My Brothers Best Friend

11

*Luca*

Things often don't go as planned.

Somehow it hurts, but you have to keep going.

Fortunately, I can easily get over it.

"I am very good at revenge plans.

Now you will have to do as I say.

Otherwise you will not see her again.

"Damn, that fucking Dylan is behind this!" I clenched my fists and hit the wall hard. The photo frames on the wall vibrate and one even falls to the floor. Jason stares straight ahead, the letter still in his hands. I put my hand on his shoulder encouragingly.

"We'll find her, mate." Jason nods and walks to the couch.

"We go." I say to Adam. Adam doesn't hesitate for a moment and runs to his room to put on his clothes. Within two minutes he comes out of his room and I grab the car keys from the table.

"Jason, we're going now and we expect to be back." Adam says to Jason, who is now with his hands in his hair. Jason, still shocked, doesn't respond. Adam and I walk to the door and I glance back. Jason is really through. We can't get behind him like this later.

"Send Jasper and Max a message." I say to Adam who comes to sit next to me in the car. "They need to keep Jason busy until they get back." Adam nods and I start the car. We race onto the road with squeaky tires.

"So, what's the plan?" Adam asks me.

"What do you mean?"

"Uhmm, we can't just barge into Dylan's house in the middle of the night." Adam says knowingly. I shrug. I really don't care. As long as Piper gets home safely. In my arms.

Dylan's house is not very far from our apartment. I park the car in front of his house and get out. I walk to the front door and ring the bell. Adam hesitates for a moment, but then decides to get out of the car.

"Did you ring the bell yet?" He asks. I nod and ring the bell again. No sound.

"This just makes him more suspicious." I whisper to Adam. Now he rings the bell. Nothing again.

"Then let's knock on the window." I start banging my fists against the glass.

"Calm down! The glass will soon break." shouts Adam. I look at the second floor, where a light is now turned on. I walk to the front door again and stand next to Adam. The front door opens slightly and Dylan's head appears in the crack. When he sees us, he tries to slam the door shut, but my foot is already in it.

"So. Where are you holding her, Dylan." I say in an irritated tone. Dylan scratches his hair.

"I don't know what you're talking about." he says, yawning. I don't feel like listening to his bullshit so I walk through the house and open every door and closet.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Dylan yells after me. "I'm not doing this at your house either!"

"Just tell us where she is!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" I hit him in the stomach again. Adam lets go of hell and he falls face down on the floor. I pull him up by his hair until I can look into his eyes.

"You'd better tell me now or I'll search this whole drug practice of yours!" Dylan's eyes widen. Apparently I hit a nerve.

"No, please don't." he begs. "I really don't know what you're talking about." I let go of Dylan and he falls to the ground.

"Asshole."

"He knows nothing, Luca. Let's go." says Adam. I nod and together we walk back to the car. I open the door and slam it behind me. I grab my handlebars and drop my head on it. The car's horn echoes all over the street. I don't care at all anymore. Immediately I feel that Adam takes me off the wheel.

"I'm driving home. You sit in the back." With tears in my eyes I get out of the car and take a seat in the back. After five minutes we drive into the parking lot of the industrial estate. Adam parks the car and helps me out of the backseat. We walk together to the apartment where Jason, Jasper and Max are waiting for us. As we walk in, Lukt turns hopeful. I shake my head slightly and he turns back to the window. I walk over to him and sit in the chair next to the window. I gesture to the boys to get away so I can talk to Jason.

"Hey." I start. He looks at me for a moment, then looks out again. Hoping Piper will walk into the parking lot. I get up from the chair and stand next to him. I put my hand on his shoulder as a sign of sympathy. He looks me in the eye and then pulls me into a hug. It wasn't a "man hug," but I don't care and he didn't care. Jason, who had always been the "softie" of the group, began to sob. I tried to comfort him, but I also felt tears welling up. Someone had kidnapped Piper and he could do anything to her now. That thought sent a shiver down my spine. Jason and I stood like that for a while until I freed myself.

"Tomorrow we will go to the police." I say as I wiped some tears from my cheeks. Jason nods wearily and stares out one last time. "Go to sleep, Jason." I tell him. Jason stumbles to his room and closes the door behind him. This is going to be a long sleepless night.

—————

"So she's been gone since last night?" asked the fat cop, barely fitting in his seat.

"Yes. We haven't seen or spoken to her again and we found this letter in the letterbox." I took the letter from my jacket pocket and handed it to the officer.

"Hmm, strange." says the agent. "We'll check the letter for fingerprints and we'll get back to you in a minute." I thank the man and turn to the boys. Everyone looks at each other, but doesn't dare to say anything. The officer stayed away for five minutes, but it seemed like an eternity.

"Okay guys, the fingerprints aren't on file, but our detective team did find something remarkable." I look straight at the man.

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes the kidnapper tries to give the kidnapped's family a hint. So that the family can transfer money, or do some other task. In your case, the potential kidnapper has let his/her name shine through. Just look in the top left corner." The agent handed the letter back and I took it. The boys looked over my shoulder.

"Quinn!"

"That fucking bitch!" Adam yells in my ear.

"You know this certain Quinn?" the agent asks. "Can you tell me where she lives so we can raid?"

"Luca" Jason asks hopefully.

"Sorry Jason. I have no idea."

**

1184 words

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