Ryder

We sit around Will's living room and wait for him to come downstairs.

The leather brown couches surround a small black coffee table and the walls are painted cream. It's usually a comforting space for me, but today my nerves tick uncontrollably.

Today feels as if it's never going to end.

Will stomps down his stairs, finally with his laptop in hand and we all look up at him. He comes and sits in his own small seat in the corner and we watch silently.

"Can you hurry up and talk? We're wasting time." Ethan says, the guilt he's feeling written on his face.

"Dang, ok. Why's everyone so tense?"

"Talk." Lucas says bluntly. Even his happy-go-lucky demeanor has disappeared. I'm glad they're serious now.

Will's eyebrow lifts but he opens his laptop.

"I broke through the firewall minutes after I called you. It was like...it opened. Anyway, their flight was to Brazil." He shrugs his shoulders and falls back into his chair.

"Brazil?" I ask. That's...weird.

"The last name 'Amor' means 'to love' in Spanish so I'm not surprised." Will reasons.

"Did you find anything else about Rose's father?"

Will looks down at his computer and types in something.

"I found a couple more things. He's from Italy and he's in alliance with multiple other branches, the main one being Busken."

"If Rose was taken by her father, why would they go to Brazil?" Ethan looks between me and Lucas.

"Rose was kidnapped?" Will looks around us and the room becomes quiet.

I nod.

"I have no idea." Lucas shakes his head, resuming the conversation.

Good.

But why? Why would they take her there?

"Did you find out if any of the branches are located in Brazil?" I meet his eyes.

"It's the first thing I checked, but I got nothing."

Then maybe...

"What if it's a-" Lucas begins.

"Decoy. Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing." I say, leaning back in my seat. I need to think with a cool head.

"They know we're coming after her. They're trying to be careful. Sneaky." Ethan chuckles.

"Do they not know who we are? We've dealt with shit like this, multiple times. They have to know that much." Ethan continues, sounding kind of offended.

"It was to throw us off. They didn't let me hack me through the system and only showed us the time of the flight, who was on the flight and what airport to go to. It was on purpose. Had they shown us where, Brazil, we would've figured it out before they left and caught up with them." Will explains.

"Not only did they manage to deceive us, they had been controlling what I could hack and the information we got from that. We're dealing with professionals." Will finishes, seeming a bit lost in his own thoughts.

I think about it for a minute and flinch up.

"You said you were able to hack through the firewall right after you got off the phone with me...that means they were listening." I watch as Ethan and Lucas sit up and go quiet for a minute.

"I was thinking the same thing. Which means we were rigged. We don't know to what extent though. They could be listening right now." Will agrees.

"Since when?" Ethan stares into space and asks.

It hits me. He's right. They could've been recording us since Rose showed up, or even when we first moved here. Or...

When Rose and I left to the hotel, that's why...

She knew we were being listened to. She knew, that's why she would stare into space and that's why she didn't tell me anything. She knew the whole time.

The trip was probably a goodbye, like I thought before. Like I hoped it wasn't.

And I didn't notice anything!

Fuck, I'm such a sorry excuse for a boyfriend. I let her slip away so easily.

I look into my empty hands and feel my emotions heat again.

"3 days ago. That's when it started." I clench my fists and my breathing quickens.

"I'll call the gang and tell them to look for hidden cameras and mics." Lucas gets up and goes outside, pulling out his phone.

"Rose is probably in Italy." Will states.

I nod.

"Then let's go get her." Ethan jumps up form his seat.

"We can't. They'd kill us on the spot." Will looks at me and Ethan.

Ethan nods slowly and sits back down.

I scoff.

"If you guys want to stay, stay. Just tell me where exactly in Italy she is and I'll go by myself." I stand up and move towards Will.

"Ryder, they managed to track our movements and trick us in a matter of minutes. Imagine what they could do in combat. Calm down, we need to think about this." Will stares up at me and I shake my head slowly.

"I'm going crazy right now and I need to be with Rose. I have to save her. I don't care if I have to do it alone. Just tell me where."

Will blinks at me, silent.

"Will, where?!" I walk up to him and lean over.

"I'm not sending you to your death. Rose sounds cool, but I've known you since we were 10! I won't kill you off for some girl!" Will puts his laptop to the side and steps up to me.

"You're killing me more by not telling me." I glare, into his eyes and he glares right back.

We stand for a moment.

I nod and turn around, heading for the exit.

I can't be here right now. I'll fuck around and pull out my gun, then regret it. I'm already regretting enough today.

I pull the keys out my pocket and hop in the car. Lucas and Ethan will have to find a ride home.

I drive quick, again weaving through traffic and running red lights. I couldn't care less right now.

I pull into my garage and park, getting out the car and slamming it's door closed.

I run into the house and into my room upstairs.

I turn and throw the door closed. Pacing around my room, I hold my hair with both my hands.

How could I let this happen? Where did I miss a step? How did I get behind? How do I find her? Where in Italy? What the fuck, Will? Where?!

In my anger, I walk up to my bed and pull off the covers. My pillow goes flying and my eyes catches a white piece of something float to the ground.

I bend down and pick it up. A whole bunch of numbers are written on it and it's a paper towel.

Probably trash the housekeeper left on my bed by accident. I don't have the energy for things like this. Not today.

I walk to the trash can, turning the tissue to see the back of it and freeze.

For Ryder.

The words are in Rose's handwriting and my knees buckle as I fall forward. A light opens up and I feel my heart beat hard in my chest.

I exhale loudly and chuckle.

She left me a letter. She left me something and I was about to throw it away...so close.

My hands shake as I stare at it.

It's in code...

I scramble up and grab my phone from my back pocket. I hit 'Hacker Boi' and tap my foot impatiently as I wait for him to answer.

"Ryder, are you ok n-"

"I need you to decode something for me, right now."

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853k

2/3/19

Hi guys day 4 outta 7. 3 days left!

I think after the week is done I'll update every other day or every 3 days or like once a week. It'll depend on how busy I am. I'll def update though.

I just realized I actually took a break from this book a while ago. I'm glad I picked it back up.

My next book after this will be the start of my first series "Psycho Love" I'll probably be done with MBB by March. I'll miss writing this. It's not over yet though.

Thanks soook much for the support i hope no matter when you see this note, you vote comment follow and if course read. I appreciate all of you. Thanks so much for everything.

( btw im not Italian, saying 'ciao' is kinda a habit.)

I think that's all.

Ciao.