Chapter 2
“Absolutely not!”
The words burst out of me instinctively.
Officer Williams quickly says. “We’re trying to contact Lucas Hayes, but haven’t reached him yet.“]
“Ms. Reed, we’ll definitely find your daughter. Please let the kids in there go first. I promise we’ll spare no effort to find her.”
“Even if we find your daughter, how can you face her after this? Do you want her to know both her parents are criminals?”
My resolve wavers for a moment.[]
A red rubber ball rolls toward my feet.]
A little girl calls out, “Ms. Reed, can you kick it back?“]
I steady myself and gently toss the ball back.
These kids have no idea what’s happening–they’re still playing innocently.
But will my child ever get to play with toys this happily again? I can’t bear to think about it.[]
I check the time and shout calmly, “Eighteen minutes left. Any leads?“]
Officer Williams‘ sigh marks the failure of negotiations.
The hostage negotiation expert from the state arrives.]]
This case has shaken the entire city. Reporters and social media vultures are swarming like flies to blood.[]
Orders came f from above: not one child can be harmed.]
If necessary, take the shot.
But Officer Williams still holds onto a sliver of hope, thinking things haven’t escalated that far yet.]]
Based on his understanding of me and years of experience, that woman doesn’t seem like a hardened criminal–more like a desperate mother who’s lost her child.
“Did we pull up the surveillance? Did that kid actually leave this preschool or not?”
The tech team responds, “We recovered the deleted footage. It shows no sign of Luna Reed leaving the preschool“]
Officer Williams falls deep in thought.]
Could Luna really still be in the preschool?
But where could she be hiding?
There’s nowhere to hide in the classrooms, and they’ve already searched the offices, principal’s room, and kitchen
What did they miss?
Colleagues search inside and out again but find nothing
His partner Sam says frantically. “Did this kid just sprout wings and fly away? There’s no other explanation–every inch of this place has cameras with no blind spots!“]
A lightbulb goes off in Officer Williams’s head. “Wait, do the bathrooms have cameras too? Check the restrooms!“]
The preschool bathroom is indoors, and Luna was last seen in Classroom 2.
But Classroom 2 is exactly where Peach is holding hostages.]
Her voice rings out again. “Fifteen minutes left. Are you cops totally useless? Can’t even find one kid.“[]
Chapter 3
I lean against the wall, voice dripping with sarcasm. “A living, breathing child–seven whole days with zero leads?”
Officer Williams falls silent at my accusation.
“Ms. Reed, what if your daughter is right there beside you?“[]
I freeze, not immediately grasping what he means.[]
Luna disappeared from this very room, but I’ve searched every cabinet, the bathroom, every corner–no trace of her anywhere.[]
“This place has full camera coverage. Only the bathroom is a blind spot. We suspect your daughter was taken through the bathroom.
“Ms. Reed, surrender now! The police will get to the truth.”
The bathroom, the bathroom…
I think carefully about its layout. The preschool bathroom is unisex with just two tiny stalls and a small exhaust fan.[]
I stare toward the bathroom, sensing something’s off.
But I can’t figure out what.[]
I lick my dry lips. “Ten minutes left. I only want results. If you can’t find my daughter, they’ll all join her!“]
Officer Williams closes his eyes tightly as the detective signals the sniper–if there’s an opening, take the shot.]
“If my daughter vanished from the bathroom, there must be a hidden door connecting to the outside. Officer, I hope you find it soon. Even if I get arrested, it’ll be worth it.”
I’d suspected Luna was taken from the bathroom before.]
But that would require a hidden passage and leave evidence.[]
I’m just an ordinary woman. What I can’t find should be left to professionals.
I look down–everything’s going according to plan.]
The second hand keeps ticking. I wave over a little girl]
Ismile Sweetie, want to play a game with Ms. Reed?“]
Five unutes left, and the cops are still making pointless pleas
Officer Williams’s practically lost his voice. “Ms. Reed, don’t panict The entire city’s police force is mobilized to help find your _child ~||
“It’s not just us–lots of citizens are helping too! If you turn back now, your child can still see her mother!”
“Last minute! Looks like you didn’t
‘t find her.“]
With that, I pull back the curtain, using Sweetie’s body to shield myself as I draw the blade across her throat.[]
The little girl doesn’t even make a sound before her head lolls to one side.[]
The clean window gets splattered with blood
I quickly retreat, announcing in an ice cold voice, “The first child is dead because you’re too slow.”
Parents outside dissolve into tears. It happened so fast that some couldn’t tell which child I was holding.
Cold sweat, soaks my back.]
Even hiding behind the wall. I know snipers have their crosshairs on my head.]
Officer Williams angrily smashes his megaphone and screams, “You monster! I don’t care what your reasons are–killing innocent children is unforgivable!”
“You’re surrounded! Surrender now!”
Think gentle persuasion wont work on me, so now it’s time for threats?
I don’t panic one bit.
“Officer, I’ve planted bombs throughout this preschool. If you don’t want massive casualties, find my daughter fast.
“I swear, if you find her, Fil surrender immediately and won’t hurt anyone else.“]
The moment Officer Williams heard “bombs,” he nearly passed out.
They couldn’t gamble on a lunatic’s intentions–even if they took the shot immediately, Peach could still detonate the explosives in her final moments.
“What the hell is her background? A woman who can get explosives is working as a preschool teacher?r
Someone nearby explains, “She used to be a PhD in munitions engineering. After her husband was imprisoned, she came back to her hometown to work as a teacher.”
Officer Williams asks with a throbbing headache, “Why was her husband locked up?”
“Manslaughter, apparently. He got out seven days ago and his whereabouts are unknown.“]
He was released seven days ago, and his daughter disappeared seven days ago.]
Could it really be such a coincidence?[]
Did Lucas Hayes really kidnap his own daughter?||
But reality won’t let them overthink this–they need to find Lucas, and more importantly, Luna
A new thirty–minute countdown has begun.]
The colleague frantically searching the adjacent bathroom has good news.
He shouts excitedly. “In the bathroom–there really is a hidden passage! There’s actually a kid inside!”
Officer Williams instinctively looks toward his colleague, who’s carrying out a small child while clutching a broken smartwatch
His pupils contract–it’s Luna’s smartwatch.
The surrounding crowd screams as Officer Williams quickly wraps his jacket around the child.
He shouts at me, “Peach, you can let them go now! We found your daughter!”[]
I peer through the peephole at the child wrapped in the police uniform. One little arm hangs down, wearing the pink smartwatch I bought for Luna
My heart pounds so fast I want to rush out immediately.
My hand’s already on the doorknob when my phone buzzes.
I glance at the message and immediately calm down.[]
CH
