Chapter 13: Gone

Liam's perspective:

I was feeling off all day, with a tinge of anxiety in my gut, much like how I get when the alarms alert us to an emergency. It's been there since this morning after my texts with Willow. I could feel it though we hadn't spoken, somehow I could just feel her unease through her messages. When I hadn't heard back from her by noon, I grew more concerned. She wasn't answering my calls or texts. I told my self maybe she's on the plain and turned off her phone. I was just getting out of my gear when my heart started racing at the sound of my ring tone. The voice was muffled through the ringing in my ears.

I felt like the walls of the locker room were caving in around me as panic set in. Toms voice barely registered till I heard Willows name and the ground became unstable beneath my feet.

Tom: She's gone.

Liam: What do you mean she's gone.

Tom: I'm on my way to you now, we'll talk more on the plane.

The line went dead and a cold silence fell over me as I sat on the bench staring blankly at my locker. Noah's voice was distant yet I could feel his hand on my shoulder.

Noah: Liam!

Liam's: She's gone

I mustard to say looking up at my best friend who's eyes flew open in shock.

Noah: What happened.

I shook my head not able to compute anything Tom had said over the phone other than she's gone.

Liam: I don't know, but I have to go.

Noah nodded and was about to say something when my phone rang.

Tom: I'm out side.

Liam: Coming.

I grab my hoodie and slam the locker door shut. Noah's hand squeezes my shoulder but I barely give him a glance as I walk out of the station in a fog and take a seat in the black SUV, where Tom waits in the back with his phone to his ear and a tablet open in front of him. Most of his conversation with who ever he was on the phone with was muffled like I was under water. I stared out the window as the vehicle got on the freeway heading towards Ontario. It wasn't until I saw the airport signs that I finally interrupted him.

Liam: Where are we going Tom. What the fuck happened.

Tom: New York. I'll tell you what I know in a minute.

He answered quickly, returning to the conversation with the person on the phone. Patience was something I had while battling a blaze or on the way to a call. But this. This was my Willow. I wasn't sure how much longer I could wait before he tells me what the fuck happened and why we were are going to New York. My fingers dug into the leather arm on the inside of the door as my every jaw muscle ticked and my leg shook uncontrollably.

Tom: Willow has become a much stronger, braver caring person since she's been with you. And trust me when I say she knows how to throw a punch.

Liam: What the fuck are you getting at Tom. Did he take her.

Tom: We don't know yet.

I look at him with murderous intent. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sucked in a deep breath.

Tom: She told Kevin she wasn't jogging this morning, but then Mick said she darted out of her room right at 6am. Said she was just going to run the stairs. He followed her to watch from the top and when he realized she wasn't coming back up he took off down the stairs and called Kevin. Mick lost her by the time he got down to the street. Kevin took off through Central taking the same path they had jogged the day before. He spotted her getting into a cab on the east side. But he was too far away.

His voice broke.

Liam: You mean to tell me she just left on her own.

Tom nodded.

Tom: Kevin found her phone a few minutes later and saw the reason.

He hands me his phone with a picture of Willow, and Kevin with I assume Kevin's brothers family.

Liam: I don't understand. Willow told me she was going to dinner with Kevin and his brother.

Tom reached over and swipes to the next image of the woman holding a baby in her living room.

Tom: This was taken this morning. We know he called her in between sending her these pictures. We are pretty certain he used Karl's family to trick Willow into going to him...

His breath is shaken as mine catches in my throat. My heart seized as my chest constricts. My fingers curl into fists until my knuckles are white.

Tom: We will find her Liam. She's a fighter.

His words do nothing for me as I fall into the depths of despair. I am at the mercy of a mad man.

Liam: I failed her.

I whisper to myself. Tom let's out a deep sigh but remains silent. I am thankful for his understanding of the state that I am, and leaves me alone for the remainder of the drive. Once in Eagle eyes private Jet he fills me in on the plan to first go to the hotel they were staying at to meet with the team assigned to watch over her. The team that just let her slip away.

Tom: I can only fathom a sliver of what you're going through but I need you to try and be patient and understanding with these guys.

I cut him a menacing look and he throws his hands up shaking his head.

Tom: I know how you get Liam, but you need to save it for that piece of shit! These are good guys, most of them vets like you. Just try for Willows sake!

I roll what he says off as I stare at a picture of Willow on my phone. One thing Tom is right about. She is a stronger person then before. I almost chuckle at the memory of a time we were play fighting and she let me have it with an elbow to the gut. The woman has a couple of natural lethal weapons.

When we finally land five hours later it is nearly 10 at night. The evidence of another blizzard is still on the ground as the winter chill blows right through me as we step off the plane. Luckily an SUV was already waiting. Some young blond military looking grunt gets out and opens the door. I slide in the already heated back seat realizing I wasn't at all prepared for this. Tom gets in the front passenger seat and reaches on the floor before tossing a bag back to me.

Tom: Had my guys get you some more appropriate attire to wear. This is Mick. Mick this is Liam. Willows husband.

I nod at the kid as he looks back through the review mirror and gestures the same.

Liam: Thanks.

I swap out my adidas for the warm winter trail boots and toss the thick army green goosed down winter coat over my small firemen's hoodie. Back at the hotel I follow the two of them down the long hall into a room where another blond, a twin of Mick and some big Jason Mamoa looking fucker stands over another guy typing away at a computer.

Tom: That's Micks twin Mike, the Big guy is Moa and the one at the computer is Benny. Guys this is Liam, Willows husband.

They all nod before Mike whips back around at the screen.

Mike: There!!

I try to peek over the bodies blocking the view and finally see what they're looking at. It's a cab driving through an intersection. I didn't see the big deal at first.

Mike: That was it. That was #3 the one she got into at the station.

The guy Benny rewinds the video and pauses on the cab then zooms in.

Benny: I need to find another angel.

I look over at Tom with question.

Tom: Come on. I'll take you across the hall to her room.

The second he opened the door I could smell her subtle mango shampoo. She wasn't big on perfumes but her shampoo always smelled so good. For a second I looked around expecting to see her.

Tom: Here.

Tom hands me the room key.

Tom: Why not try to get some shut eye. There's nothing we can do tonight.

Liam: You expect me to sleep, and what the fuck do you mean there's nothing we can do tonight. You know how this shit goes. The first 24 hours is the most critical. This guy has already made himself disappear once before. He's been living another guys life for the past year for god sleds. We can't...

My chest heaves heavy as I collapsed on the bed with my hands through my hair slamming my elbows onto my knees. Though still wearing the heavy winter coat my body trembles as a chill shoots through my spine rendering me completely helpless.

Tom: Liam.

There's a knock on the door as Tom was about to speak. I lift my self from the bed to stand at the window with my back turned to the mumbled voices. At the sound of Kevin's voice I wipe my moist eyes and turn slightly to watch as he enters the room behind Tom. For the first time since hearing those words "she's gone" I take notice of the lost look on Toms face, and the weight of the guilt in Kevin's blood shot eyes. Tom has always cared for Willow and I suppose due to Kevin being the age her father would have been, they've grown quite close since he became her personal body guard.

Normally my temper flaring jealousy would have me knocking one of them out already, but I find my self with no energy to fight either of them. Instead my conscious takes in their disheveled appearances and I become appreciative of the fact that they care for her as much as they do in there own way. I know they will do everything they possibly can to find her, and will make that son of a bitch pay with his life.

Kevin: I'm sorry I allowed this to happen. But! I swear to you. I will not rest until I find her.

He speaks like a concerned angry father as he approaches me cautiously. I have a lot of respect for this man. As a fellow brother of the service and a man of the law. Even though Firemen and Cops tend to have a bit of a rivalry. At the end of the day we are all men who put on a uniform to help others. I take his hand in a firm grip.

Liam: I know.

Tom: I'm going back across the hall, fill me

in on what you found out about the first taxi when your done here.

Kevin nods at Tom.

Liam: I want to know everything.

He pats my shoulder and walks past me to the other side of the table moving the curtain just a hair to look down at the street below. Letting out a huff he shakes his head and reaches into his jacket pocket. He hands me Willows phone, before taking a seat at the table between us.