Page 74 of Rescuing Sophia

But there’s no answer. No sound of the shower running, no smell of food cooking. Just silence.

We move through the rooms, each space untouched and eerily normal. The bedroom is tidy, the bed made as if Sophia just left for work. Nothing seems out of place except for one thing: on the bedside table, a framed photo of Sophia and me lies face down.

The undisturbed state of the apartment is almost more unsettling than if the place had been ransacked.

It’s as if Sophia simply vanished.

“Blake.” Jenna’s soft voice draws my attention. She’s standing by the dresser, holding something in her hand. As I move closer, my heart sinks. It’s Sophia’s Guardian HQ badge.

On HQ grounds, everyone carries their badge at all times—it’smore than just identification; it’s a lifeline, a key to every door. For Sophia to leave it behind…

I take the badge from Jenna with trembling hands, its weight unbearable. This small piece of metal cements the horrifying truth I’ve been trying to deny.

“Sophia isn’t coming back.”

She’s gone, deliberately severing her connection to Guardian HQ and to me.

And with her disappearance, who knows what secrets of Guardian HQ were compromised in the process?

Carter’s hand lands on my shoulder, a grounding weight. “What the hell is going on?”

I sink onto the edge of the bed, the events of the day crashing over me.

“I think… I think Sophia might be behind the security breach at HQ.”

The words hang in the air, heavy with implication. Jenna gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. Carter’s grip on my shoulder tightens.

“Are you sure?” Carter’s voice is low, tension evident in every syllable.

I shake my head, running a hand through my hair. “No. But there are too many coincidences. The timing of the breaches, her lying about being at work... And now this.”

Jenna sits beside me, her presence a silent comfort. “What are you going to do?”

The question echoes in the quiet room. What am I going to do? How do I even begin to untangle this mess?

“This needs to be treated as a full-scale security breach.”

“I’m so sorry.” Jenna turns to me, her eyes filled with sympathy. “I don’t know what to say, but whatever you need, we’re here for you.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

The next hour passes in a blur of phone calls and hurried explanations. By the time we leave the apartment, a full investigation is already underway.

“As for next steps, we regroup.” My voice comes out steadierthan I feel. “We figure out exactly what’s been compromised and plug the holes. And then…”

I pause, the next words sticking in my throat. Saying them out loud will make this real.

“And then we find Sophia.”

TWENTY-FIVE

Blake

The ready roomdoor swings open under my touch, the familiar click of the latch echoing in the sudden silence. Every eye turns to me, with disappointment and something harder to define.

Ethan stands at the head of the table, his posture rigid. “Glad you could join us, Blake.”

The sarcasm in his voice is unmistakable. My throat tightens as I sit, the weight of their stares pressing down on me like a physical force.

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