"Kate..." I trailed off, biting the inside of my cheek to control my anger. Brandon placed a hand on my shoulder, his eyes fixed on the paused video on the computer screen.

"I knew she had something to do with this." He shook his head, exhaling a sharp breath.

"Do you think she took it?" the security guard asked, confused and squinting at the small figure.

I coughed, remembering our mission, and suppressing the boiling fury for now. "Yes, and we must find her soon!" As if in an urgency, I stood up, scraping the chair back on the floor. The sound echoed in the room, making me cringe at its sharpness. The security guard opened his mouth, but I didn't wait for him to speak.

Bella stood still as a statue, and clasping her hand, I shouted, "Thank you, sir!"

We couldn't stay here any longer. There was urgency in my steps as I pulled Bella out of the room. Brandon thanked the security guard twice and then ran out after us. It was selfish of us to use him this way, but right now, another problem was looming over our heads.

I gulped as sweat formed on my forehead. There was a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. No thought or assumption could keep it at bay. When Sarah had mentioned Kate, I knew there was more to it than that. I didn't want to believe it then. But the broken pieces were now complete. They made perfect sense, aligned together to give only one answer.

We rounded the corner, a good distance away from the security room when Bella stopped. She pulled her hand out of mine, and I halted, turning back. I couldn't read her expression, or maybe she hid it too well. After a stare-down in which neither of us gave in, she sighed. "Tyler, what does Kate have to do with this?"

Her words were blunt and accusatory. She had the right to be. Giulia was her girlfriend, but the possibility that we knew why she was missing was higher. Brandon and I--tuned to the same frequency--avoided her stare and reached on a silent agreement.

We'll wait till we have proof.

"I have an idea," I said, "but I want to confirm it first."

Bella was suspicious. Eyes spoke louder than words, and the frantic way with which she searched around, it was no brainer that wasting her time with us wasn't in her best interests. But the way we both hushed and wrapped the situation under folds kept her curious and with us.

She didn't agree on the spot. And I couldn't be more guilt stricken. The impatience to find out the truth ate me from inside. It crossed my mind that there was no reason for her to trust us on this, yet the words left my mouth.

"Trust us." I pleaded.

Bella relented with a nod.

With a brief smile and a deep breath, the three of us stalked towards my room. Time was ticking, and with no news of Giulia or Kate, I feared that things would only worsen. I was someone who played by the rules. So, taking the matter into my own hands... it was a foreign yet a reassuring feeling. I knew I wouldn't back down without giving my one hundred percent effort. It was better than half-hearted attempts by strangers.

For now, self-dependence was the way.

As the room got closer, another fear bloomed in my chest. They were never ending; budding from the smallest of matters and taking root into our lives like plague. This time it was that Bella would feel abandoned and betrayed when she'll find about what we had done. Maybe it was a useless worry. But I was the type to think and over think an issue and work it to death.

A momentary relief came when Brandon produced the key card from his back pocket and opened the door. I took a deep breath, glancing at Bella and then back at the opening door. "Let's search," I said, as we took a step in.

Maybe every worry would just be in vain.

We took different directions. Bella, clueless and silent, took the corner, waiting for an explanation and some cue from us. Brandon deranged the wardrobe, turning over every cloth, looking into every nook and cranny. I picked up my purse, fingers crossed and sending prayers out that I would find it inside. I snapped it open, shaking the purse upside down, and emptying the contents on the bed.

"Not here," both of us said together, dejected.

With growing dread, I opened the bedside drawer, rattling all the things aside to find it. No luck. I opened the second and then the third drawer. Brandon scrounged his luggage bag, throwing away a stray cloth or two on the ground between intervals. Massaging my head, I paused.

Did I have the courage to break the truth to her? The previous incident was fresh in my mind, and the guilt of ruining that day at the fair was what I carried every day. Sunk in the feeling that got heavier by the day, I didn't intend to dent whatever truce or friendship we had built up between us.

Brandon stood up, his eyes glued to the ground. Our search was useless. The moment I had seen Kate coming out of our room, it had been a gone case.

The silence engulfed us once more, only interrupted by the short sniffs Bella took and tried to suppress from time to time. We waited for her to settle down. If truth be told, I would have loved for her to stall out the moment as much as she could.

Am I this much of a coward?

The face of Kate swam in front of my eyes, and I balled my fists. Blaming others was the easiest way out of self-loathing and I did that. Before I blamed the existence of everyone I knew, I said, "Bella."

I loosened my fingers and wiped it off of my jeans. We'll be okay.

Upon saying her name, she straightened herself, flipping her hair away from her face. "Are you ready to tell me yet?"

I pursed my lips and then nodded.

Brandon rubbed my back, and then took a step back, giving us space.

"Kate took something from us."

Her eyebrow arched, and I imagined the wheels churning inside her head, thinking what Kate could have taken that would harm Giulia.

"What is t—"

"Before that," I interrupted, "Bella, you know, our friendship, I mean to say, that uh-"

"We consider you a friend, Bella." Brandon cut in. I took in a deep breath and nodded.

"And-"

"We didn't intend for this to happen. Tyler, me, Francis, Sarah... all of us want to help you."

I nodded again, giving Brandon a grateful smile. My palms were sweaty again, and I wiped them again from my jeans.

This was harder than an oral test.

Brandon, noticing my distress took the upper hand. Bella hadn't responded so far, but her eyes had softened and she sported a miniscule of smile on her lips.

I went forward, took her hand and lead her to bed. Brandon assumed his previous position against the wall.

"You're honest people. Tell me please," her voice cracked, and she squeezed my hand.

"A pen drive," I said, "Kate stole a pen drive."

Brandon straightened up abruptly, kicking the bedside table in frustration. We both jumped, startled by the outburst. Bella was confused, but I understood the frustration behind Brandon's kick. That's how I felt. Trapped inside this hotel room, we were powerless, incapable, and helpless.

"Pen drive?"

Brandon made another frustrated sound, and walked away from us.

I continued. "Yes. Remember the day we came to your room?"

"Of course... how can I?" She gave a small snort.

"That day, Brandon carried a video recorder."

Bella took in a sharp breath. She froze, and her eyes widened as big as her sockets. Her surprise was no joke, instantly putting me in a blameworthy mood. I tried to say something, but she turned her head away, snapping her hand away from mine. The gesture tore through my heart, and I bit my lower lip, at the height of self-loathing.

"I am sorry." Please don't make her hate us. "I didn't know your story then, and that was the only revenge I could think of. But I swear I did nothing with it. Ask Brandon or Francis. I swear! Bella. Are you listening? Hey, please, look at me, Bella."

My words turned desperate, and I scrambled for anything to make her understand. She didn't turn.

"Shh." Brandon hushed me as Bella stood up and took a few steps away from us. "Give her time to analyze things."

Defeated, I nodded.

"We didn't mean you harm, Bella."

"I know."

"You believe us?"

"Is there a reason I shouldn't?" She turned, tilting her head and giving a sad smile.

I returned it with a brighter one.

"Before I go berserk, tell me what's in the file."

So, we gave her a rundown. The pen drive contained everything from when we entered her room to Bella's confession that she was gay and dating Giulia. We went over the whole story and our dilemma on posting it online or not. It had been a lot to say, and Bella had grown more worried, if possible, by the minute. We assured her that nothing related to Giulia's attempted suicide was recorded, or made highlighted.

But by the end of the discussion, we knew that there could be only two people behind Giulia's disappearance.

Alard or Kate.

We couldn't make a move with no planning. Should we be upfront? Or approach someone? Or should we keep low and search ourselves? There were so many options, but no right way to do it.

Hell, we don't even know where to start!

Bella and Brandon were silent. They turned into those quiet and broody types, neck deep in thought. What were they thinking so hard about? World peace?

Even the constant chatter in my head couldn't keep the irritation out of my system.

"What do we do?" I whined, impatient.

Both of them hissed, turning towards the other direction, their frowns deepening as they continued to think.

I pouted. A sigh left my mouth, and I waved my hand in front of them. The two of them still paid no attention. "Guys?"

No answer.

Was this some revenge?

Just then, my stomach grumbled, a low rumble that penetrated the silence. I clutched my stomach, embarrassed as my body reminded me I had had no food since morning. I cleared my throat, brushing it off and hoping that no one heard it.

But as if in succession, my stomach grumbled again, demanding attention. And that it got.

Brandon turned back to me, and so did Bella. I bet this felt like the most comical situation to them in the world. However, what a girl could do? I was hungry. Period.

Before a third round of grumbling completed, Brandon snorted, grabbing my hand and making me stand.

"What?" I said, looking between the two of them.

"Let's have breakfast before you come after us with pitch and forks."

"I won't turn cannibal!" I said, offended.

He laughed. "I didn't mean it in that way."

"Whatever."

Bella stood up too. "Let's eat. We need to think and that requires food." She picked up her phone from the table and walked towards the door.

"Yeah..." I trailed off.

Mental note: a grumbling stomach is good for attention.

We went to the breakfast bar below our floor. After much speculation and debate, we had concluded that no one was following us. Or maybe they were too good at hiding.

"I'll have a club sandwich and strawberry milkshake."

"Same for me," Bella said. I raised my eyebrows at her. She grinned. "I won't survive on quinoa and lime juice."

"I'll have a bacon and egg roll and..."

Again?

Bella and I suppressed our smiles as Brandon took another five minutes debating between strawberry or vanilla milkshake. The waiter was getting even more impatient and giving up, I helped him.

"Get vanilla. I'll let you have half of my strawberry milkshake."

"You would? Great!" He handed the menu back, and I laughed.

It looked like it would become a habit between us to order two different milkshakes because he could never choose between a flavor. Like a kid, he wanted to try everything.

"So what do we do now?" I slurped on the milkshake, more than half of it gone because apparently strawberry was the better one and Brandon had whined until we ended up exchanging our cups.

"Wrong question." Brandon leaned closer to us, Bella and me sitting next to each other. "I want to know what Kate gains from this."

"Gain? I don't know. Fame? Popularity?"

"Money?" Bella pitched in. Then with a snort, she continued, "Definitely money."

Brandon nodded. "That's possible."

"Revenge too." I made a face. "Remember how she went off bitching me and then got told off by you? I wouldn't be surprised if she gained a personal vendetta against you."

"She wouldn't be the first one." Bella was unaffected. You really needed a thick skin to be so cool about everything. Something I lacked.

"She has an upper hand, though." I took the last bite of my sandwich, feeling alive and full. The sauce oozed out of the bite, and without a second delay Brandon wiped it off my mouth and licked it off of his finger.

Both Bella and I cringed back and said in unison, "Ew!"

"What?" He continued chewing on his roll, undeterred.

"Drop it. He's a gone case." I shuddered, picking up a napkin and wiping whatever was on my face.

Bella's phone beeped. Brandon paused eating—his roll didn't seem to end—and looked at her. She frowned, then seeing our curiosity and expected faces, in a hurry, opened her phone.

Color drained from her face, and her hand shook. "It's from Giulia!" she shouted, standing up.

"Really?" I shouted an octave higher, and then realizing that we were in a restaurant full of busy people, collected myself. "I mean, let's calm down first. It could be a trap."

Shouldn't have said that. Bella's expression came crashing down, and she plopped back on the chair. "You're right."

"No, I mean--"

"Let's just see the message?" Brandon interjected. In one homogonous bite, he shoved down the rest of his food and picked up the plastic cup of his milkshake. He stood up, chewing on his food and swallowing with some difficulty.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Back to the room."

"Why—oh." I got what he was trying to say when I looked around to see that everyone was watching us. And even more suspicious was the man sitting in the corner of the restaurant, his face buried in the newspaper. If I could go by the impatient tap of his shoes, I knew he wasn't reading the newspaper.

"Save it for later," Brandon murmured.

The three of us hurried out of the breakfast bar. Good thing there was an option to put the bill on the tab of our hotel room because that's what we did. Or else security would have been behind us. (Ah, those old times.)

"He's following," Brandon said, not pointing, but moving his eye toward him.

"Bella, can you identify?"

"When we round this corner, I'll turn," she replied.

"Okay."

The turn neared, and as if she dropped something, Bella bent and give a look back. I didn't look back, but hoped that she had gotten a good view.

"Not sure," she said, catching up with us. "His features are similar. Recruit maybe."

"He's one of them." I passed on the message to Brandon and our speed increased tenfold. My bag bumped against my hip, and in a swift movement, I pulled it close to my body. Instead of going into our room, Brandon led us to two doors down; Sarah's room.

He knocked. The door opened in an instant.

"We're being followed." That's all he said. Sarah widened the door, and let the three of us usher in, locking it behind us.

"What's happening? Why are you all out of breath?" she questioned, leading us to the chairs in her room. Leonard wasn't there, which was great.

"Long story. Bella open the message."

"It's an audio." Bella fiddled with her phone a few seconds more.

"It's from Giulia." I filled in Sarah, and she nodded, her mouth forming an O.

"I'm playing."

—you complied easily—

We sucked in a breath as the snappy shrilling voice of Kate filled the room. There was a shrill laugh that followed, and it made my head spin in anger. I said something nasty, but Brandon shushed me.

—What do you think about this? Ah, wait. You don't have to answer. I knew you two were up to no good. Fag.—

The voice cut off abruptly, and we could hear some struggle going on from the other side. Bella cursed, her face twisted into a sort of enraged expression. I felt the same, only Brandon was calm amidst this.

—pay me. Your bitch's father. Wilson, come—

The recording stopped. Bella tried to refresh her chat. Nothing came up. Giulia wasn't online or anything. But she had her phone, which was a relief. Or was it?

"OMG." That was Sarah, her mouth hung open, more shocked and worried than the three of us.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"I can't believe this! That Wilson. She told us he was her friend."

"Wilson? That's not her partner's name, right?"

"No. But I found it suspicious. He was carrying a suitcase! And wearing a suit, I should have known."

"Where? When?"

"At the bar. He came with Kate," Sarah replied.

"What did he do? Was he with Giulia? Did he harm her? Can you identify him?" Bella was on Sarah, asking her question upon question. Sarah looked on; baffled.

I tried to keep Bella calm, but she snapped, pulling her arms out of my grasp and giving a shout. "Ferme ta gueule!"

I stepped back, shocked to hear her say something vulgar. You know how it goes. When you learn a new language, the most exciting thing is to learn all the bad words first. Well, that's what everyone asks anyways. So when Bella asked me to shut the fuck up, it didn't take me moments to realize what she had said. Instead, I followed her command and gave her some space.

"You." She pointed to Sarah. "Answer."

Sarah, forever the wise one, answered in a split second, reciting the entire story. "He did nothing. Kate did the talking. I remember his face, but he didn't do anything."

She rushed with her testimony.

"That's it?" I asked.

She started to nod, and as if struck by a thought, she blabbered on. "Oh, wait! I went to the bathroom. It was dark, but I'm sure he was there. He was talking on phone with someone named Gary. He glared at me so bad that I ran away without even doing my business."

"What did you say?" Bella stalked towards her.

"I didn't do my—"

"Sst!" Bella hissed.

"G-Gary?" Sarah hesitated. She was in a tight spot, and I winced, not being able to help her as she sent me her silent pleas.

"Quel salaud!" she huffed, and I gave my heart a rest at Bella's swearing. So whoever 'that bastard' was, Bella knew him.

"Who's Gary?" Brandon asked.

"He's my papa's private secretary." She whipped her phone out, and then curled it in her fingers, her face etched with lines of distress and anger.

I took in a sharp breath. This just got complicated by the minute. If Kate knew someone, who talked to Alard's secretary... it didn't need a Sherlock to know that Alard had masterfully planned this.

I jumped, startled when Bella threw her phone. It crashed on the couch, then rolled a few times, finally dropping on the floor. Our attention shifted to Bella when she released a frustrated cry. She held her head in her hands, massaging it as if she was in pain.