- Aiden

Mike was bundled off by the police. The detective lingered and fixed his gaze on me.

"I'm Detective Conan, and the chief contacted me about your missing wife. How many hours has she been missing?" He inquired idly.

"I assume she has been kidnapped for around six hours. There hasn't been a demand for ransom yet, but I expect one soon "I said.

"So, Mr Reiner, how may I assist you?" The detective was curious.

I said, lifting an eyebrow at him, "Of course, help me find my wife."

"I heard the suspect, your wife has only been missing for.... like six hours. And she left home willingly. It's still too early to…"

I cut him off before he could finish.
"I get it, but this is different; I'm sure she's in great danger." My rage was growing once more.

"We are doing all we can, Mr Reiner, but there are certain procedures and protocols which have to be followed," the detective explained.

"I believe I made it clear to the Commissioner that I needed someone I could trust, someone who could handle my case efficiently and quietly without letting the world know. You came highly recommended, as I already stated. I am confident that we can come up with a solution. We can't just sit there and wait for something to happen." Exasperated, I said.

"You must provide me with something to work on, Mr Reiner. When I don't know who the kidnapper is, I can't go on a wild goose chase hunting for your wife. You want me to lock up that boy who tried to blow up your plant without charging him?" He said with a frustrated tone.

Mike's phone rang at that very moment. I signaled the detective to be silent while I made the phone call. It was a personal phone number.

"Hello…" I said into the phone, casually. Before the caller finally spoke, there was a 10-second pause.

"Aiden!"

"Hello there, Marilyn. I'm sure you weren't expecting me to answer the phone?"

"Aiden, it's not what you think. Eric compelled me..., "She began to explain herself.
There was a bustle, and another voice roared, this time it was a man.

"I guess my little messenger kid was caught red-handed."

"You made a mistake by sending a boy to do a man's work. It's great to hear your voice again, Eric, or should I say Javier Munoz?" I cynically stated.

"You are a genius. Exceptional detective work, "Eric seemed ecstatic about my discovery.

"Let's get this party started. What exactly do you expect from me?" I spoke softly, my voice rising slowly, my rage growing by the second.

"Aiden, I'm so glad you were able to find me. Everyone wanted to forget about me. Our feud isn't limited to just you and me. It has a long history. I've got something that I'm sure you're desperate for. I'll be with you in a moment, " he said casually and abruptly, and ended the phone before I could respond. When the phone rang again, I was still staring at it. This time it was Sydney's number. I quickly accepted the video call.

"Syd?" I said instinctively, even though deep down I knew it was not Sydney's call.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you Aiden," Eric continued, "but it's still me."

"What have you done to Sydney?" I said, gritting my teeth.

"Relax, she's still alive if that's what you wanted to know." I noticed her as the phone moved. Sydney was bound to a chair and gagged. Fingermarks were all over her face. Her skin was covered in welts. She was in pain. My wrath was out of control. 'Must keep cool, must stay calm,' I told myself over and over. "What do you want from me?"

"I think it's time we ended it all, Aiden. Did you want this bitch back? Then do as I say. Come along and don't mess with me. I mean it. If I hear a single police siren, I am going to shoot this bitch !" Eric's voice was as cold as ice.

"I will do as you say, do not touch Sydney," I said slowly through deep breaths.

He provided me with an address as well as a final warning. "Remember to come alone." He hung up the phone.

I turned to face detective Conan, who had overheard enough to know exactly what was going on.

"We'll take your car, so he won't suspect anything. Let's go," said the detective, already reaching for the door.

We hurried to my car, and I gave Detective Conan a quick rundown of the backstory, omitting some facts.
"So you've got a jilted girlfriend, a cunning sociopath, and your stepbrother. They established a group to destroy you." It was eloquently summarised by Detective Conan.

"Exactly," I responded.

"So, when we get there, this is what we need to do." He responded and told me about his strategy.

When we exited the freeway and trudged through dark, uneven streets, the brightness was steadily vanishing into gloomy twilight. After a few minutes of driving, I noticed the dark outline of an abandoned warehouse. It was one of those random buildings in the middle of nowhere. As we got closer, things became darker and gloomier. The long weeds that grew around it added to its ominous appearance.

"Stop the car," Detective Conan said, "and I'll chase you down on foot."

Conan warned, "Be careful, he might have an accomplice."

"Sure, look after yourself," I advised the detective.

I drove right up to the warehouse's front door. I exited my vehicle and walked the final few feet to the door. I took a deep breath and stepped through the iron door after pulling it open.

 The warehouse was mostly vacant and dark, with a musty stench of rot in the air. It was brightly lit in the centre, as if it were a stage. When Eric's words rang out loud, my eyes were still trying to adjust to the darkness.

"Aiden Reiner, welcome. Your presence is truly appreciated. Please proceed to this location ".He expressed himself dramatically.

I took a step forwards, another figure emerged from the shadows, and I felt a sharp pain in my knee, realising that the person had just booted me, causing me to kneel.
Another figure emerged from the shadows before I could recover. Fiona.

"Hello, big brother, are you surprised to see me?" William sneered.

His eyes gleamed with malicious delight. That moron undoubtedly expected me to be surprised.

"I knew you and your mother had been conspiring with Eric," I said to Fiona, who turned away. I apologise for disappointing you." I responded flatly.

In his left hand, he was clutching a gun. "You were always the golden boy, the wise one! Unfortunately, this would not have happened if you had treated us better and not like trash."

"But, William, you are TRASH!" I smirked.

Will, who was enraged, raised his fist to strike me. I was expecting an attack, but it never happened. He was interrupted by Eric.

"Stop it! Let me deal with him since he is mine. Bring him here ",Eric gave orders.

William was plainly enraged, but he was too afraid to confront Eric.

He yelled, "Get up and get over there," as he pressed his hand into my shoulder blade and pointed his rifle at me.

I finally spotted Sydney, she was slumped on a chair, the next chair was occupied by the bound and gagged Leah, the chair next to her had a dead man who was probably Rob. Mike's lover and a little distance away lay Marilyn in a pool of blood. Shock and anger ran through me. Eric was a madman!
He was standing in the middle of the girls, waving his rifle about like a toy. It was the first time I observed him, despite the fact that I had met him several times. He was dressed in black, with a black shirt, black pants, and black boots. Under a black cap, his blonde hair was disguised.
My gaze was drawn to Sydney, and a boiling monster of wrath surged within me. As I checked on Sydney, my heart was racing. The constant rise and fall of her chest told me she was still alive. She must have passed out from the pain she had received. Her hair was pulled forwards, concealing her face. Her body was covered in welts. What type of animal would subject another person to such suffering? I returned Eric's enraged stare.

I said softly, "Hello, Javier."
Aiden -
The cops bundled off Mike. The detective stayed and looked at me.
"I am Detective Conan, chief called me and informed me about your missing wife. She has been missing for how many hours?" He asked casually.
"About six hours, I believe she has been kidnapped. There hasn't been any call for ransom yet, but I think it won't be long," I replied.
"So how can I help you, Mr Reiner?" The detective asked.
"Help me find my wife, of course," I replied, raising an eyebrow at him.
"I heard the suspect, your wife has only been missing for.... like six hours. And she left home willingly. It's still too early to…"
Before he could finish, I interrupted him. 
"I understand, but this is different, I am sure she is in trouble." My anger was rising again.
"We are doing all we can, Mr Reiner, but there are certain procedures and protocols which has to be followed." The detective explained.
"Detective Conan, I believe I made it apparent to the Commissioner that I wanted someone whom I can trust and who is capable of handling my situation efficiently and quietly without letting the world know. As I have said, you came in highly recommended. I am sure we can work something out. We can't just keep sitting, ideally until something happens." I said exasperated.
"Mr Reiner, you have to give me something to work on your case. I can't go on a wild goose chase, blindly looking for your wife when I don't have a clue who was the kidnapper. You want me to lock up that kid without charging him when he was trying to blow up your factory?" He said in a frustrating voice.
Just then, Mike's mobile rang. I made a sign to the detective to be silent while I took the call. It was a private number.
"Hello…" I said calmly into the phone. There was a pause of 10 seconds before the caller finally spoke.
"Aiden!"
"Hello Marilyn, I bet you didn't expect me to pick up this call?" 
"I... it's not what you think, Aiden. I was forced by Eric...," she started to explain.
There was the sound of commotion and another voice boomed, it was a man this time.
"I guess my little messenger boy got his ass busted." The voice said.
"You shouldn't have sent a boy to do a man's job. It's good to hear your voice Eric or should I say, Adrian Munoz ?" I said sarcastically.
"Very clever Aiden. Impressive detective work," Eric sounded delighted with my discovery.
"Shall we get down to business? What do you want from me?" I said slowly, my voice was rising slowly, I was getting angrier by the second.
"Aiden, I am so happy you could discover little Adrian. The boy everyone wanted to forget. Our bad blood doesn't just involve you and me. It goes back a long way. I have something which I am sure you desperately wish to have. Be with you in a minute," he said breezily and cut the call without giving any chance for me to say anything. I was still staring at my phone when it rang again. This time it was Sydney's number. I quickly accepted the video call.
"Syd?" I said instinctively, even though deep down I knew it was not Sydney call.
"Sorry to disappoint you Aiden, but it's still me," Eric said.
"What have you done to Sydney?" I said, gritting my teeth.
"Relax, she is still alive, if that is what you were asking." The phone moved and I saw her. Sydney was gagged and tied to a chair. Her face was covered with fingers marks. There were welts on her skin. She was hurt. I could barely control my rage. 'Must stay calm, must stay calm.' I said repeatedly in my mind.
 "What do you want from me?" I said through clenched teeth.
"I think it's time we end it all, Aiden. Did you want this bitch back? Then do as I say. Come along and don't mess with me. I mean it. If I hear a single police siren, I am going to shoot this bitch !" Eric's voice was as cold as ice.
"I will do as you say, do not touch Sydney," I said slowly through deep breaths.
He gave me an address, along with a final warning. "Remember come alone." He cut the call.
I looked at detective Conan, he had heard enough to know what was going on.
"We'll take your car, so he won't suspect anything. Let's go," said the detective, already reaching for the door.
We dashed to my car, and I briefly explained the backstory, omitting certain details to detective Conan.
"So a jilted lover, your stepbrother and a scheming psychopath. They all formed a team to harass you." Detective Conan summed it up rather nicely.
"Precisely," I replied.
"So here is what we need to do when we reach there." He replied and explained his plan to me.
The daylight was slowly fading into dark twilight when we pulled off the highway and was trudging through dark, bumpy streets. We drove for several minutes, then I spotted the dark shape of an abandoned warehouse. It was one of those places you come upon in the middle of nowhere.
As we reached nearer, it looked darker and gloomier. The long weeds growing around it gave it an even more sinister look.
"Stop the car," Detective Conan said, "I will follow you on foot."
"Be careful, he might be having an accomplice," Conan warned.
"Sure, take care of yourself, "I urged the detective.
I drove right to the front door of the warehouse. We got off my car and walked the last few steps towards the door. I took a deep breath, pulled open the iron door and stepped through it.
I