Page 46 of Ethan's Command

“But how can we do the exchange if we don’t have the USB?” Brooklyn’s outburst crackled with desperation.

Ethan squeezed her shoulder gently. “We’ll go to the exchange regardless and do whatever it takes to get Liam back.”

Rusty interjected, “We’ve still got time. Is there anywhere else Liam’s been in the last few days? I checked the café, but there’s nowhere there he could’ve hidden it. Dave’s a mess, by the way. I told him to get out of town.”

Brooklyn turned to him sharply. “Why should he get to leave when Liam is still missing?”

Ethan met her gaze evenly. “Because the Yakuza are cleaning up loose ends. The guys in prison, Kenici—anyone connected to this is being eliminated. If Dave stays, they’ll kill him too.”

Her lips trembled before she bit down on them, anger flaring in her eyes. “I could kill Dave myself right now, but I don’t actually want him dead. You’re right; it’s better if he leaves.”

Brooklyn’s exhaustion was palpable as she sighed. “We’ve gone over everywhere Liam’s been. I even called Ren’s family, but he’s been sick at home since Monday. Other than school, Liam doesn’t go anywhere.”

“That’s it,” Ethan muttered, the realization hitting him like a brick.

Brooklyn blinked at him, her voice wary. “What’s it?”

“School,” Ethan said, his tone sharpening. “It’s the one place we haven’t checked. He has a locker, doesn’t he?”

She nodded slowly.

“Good. Let’s go.” He grabbed his keys, ushering her toward the door. Mojo, sensing the urgency, darted around their feet excitedly.

“We’re heading to the school,” Ethan said into the phone. “Keep prepping for the exchange and cross your fingers.” He hung up and followed Brooklyn out to his truck.

The drive to the school was silent and tense. Ethan wanted to reassure her, but there was nothing left to say. Without the USB, the odds of getting Liam back were slim. This wasn’t a custody dispute; this was organized crime. Even with the USB, the chances were fifty-fifty at best. Without it… he didn’t dare finish the thought.

When they arrived, Hale waited by the school entrance, his expression serious. Ethan had called the man to let him know that they were on the way and he appreciated the man’s lack of small talk.

“I’ll take you to Liam’s locker.” Hale led them into the school.

Two minutes later, Brooklyn rifled through the contents of Liam’s locker while Ethan stood nearby, scanning for any sign of a clue. After searching twice, she slammed the door shut.

“It’s not here,” she said, her voice shaking. “Where else could he have hidden it?”

Hale hesitated. “It’s a big school, Ms. Alexander. There are plenty of places a clever kid could hide something. We’re talking days of video footage to review, and with the science fair tomorrow, it’s chaos around here.”

Brooklyn swayed, and Ethan immediately steadied her, his arm wrapping protectively around her. “Off the top of your head, can you think of anywhere specific?”

Hale shook his head. “Maybe the library?” He gestured for them to follow. “I’ll grab the keys to unlock it.”

As they walked past the gym, Brooklyn stopped, her gaze drawn to the activity inside. A few maintenance workers were setting up tables under bright overhead lights. In the morning, students and families would be allowed to come in and put the finishing touches on their projects.

“Can I see Liam’s science fair project?” she asked, turning to Hale.

He nodded. “Sure. I’ll meet you in there.”

Brooklyn stepped into the gym, her eyes scanning the rows of projects. Ethan followed her, and within minutes, they found Liam’s setup. He’d left his sweatshirt on the back of the chair and Brooklyn had recognized it right away. She picked it up and hugged it.

“Impressive.” Ethan genuinely meant it. “He really put in a lot of effort.”

The display featured a detailed trifold board explaining tsunami impacts, accompanied by a scale model of one side of the Big Island. Tiny houses and cars were glued to the terrain, with a switch on the table to simulate the effects.

Brooklyn put the sweatshirt over her shoulder and then ran her fingers over the model, her expression softening. “He worked so hard on this. He wanted to show how a tsunami would affect us.” She pointed to the loose placement of the cars and houses. “When the water hits, they’re all washed away.”

She frowned suddenly, her fingers hovering over a small black sedan. “That car… I don’t remember seeing it before. He had a Jeep, a sports car, and a SUV. This one’s new.”

She plucked the sedan from the model and turned it over. “It’s different from the others.”

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