15. Chapter 15
Chapter fifteen
Alex
Alex paced back and forth as the private elevator at PGC made its way up the building. With each passing floor, his feelings of dread increased. What the fuck was happening?
Ryo had called the emergency security meeting, but had refused to share any information when Galen had called seeking further details. He felt like every time he entered PGC, something ominous would happen. Alex and Galen exited the elevator and walked down the hall to the conference room. As they arrived, they were met by Ryo and all the other board members sitting around the table.
“Thank you for coming in on short notice in the middle of the night,” said Ryo.
“Call me paranoid, but my mind tends to run amok when I get called in for an emergency meeting. Can you put me out of my misery?” said Alex.
Ryo nodded and insisted all the information shared in the room wasn’t to leave the building. “I’ve called this emergency briefing to discuss events that occurred today at 2:20 a.m. EST––events that involved Danyal Sarif.”
Alex sat forward in his chair, immediately concerned. “You’re scaring me, Ryo. Where’s Danyal?”
Ryo explained that at 2:30 a.m., PGC received notification from Danyal’s plainclothes security detail of a potential hostage event. The security detail had observed five men in military gear and assault weapons breaking into Excalibur Café. The security detail engaged and returned fire with the unknown assailants but was injured, preventing him from any pursuit. Before backup from Boston PD arrived, the assailants had fled with a hostage.
Upon entering the scene, the police found Danyal was the only employee missing, and several other employees were rushed for emergency care due to exposure to an unknown toxic gas. As of now, they didn’t know Danyal’s whereabouts. Ryo added that the only evidence they could recover from the scene was Danyal’s phone. He placed it on the table as Alex’s heart sank into his stomach. He closed his eyes as his breathing became fast and shallow. His head began to pound like a jackhammer. He couldn’t focus as his vision blurred. His hands tingled as the room began to spin, before letting out a primal scream of “NO!” All the items on the conference table flew across the room and crashed against the wall, barely missing several board members’ heads. Hoko moved quickly as he sat beside Alex and touched his shoulder.
“Alex, it’s Hoko. Listen to my voice. Come back to the moment. You’re safe in the boardroom. Focus on your breathing, breathing slowly in and out. Take deep breaths. You can do this. You have the power, and you’re in full control.”
Alex slowly brought his breathing under control.
“That’s it,” said Hoko, “I’m proud of you.”
Galen placed his hand on Alex’s other shoulder in support.
Alex opened his eyes and said in a weak, wavering voice, “How do we find Danyal?”
Ryo explained the PGC forensic staff would examine the café before Boston PD contaminated the scene. Then, they’d need to eliminate known terrorist groups in the area as suspects.
“Terrorists?” said Alex, as the fear in his heart made it feel like it would burst.
Ryo nodded and added Ms. Dea had powerful enemies that needed to be individually eliminated as suspects.
Alex’s heart skipped several beats as he remembered Ditta’s warning: “Beware of the Sons of Enyaluis.”
“What did you say, sir?” asked Ryo.
“Ditta warned me the night she vanished. She said, ‘Thanatos doesn’t get his hands dirty. Beware the Sons of Enyaluis.’”
Ryo agreed it may be their only lead in the case, and he would have the counterterrorism group working on it immediately. He then insisted that Alex stay at the penthouse for safety.
Alex shook his head no. “I’ll go back to my apartment in case Danyal returns home.”
“Please, sir, that’s a bad idea,” pleaded Ryo.
“You can’t stop me. I’m leaving.”
Ryo stated he would assign additional security to Alex’s apartment building. Alex nodded in agreement before asking to take Danyal’s phone with him. Ryo slid the phone across the table to Alex. Despite offers of assistance from Hoko and Dr. Sonja, Alex asserted that he wanted to be alone, before asking Galen to get him as far away from fucking PGC as possible.
Galen nodded.
The ride down to the security entrance was as quiet as a graveyard. Alex looked as if the life had been sucked out of his body. His face was pale, and he slumped forward like an empty shell of a man. Galen’s face showed obvious concern for Alex’s well-being, but he didn’t violate Alex’s request for space.
Upon entering the backseat of the Uros, Alex was alone; he could no longer hold his emotions in check. He wept uncontrollably with his face in his hands, holding Danyal’s phone for the remainder of the drive, before pulling himself together upon arriving home.
Exiting the elevator, he entered his apartment and slammed the door behind him. His world was on fire, and the flames threatened to consume him.