Alec engulfs me in a hug, his grip on me tightens just before he releases me. Instantly, I miss his warmth and I want him to hold a little longer. But I know it is not possible for now, as each moment of delay means spending another moment away from Liam.

Something which is equally impossible for me.

"You know that I have got your back, right?" I smile looking at him, "I will always save you from bad guys, so you can count on me like always."

"Yeah... yeah." He rolls his eyes and lightly chuckles, "I know."

"Now go and shed some blood for me...others blood, not yours, don't you dare forget that." I nod my head towards the building, "Go and have fun beating the bad guys." I repeat Liam's line which again earns me a small laugh from him.

"Be careful," I whisper.

"You too." He gives me a pointed look, "And please for the sake of my sanity, promise me, you will not do anything stupid."

"I promise, I will not do anything which you don't expect from me," I reply with a nonchalant shrug.

"Not reassuring, at all." He shakes his head with a small sigh as he walks backward.

Then he turns around and jogs back towards his team. While I send a quick prayer to whoever is listening to keep each one of them safe. Because they are also somebody's family and I can't bear the thought of something anyone of them.

Alec turns to look at me and gives me a small nod then covers his face behind a face mask, as they stealthily make their way towards the building.

One by one everyone disappears before my sight, leaving me alone with my anxious thoughts.

Now when I am alone the severity of the situation crashes down on me. I realize how much strength Alec's presence was giving me now when I don't have him by my side. Alec was keeping me insane because as soon as he has left my mind is driving me crazy with worry. And how can I not be worried when two persons who are my strength and support are not with me?

"Please, don't let anything happen to them." Closing my eyes, I clasp my hands in front of me in prayer. "Please, keep them safe."

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You truly realize how long a second can be when you are waiting with bated breath for the person you want to see. In my case, it is not one, but two people.

I take a sharp intake of breath when the sounds of gunshots reach my ears because John's men are targeting Alec's team. I know Alec and guys are using suppressors to take down as many people as they can without alerting the rest. So these gunshot sounds are not from their guns.

John couldn't have been expecting this sudden attack, because he must have been thinking that we will do anything he has said, just to get back Liam.

He is right, we will do anything to bring back Liam, but that anything doesn't include surrendering to his demand.

He thought by kidnapping Liam he can bring us to our knees, but he doesn't know that Liam is our strength. And he just dug his own grave by threatening Alec with him.

After hearing another round of gunshot my resolve, to calmly wait for them, breaks. Sitting and waiting is not my thing which is making it all this even more difficult for me.

I am not going inside and sabotaging Alec's team plan, but this doesn't mean I am not going to anything.

Pulling my lower lip between my teeth, I look around as my mind tells me there is something that we might have overlooked. And since Alec is doing his thing, I should do my own by making sure there is nothing which we have missed.

Taking out junior epi-pen from the glove compartment of my car, I slip into my pocket just in case Liam needed it. Then I takeout the handgun and hold it firmly in my hand as I walk towards the building.

Liam did mention water and red, and until now I have not seen anything that can be connected with these words. So maybe that's why my mind is still forcing me to look around to make sure we have covered everything.

When I saw a man discreetly getting out of the building from the backdoor, my doubt confirms that there is something which we have definitely missed.

I remember once Pops told me that one should always listen to their gut feelings, it will either lead them in the right way or it will screw them up real bad. But at least, in the end, one will not sleep with what if, instead there will be a satisfying feeling of I did.

I am thankful that today I did listen to my gut feeling. Because if I didn't find anything else at least I did find someone on whom I can release my pent up anger without feeling guilty.

However, first I decided to follow him to see where he is heading to maybe there is some other place where John must be hiding.

Nearly, following him for ten minutes making sure to stay in the shadows and not to step on anything that might alert him I reach an abandoned house. It doesn't look creepy or haunted but still, it looks like the house has seen better days.

When the man turns to look around to check no one is watching him, I get the clear view of his face. My jaws clench in anger when I recognize him. This is the face which I can never forget because he is the same man who took away Liam from in front of my eyes.

My eyes widen when I notice the gasoline can in his hand which he starts to sprinkle around the house. After circles the house with the gasoline, he throws gasoline on the windows and walls as well.

This doesn't seem right, why would he sneak out of that building to come here? Until and unless he is trying to destroy something that is really important.

Instead of waiting for him to do what he came for. I get out of my cover to face him.

I watch him taking out the lighter from his pocket my gun loses its virginity, with the pull of the trigger. Just before the bullet pierced him, his eyes widen in surprise noticing me.

I aimed to kill and my lips stretch in a cruel smile when he falls on the ground with a bullet between his shocked eyes.

Sadistic satisfaction spread inside my heart watching his lifeless body lying on the ground. No mercy for anyone who touches my family.

Grabbing his legs, I drag his body to the side of the house. Hiding it from anyone who comes looking for him.

Quickly, I rush back to the front of the house. I check the front door to find its locked, which is not surprising at all. I wipe the sweat from my upper lip with the back of my hand as I look around.

Suddenly, I find a very battered half torn poster of some blood donation campaign. But what grabs my attention is the blood droplet printed on the poster.

Water... Red.

That's it! This is what he meant by water and red. This means Liam is not in the building but he is inside this house.

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Thank you for reading.