39 — Noah Foster
“So I'm close to somewhere else
But we're not going there
We'll sweep the forest floor
Looking for the worst one to use”
We were friends — Ellie Goulding
— Dude, it's going to pierce the floor like that.
— John, look what that shit Gael did. He tells me he has a lead, at least he thinks he does, he hangs up on me and doesn't answer the phone anymore. It's been twenty minutes! — I say, impatiently.
I just didn't go to Foster, because Adam stopped me, warning that the team had already positioned themselves to leave there.
— Hey, guys! Good?
I hear the asshole's voice and see him coming in with... a boy? Damn, you became a father and didn't tell me?
— No, you know better yes not good! Tell me, what did you discover? Besides, he adopted a child, apparently... — I raise an eyebrow. — Hi, I'm Noah — I introduce myself to the boy, who looks at me very intensely.
— Yes! — the boy celebrates. — I found you! Can you hear me now? Time, which we don't have, is passing — he says, worried.
— Time? — I ask, curious.
— Yes, Noah, I found this little one at the company. Tyler came to us at Nina's request. — Gael puts his hand on his shoulders. — And, before anything else, I fired Natália, I’ll explain it to you another time. — He looks at the boy and sighs, turning to me. — Let's go to his house, what he has to tell us is important and so we'll speed things up.
— Right. Let's go.
I knew I couldn't make him change his mind. We said goodbye to John, while J. and Adam informed the team of our departure. My eyes insist on watching the boy, there is something familiar about him, as if we have a connection, or it could be my delirium, since I haven't been able to sleep in the last few days.
The path was made in the most absolute silence between us. On several occasions, I created assumptions about Tyler, what he knew about my wife, how he got to the company and found Gael, in short, there were too many questions and none of them mattered at the moment.
Now, I'm in the office with the others, just waiting for Thomaz to arrive, so that we can plan the next step according to what the boy will tell us.
And this wait yes making me extremely nervous!
— Dad, wouldn’t it be a good idea to call the investigators too?
— No police, please! — Tyler responds, with latent fear on his face.
— Noah — Gael looks at me — we’ll see about that later.
—Son, he's right and, honestly, so far they haven't been very useful. — Jack signals. — Thomaz must be arriving.
— No, I'm here. Good afternoon — he greets us, after closing the office door. — Well, if it was just my presence that was missing, tell me what we discovered.
— Until now, nothing. This piece of shit, who I call a friend — I point to Gael — hasn't “allowed”, according to him, Tyler to tell us what he knows, yet.
— You can't call a friend shit, that's ugly — the boy scolds me, getting even closer to Gael.
Another defender!
— Sorry, buddy.
I have to remember that there is a child with us. He really seems very polite and regardless of what he has been through, we need to be an example. I know exactly how small actions can influence life.
— Tyler, don't you have anyone responsible? — my father questions.
— No sir. There was only my mother, but they murdered her a few months ago — the boy responds with a choked voice.
I see old Jack's gears working from here and, before he can continue his reasoning, Thomaz questions him.
— Well, you can tell us now. What do you know, what did you see or hear and how did you arrive at Noah and Gael's names? This is important so that we can draw up a plan without errors.
— Yes. I saw when they brought her to the shed, I hide there at night and sometimes during the day. I recognized two of them, they are the same ones who must have threatened my mother to help the other girl they caught and took to that same place. We lived close to there, even with little means I know my mother wouldn't help people like them, she always had a good heart.
Cum! This boy reminds me of my fucked up childhood! I will definitely think of some way to help you. If it's up to me, he won't have a bad fate. I can't imagine the emotional burden he carries, especially if he saw the damned people kill his mother.
— Here, have some water, little one. You can count on your time. I know it's not easy — I say, handing him a small bottle.
— The first time I managed to get close, she was a little dizzy, I think they drugged her with something, because the next day, they injected something in her arm and... I don't know... But, that day, she whispered something about the son. She's not well.
— We need to go now! We can't wait any longer — I get up.
—Noah, calm down. We need to let him tell us everything, or we'll shoot ourselves in the foot. Did you understand? — Kenny warns.
—He's right, son. We cannot play in the dark. Let him finish his story. Keep going, boy, please.
— Today, I heard them say they would take her to another place. When they left there, I went to her to give her the water I got and let go of one of her arms. So she gave me the company's address and said that you guys — indicates Gael and I — would help. And, there's one more thing, I left a box cutter with her in case she needed it.
Shit! My blue angel is suffering... I swear I will put an end to the race of the unfortunate man who dared to touch her!
I'm about to challenge their decision when the door is opened by Vic, followed by Sarah and Norah.
— Did they find my daughter? — my mother—in—law asks, with a ray of hope.
— Jack, I'm sorry, but I didn't think it was fair that she didn't know that there was a really concrete lead this time — Norah warns.
— Fine my love. Vic, Tyler is reporting back to us what he knows so far.
—Tyler? — she asks, confused, as her eyes fall on the boy. — So that's your name, I looked for you in front of the coffee shop and couldn't find you.
— Sorry, ma'am. The bad man was across the street and I ran, because he knows who I am.
— Do you already know each other? — I ask.
I realize that others don't understand what's going on here either.
How does my mother—in—law know this boy?
— Yes and no. We bumped into each other in front of the coffee shop a few hours ago, and I told him I would buy him a snack, but when I left, he wasn't there anymore.
I watch him carefully, a boy trying to be an adult and survive, but inside, he just needs love and care.
What an irony of fate, Noah Foster. Your childhood is knocking on your door again.
— Well, Victória, I'll give you a brief summary of what he's told us so far — Thomaz reports and, when he comments about the boy's mother and the warehouse, she puts her hand to her mouth in disbelief.
— I know where she is! I had the impression that I had seen you before, now I know. Your mother took care of me, a wonderful person.
— Victória, I don't remember him at his old house and I had the records of all the employees there. — Thomaz comments, confused.
— No. It wasn't there. His mother took care of me while I was in that damn captivity. That's where my daughter is!
Fucking hell! The unfortunate man used the same location, as he knew it would be too obvious and we wouldn't think to check there.
— I... — Tyler whispers.
— You can talk, friend. — Gael encourages him.
— You need to get there as soon as possible, I know I'm a child, but she's in a lot of danger.
— Right. Kenny and Aideen arrange the route, warn the others, and no police. We will do as before, on our own.
— Ok, boss — they respond in unison.
— Well, check everything. I'm going to take this young man to visit Iaiá and have a snack — Norah, informs.
— Thank you, but I need to go, I already managed to talk to you and I don't want to cause any discomfort.
— Tyler, you'll stay here as long as you want, and even my wife wouldn't like to know that her savior didn't wait for her — I tell him, conveying reassurance.
— I, I... I don't know. —he lowers his head, looking at his clothes.
I understand him, I felt the same way he did when Jack found me and wanted to take care of me, unfortunately over time we end up forgetting what it's like to be genuinely taken care of.
— Come with me. — I decided to accompany him. — Let's make the best lunch we can and you'll stay, at least, until we can sort out this mess. All good?
He nods silently and we head to the kitchen.
Something pulls me towards him, like a magnet. A protective instinct, which causes me a certain conflict. However, I am convinced that if it depends on me, he will never be in need again.