, but he knew all too well the danger emanating from him. They had clashed more than once, and Yaten was aware that he had no room for error.
When he finally reached the end of the winding corridors, and the cool night air hit his face, his senses sharpened. His mind raced as he quickly considered possible hiding spots in the vicinity. Over the radio, he had already dispatched small squads to the lake, where the other tunnel ended. A portion of his outdoor team was already combing through the forest. He didn't know exactly how many men Haruka had sent here, but he trusted that there were enough to scrutinize every hiding place, and there were quite a few. Yaten received a brief situation report over the radio and then continued running, the tension in the air palpable.
Yaten continued to chase into the darkness. His lungs burned with exertion, but giving up was not an option. Suddenly, the radio in his ear crackled, and he stopped abruptly. He had only caught fragments, but they were enough to grab his attention.
"Please repeat," he growled into the device.
"We have Rubeus; coordinates have been sent to you," answered a voice he recognized.
With sweaty fingers, Yaten pulled out his phone; the location was nearby. His heart raced with excitement and worry. The forest almost swallowed him as he followed the direction indicated by the coordinates. The sounds of the night merged with the rustling of leaves under his hurried steps. The tension heightened as he approached the destination.
Then he stopped abruptly as he perceived dark outlines. Yaten slowed his steps and approached cautiously. His lips curled slightly upward as he took in the scene. One of his men was kneeling on Rubeus' back, who was bound and resistant, pressed into the rustling foliage. Yaten's gaze fell on the disfigured face of the captive. He would have liked to strike again, but there was no time to waste, even though this arrogant guy deserved it.
Yaten squatted in front of Rubeus, seized him by the hair, and forcefully pulled his head back. His eyes sparkled with determination and anger. "Where is Serena?" he asked, his voice a dangerous whisper.
Rubeus laughed maliciously, blood traces on his face and bitter disdain in his eyes. "You'll never find out, Yaten. She's long gone to a place where you won't find her."
Yaten didn't relent. He held Rubeus' hair tighter, digging his fingers into the scalp. "You will tell me, or I swear your suffering here will be just the beginning," he uttered a threatening vow, the words echoing in the eerie silence of the night.
"If I tell you something, it will be the end for me anyway. So rot in hell, Kou," spat Rubeus defiantly.
Yaten released Rubeus' head and stood before him, arms crossed, studying his victim intently. He forcefully planted his boot on Rubeus' shoulder, which was evidently already wounded. Rubeus tried to suppress a scream, but Yaten heard how he sharply drew in air.
"Take him away. Since he's an associate of Kenji, we can't take him with us so easily. Tie him to a tree up front, and stay with him until we find Serena. Once we have her, we'll leave him to his own devices," Yaten commanded, not giving Rubeus any further attention.
He turned around, and suddenly he had a suspicion about where his sister-in-law might be. Not far from here was an abandoned hut. Instead of heading to the edge of the forest, Rubeus had run in that direction. Yaten's steps quickened, branches cracking under his feet, the atmosphere charged with tension.
Ignoring Rubeus without further attention, he turned around, and suddenly he had a hunch where his sister-in-law might be. Not far from here was an abandoned hut. Instead of heading to the edge of the forest, Rubeus had fled in that direction. Yaten's steps quickened, branches cracking under his feet, and the tension in the air reached its peak.
Yaten reached the hut; even from some distance, he saw a dimly lit window. His heart pounded loudly with excitement as he circled the hut in the dark. Light seeped through the cracks in the decaying wooden walls. His adrenaline surged as he radioed for reinforcements without hesitation.
Without hesitation, he kicked the door open, the noise echoing through the silence of the night. His gaze searched for Usagi, but instead of her, he found only the unconscious Mimete on the floor. He knelt beside Mimete, checking her vital signs, while his team surrounded the hut.
Reinforcements, eight men strong, arrived, and Yaten gave brief instructions. They searched the hut and the surrounding area. Among Usagi's personal belongings, including her bag and phone, they found no trace of her. The tension in the group grew with every passing minute.
Yaten frustratedly slammed his hands on the table. "Where the hell could she be?" he muttered to himself, addressing the others. Then an idea struck him.
"You wait here until this witch wakes up. Maybe she'll be more talkative than Rubeus. Keep searching. She must be somewhere," he shouted to one of his men and turned away. At the door, he paused briefly, casting a glance at the men and Mimete.
"I'll check another option. If anything happens, I'll be in the basement," he informed his team.
In record time, he ran back to his car. As soon as he sat behind the wheel, he heard knocking and loud screams from the trunk, bringing a wide grin to his face. Tellu was awake and well-informed, not as strong-willed as Rubeus. Yaten turned up the music and shifted gears, determined to get answers tonight.
As he drove on the highway, his phone started ringing. Seiya. He answered the call via the hands-free system.
"Yaten, is there any news? Have you found her?" came the concerned voice of his brother.
"No, I'm on it, Seiya. I'll update you," he said, annoyed, ending the call. Mentally preparing to extract Tellu's secrets, he drove forward.