Page 24 of The Tourist

We're following the lead on Serena. Eaton and I have assembled a team of seasoned operatives, each one as determined as we are to find my sister. I have included my second-in-command, Felix, on this mission. I know he blames himself for what happened to my sister. He was supposed to be in charge of her security detail the night she was taken but was called away on a family emergency. I’ve never once held him responsible, but I know he suffers, blaming himself.

We move with precision, each step calculated and deliberate. The compound ahead is heavily guarded, but we've done this before. We split into two teams, communicating through our headsets.

"Alpha team, move in from the west. Bravo team, hold position and wait for my signal," Eaton instructs, taking command as he always does.

I take a deep breath, adjusting my grip on the weapon I’m holding. "Let's do this," I murmur.

We approach the compound under the cover of darkness, our movements swift and silent. The night-vision goggles cast an eerie green glow over everything, but they help us navigate the terrain. As we get closer, the compound security guards come into view.

"Alpha team, take out the guards on the perimeter," I command, watching as our operatives move into position.

Shots ring out, and with deadly accuracy, the guards drop to the ground, one by one, as we advance. I don’t feel any regret at the loss of these men’s lives. It was their choice to guard a monster. They don’t deserve my pity.

"Bravo team, move in," Eaton orders. We breach the outer wall, the explosion controlled and precise, creating a hole just wide enough for us to slip through.

Once we’ve entered the compound, we head to the main building. Inside, there’s a maze of corridors and rooms. We clear each one systematically, but there's no sign of Serena. My heart races as we move deeper into the building, my fear and frustration increasing as we progress.

Finally, we reach a large room at the center of the building. It's dimly lit, and there’s a group of men huddled in the corner. One of them, a nervous-looking foot-soldier, steps forward clutching a piece of paper.

"Where is my she? Where is my sister?" I demand, my voice a low growl.

The man hesitates, glancing at Eaton before speaking in broken English. "She was here, but... she was taken away yesterday. We don't know where she is now."

My blood runs cold. "What do you mean, you don't know where she is?"

"Her owner left this," the foot-soldier says, handing me a picture. It's of Serena, looking beaten and bruised. The date stamp indicates it was taken yesterday.

Rage explodes inside me, and I grab the man by the collar, lifting him off his feet.

"He knew we were coming," I spit out, my voice shaking with fury. "How the hell did he know?"

"I swear, I don't know!" the man pleads, but it's too late. My rage has taken over.

I punch him in the face. The sound of breaking cartilage echoes through the room as blood spurts from his nose, but I don't stop. Another punch finds its mark, this time to his ribs, and I hear a sickening crack.

"Diego, stop!" Eaton shouts, pulling me off the man.

I turn on Eaton, my vision red with anger. "We have a leak! Someone's tipping them off!"

Eaton holds up his hands, trying to calm me. "We'll find the traitor. But beating this guy to death won't bring Serena back. He could have information that will help us. Think. Use your brain. I know this is hard."

I glare at Eaton, my fists clenched. "It was your father who took her. You better find her, or I swear, I'll destroy you. I’ll tear down everything you've built, and I'll make sure you suffer." I know I am being unfair. Eaton had no control over what his father did, but right now I need to blame someone.

Eaton meets my gaze, his eyes hard. "I understand. And I promise you, we will find her. But we need to stay focused. Losing control won't help Serena."

I walk to the other side of the room and take a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. How can I tell Chloe that I haven’t been able to bring her best friend, my sister, home? The foot-soldier is lying on the ground, groaning in pain. I look down at him, my rage still simmering but more under control.

"Get him out of here," I snap at Felix. "And find out who the hell leaked our plans."

Felix nods while dragging the injured man away.

Eaton steps closer, his voice low. "I know you're angry. But we need to stay together on this. We need to be smart."

I nod, the anger still burning but more focused now. "You're right. Let's finish checking this place. See if we can find any clues and then get back to base. We need to regroup and figure out our next move."

We search through the rest of the compound, clearing the remaining rooms. There's no sign of Serena, but we gather as much information as we can. Every scrap of intel is crucial now.

Once we’re back at base, we lay out all the intelligence we've collected. Multiple maps, photos, and reports cover the table. Eaton is on the phone, coordinating with our contacts and trying to trace the movements of Serena's buyer.

---