Chapter 68: Trackers

Chapter 68: Trackers "Aunt Gianna, don’t you think it’s weird that Mom isn’t back by this time?" Kathleen questioned, looking at the large living room clock. Beside her, on the sofa, was Nathaniel and Kendra. Their hands were clasped on their thighs. They were like sitting ducks. Worried sitting ducks. Gianna, who was sitting on the opposite sofa, sighed, and looked at the clock again. It was almost seven p.m. She was beginning to get worried too. What was holding her friend up? She refused to think that the event of last year was repeating itself again. Surely, it wasn’t possible. She thought. She didn’t think her heart would be able to bear it. Athena was the only family she had left, her and the twins. Just then, her phone rang. It was Aiden. "Hello, Aiden..." "Gianna, have you been able to reach Athena since two hours ago? I’ve been waiting for her reply to a certain message, but she’s not available online. I’ve tried calling, but her phone is switched off. I can’t track it either." Gianna’s hands started shaking. "I’ve been unable to reach her too." A pause. "Do you think something has happened to her? She hasn’t returned to the house since she left for the mall three hours ago. Surely, getting children’s cereals shouldn’t take much time. Or did she branch somewhere else?" A significant pause on the other side spelt doom to Gianna. "Aiden... you... are not saying ..anything. Is Athena okay?" The twins exchanged anxious glances, and nodded. Immediately, they stood up from the sofa, and walked toward their bedroom, with Kendra in tow. As they moved, Nathaniel turned and gave Gianna a wink, after darting a glance at Kendra. Gianna widened her eyes, then calmed down, then nodded in understanding, just as Aiden spoke: "I’m coming. Sit tight with the children." As soon as the call ended, Gianna hurried into her room. Opening her drawer, she took out the bottle of sleeping pills she uses, on nights when she shouldn’t sleep. She took a pill, broke it into two, and hurried out of the room with the half pill. In the kitchen, she brought down three glasses and a tray from the cupboard, retrieved a juice can from the refrigerator and filled the glasses with the orange liquid. In the third glass however, which she kept slightly separated from the others, she put in the pill that had been crushed earlier. Then she carried the tray and headed to the children’s room. When she stepped into the room, the children were playing Leggo. Kathleen saw her first. The little girl shouted in joy, and hurried over to her. Before she took a glass however, she exchanged a perceptible glance with Gianna, who gestured with a shake of her head at the one to take for herself. Kathleen downed the one that was hers, took the drugged one and handed it over to Kendra. The unsuspecting kid drank the juice, just as Nathaniel sipped his. Five minutes later, she passed out cold. Gianna carried her to the bed. The twins apologized profusely to their friend, as they watched Gianna tuck her into the bed. "How long will she sleep?" Nathaniel asked, holding his sister’s hand. "A couple of hours. Hopefully, the matter will be resolved before then. Did you regret it?" Nathaniel shook his head. "It had to be done. We have to save our mother." Gianna nodded, and left the room first. "Which laptop should we use?" Kathleen asked, as she opened their cabinets. "Mine. It’s faster." Kathleen nodded, retrieved the laptop, and sauntered out of the room with her brother, meeting Gianna in the living room. "What did Uncle Aiden say?" She asked, as she sat close to Gianna. Gianna opened her mouth and shut it. Then she settled on saying, "I’m not sure. He’ll be here soon." Right then, the doorbell rang. Gianna ran and opened the door, heaving harshly when she saw Aiden. She dragged him by the arm, into the apartment, and shut the door. "You have to find my friend!" "Calm down, Gianna." He looked at the twins. "Any way to trace her phone?" Nathaniel shook his head. "Mom is quite protective of her phone. But luckily, we gave her a trackable watch last week." Aiden sighed in relief, calming his racing heart. "Track it then." The adults hurried over to the sofa where the children sat with the laptop on their laps. But Kathleen shooed them away. "Nathaniel doesn’t like to be crowded when he works..." Aiden and Gianna dutifully obeyed. Meanwhile, Kathleen and Nathaniel worked hand in hand to locate the watch, whistling when they found a location. "Do you know this area? It seems like an abandoned warehouse?" Aiden hurried over, and peered at the screen. "I think so, we can follow the coordinates. But if it is the gang, we need backup." He looked at the twins, who were staring at him curiously. "Mine is far off. They can’t get here on time. Do you have any ideas? The gang doesn’t work alone. We just have to be on the safe side, in case they are the kidnappers." Gianna furrowed her eyebrows, not understanding why Aiden was asking the twins that sort of question. What did they know about backups? Meanwhile, Kathleen nodded her head. "What about Mr Ewan, and Uncle Zane? They are mom’s friends. Surely, they can help." Aiden and Gianna exchanged glances. "No, don’t call Mr Ewan, I don’t think he will help." Nathaniel huffed. "Aunt Gianna, call Uncle Zane..." Gianna fidgeted. Call Zane? He won’t pick her calls! But seeing as she was the middleman, with both contacts, she had to try. She had to save her friend. So, she inhaled deeply, scrolled through her contacts, unblocked Zane’s contact and called him. It rang and went into voicemail. She called three more times, but there was no answer. Kathleen looked at her brother. "We have to call Mr. Ewan..." Nathaniel sighed, and waved at Gianna, finally agreeing. Gianna quickly called Ewan. Immediately he picked the call. "Hello, who am I speaking with?" Gianna halted at the question she thought strange, before remembering that she only had Ewan’s contact because she had saved it from a website just for emergencies. "It’s Gianna, Athena’s friend." A pregnant pause. "Gianna, is there a problem?" "Yes. We think Athena has been kidnapped. We need your help."