Chapter 1
It’s been seven days since my daughter vanished, and I just took an entire preschool hostage.]
All twenty–seven kids and two teachers are locked in this classroom with me.
I told the cops that if they can’t find my daughter. I’ll kill one kid every thirty minutes.[]
The principal’s bawling her eyes out, crawling on her knees in front of me. “Your kid going missing has nothing to do with me! Why the hell should other kids have to pay for it?”
I just glance at my watch. Twenty–nine minutes left. Better hurry up and find my daughter.”
I know she’s somewhere in this damn preschool![]
I’m leaning against the door while the kids inside keep playing their games, totally clueless
Only the two female teachers are staring at me with pure terror in their eyes.[]
Outside, the principal’s still banging on the door, getting all pissy.[]
“What the hell do you want? Your daughter disappearing is none of my damn business! Open the door!“]
I frown and pull a P365 from my pocket, waving it at the window in the door.
The principal shuts up instantly, stumbling backward.[]
“You… you’re serious? Listen here, I’ve already called the cops! You will get you a bullet in the head!”
let out a bitter laugh, stroking my gun. “Perfect. That’s exactly what I want.”
Three minutes later, sirens are wailing outside.
A gentle male voice calls out–I know him, Officer Williams from the local precinct.]
He met me once before over other matters.
So he knows what kind of person I an and that if I do this–there have to be a reason.
That’s why he didn’t just charge in directly, but instead tries to reason with me:]
“Frach, don’t do anything crazy. We’re doing everything we can to investigate your daughter’s disappearance. Let the kids go first, and we’ll talk this through, okay?“]
I grip my gun tighter, fighting the urge to laugh.
Talk?
My daughter Luna’s been missing for SEVEN whole days without a trace![]
What’s there to talk about if I go out there now?]
How many years I’ll be locked up?
I shout back. “I only want to see my daughter! If I don’t see her in thirty minutes, you’ll be seeing the other kids‘ dead bodies!”
The courtyard is already wrapped in police tape, and parents who get word are crying their hearts out beyond the barrier, some so worked up they try to force their way in.[]
Officer Williams’s sweating bullets.
This is way above his pay grade–SWAT and tactical units are on their way.]]
…10
Until then, his main job is to keep me calm.]
“Peach, we get how you’re feeling, but these kids are innocent. You’re their teacher–can you really hurt them?”
Being a teacher at this preschool is the biggest regret of my life.
If I’d never come here, Luna wouldn’t have disappeared!
I check the time and say coldly, “Twenty–eight minutes left. You don’t want casualties either, right?”
Officer Williams says nervously, “We’re doing everything we can, but how can we find her in such a short time?“||
I scream, “I told you–she never left this preschool! NEVER!“]
Rainbow Kids is a private preschool that’s not very big.
Three two story buildings with front and back courtyards for the kids to play in.[]
The day Luna disappeared, I searched every inch of this place but couldn’t find any trace of her.[]
When I asked the principal to check the security footage, she claimed the cameras were broken.]
What are the odds?
So, I suspect Luna’s disappearance is connected to the principal
Later I had to sneak into the guard’s surveillance room and carefully watch the entrance footage over and over again.
I finally confirmed–Iny daughter never left this preschool at all!]
But where in this place could she be? I’m completely stumped
Officer Williams’s trying to calm me down from outside. “We’ve got people searching. You need to trust the police.“[]
But I know clearly he doesn’t believe me
Because the cops searched this preschool several times initially and didn’t find a trace of Luna.
The parents outside are losing control, some screaming at me, others begging.
“Your kid disappearing has nothing to do with us! If you’ve got guts, kidnap the principal, not the kidst“]
“Please, let my daughter go. She’s really timid. I’m begging you…“]]
A mother’s on her knees outside the police tape, looking absolutely pitiful
The crowd’s getting angrier, shouting for the police to shoot me.[]
I grab the megaphone so everyone can hear me. “I don’t want to kill anyone. I just want to know where my daughter is.”
I check the time–twenty–five minutes left.
SWAT and tactical teams have arrived, probably with snipers in position.]
I take a deep breath. “Principal, you know, right? Where’s my daughter? Just tell me.”
All eyes turn to the principal outside the door.
She grits her teeth and snaps back, “How the hell would I know? Ms. Reed, stop talking nonsense!!
“Your daughter probably ran away on her own. Maybe she went to find her dad…”
Then she has a realization. “That ex–con father of hers should be out of prison by now. I bet he took your daughter
