Neon Lights

03

Luna was missing.

It was the only explanation to the lack of her presence in this small flat. Sure, she could have forgotten to inform him and went out for something — but the chances for that was small to none. He knew her very well. She wasn't the type to tell him to come over with dinner but then wasn't home to greet him.

'The day I let you in my house when I'm not around is when this city no longer supports the Gulls. Yes, that means never.' She even had a smile on her face as she basically told Callisto that she didn't trust him with her belongings. He didn't take offence to that, it was just how they were at the end of the day and he knew that if she had really meant her words, he wouldn't even be stepping into her home.

The silence unsettled him.

With trembling fingers, he picked up the paper and stared at the lines creating the symbol. That man with neon green eyes was connected to this and it may not be a coincidence that Callisto had seen him. His mind raced with every negative thought that threatened to push his anxiety into levels of a panic attack. They ranged from her getting kidnapped and held at ransom to her being abducted by an underground group for whatever reasons.

Neither scenario led to a favourable outcome. Vivid images of her bloodied body on the floor with her gaze glassy and empty at the same time haunted his vision. He closed his eyes tight at that and forced himself to take in a deep breath.

If something happened to Luna, there was no way he would ever recover.

She was his only family left — the only one that truly mattered.

No, he had to find her.

Snapping open his eyes, he tightened his grip on the paper and grabbed his phone. While he still had some rational thought left, he dialled for the only person he could think of at times like these. Rave's name appeared on his call log. His android friend was part of the city's police team and the last time he had met with him, Rave had informed him that he was made Detective in the precinct. And he was the only person in this damned city he trusted the most.

Yet, when his friend picked up the phone, words failed him.

How would he even begin explaining this?

What if Rave thought he was overreacting and assured him that Luna would come home soon?

Because, that was what most people would say, wouldn't they? Luna was an adult and the chances of her missing would be lower than chances of her visiting a nearby grocer and was just taking her time to return home. They wouldn't take him seriously — Rave might not take him seriously.

"You gonna speak or what?" His friend's voice filtered through his phone with a tint of wariness in his tone.

"Rave," Callisto said, forcing at least the name out of his mouth even though his tongue refused to properly cooperate with him. "I need your help."

There was a momentary silence from the other side. "That's new," Rave said, clearing his throat after a second. "You don't usually start conversations that way."

"My..." He didn't have the mental capacity to process at the attempt of a joke. It wasn't the time either. Luna was missing — oh heavens, Luna was missing. His anxiety decided to kick up a notch and his breathing became shallower again. It was as if someone was tightening their grip in his heart and lungs, bringing uneasiness to settle in every corner of his body when he tried to suck in air. With eyes watering from the attempt of grasping some sense of rationality, he forced out the words between gritted teeth, "My sister's missing. Help me."

"Missing? What do you mean by missing?"

It was difficult to speak. Every word that formed at the tip of his tongue refused to fall out of his lips. Maybe admitting to them would mean that the nightmare he was experiencing would be reality and he didn't want that. But that was what it was — especially as he stared right at the paper in front of him. Almost mocking him for the fear he was harbouring.