Affiction

10

Kiara's pov

I entered the room, making sure the lock snapped shut behind me.

Hardly anyone could get in here, only Colby and I knew the code to get through the door.

I approached the filing cabinet that had everyone's tracking box in it. Tracking boxes got plugged into a certain computer that Nate made specifically for this purpose.

These tracking boxes were connected to the trackers planted behind our necks, and the boxes had our names and date that they were put into us.

I dug for the one with Colby's name on it, quickly realizing that these went by last names.

Which meant there were two Brock's, with no first initial to give away which was mine and which was his.

I found one of them, digging for the other when I stumbled upon one labeled Kumar, my maiden name.

It was a little dusty, but the date read back to 2020.

I didn't meet Colby until almost three years after, so what was a tracker doing with my name on it was a mystery to me.

A little more sorting through the filing cabinet revealed that there was another Brock.

"What the fuck?" I looked at the box, turning it over to observe the back, only finding it to be plain.

I set the two boxes on a side table, making it a mission to continue digging through the box.

No more Kumar's or Brock's were found, but in their place were three Prior's.

I knew that the name was familiar, and I couldn't pinpoint where exactly.

"Fuck," I gasped, my eyes widening as I stared at what I found.

My dad's sister, or my aunt, married into a Prior family.

I hadn't heard from them since I was a little girl, but I do remember that she had a daughter.

Leah? Teah? Layla? Shea? Shea.

My cousin's name is - was? - Shea. Didn't Colby have a Shea around here? 

I tried to remember when or where I saw a Shea, but it hit me.

When we first met, there was Ava, who Colby killed. But whenever he had gotten shot, Shea was right there.

He sent her away, but something I realized quickly was the jealousy I had when I saw the fond look she had for him.

But it looked like familiarity, like surprise when she saw me, took in my presence. I was so annoyed with her that it never processed in my head.

Now it has, and she knew I was here. How come she didn't say anything? Family is supposed to help each other out, right?

Says you, you hypocritical insane fuck.

"Shut the hell up," I hissed at the voice in my head.

Just put Colby's trackbox in the machine and worry about your husband's long lost love later.

"Where did you even come from?" I asked, but listened to the voice in my head.

I've always been here. You're only just now starting to listen.

I shook my head, sliding the VHS-shaped trackbox into the machine and powering on the computer.

A map of the United States popped up in black and dark blue, "Holy shit Colbs," I said as dots popped up all across the country.

They were in a line, showing that he's recently been traveling. They cross through multiple states, about fifteen or so in Nevada? That's not Nevada, Nevada had Las Vegas in it, and that's not where Las Vegas is.

I couldn't recall what state it was, wishing I had paid more attention to our country's geography in high school.

Utah. I didn't even know that was a state, but it sounded right.

So Colby was in Utah.

Out of curiosity, I put in one of the Prior trackers next.

Maybe ten dots or so were plugged into Kentucky, where I was from.

I plugged in the other two, one was putting signals in for New York and the other was for California, which was probably Shea's.

I shoved in the Kumar box, almost hesitant. I had no idea who could be connected to this one, because Kavin and I didn't get involved in the crime world until 2023.

This tracker was older, and it took longer to process in the machine.

Like one of the Prior's, it was also in Kentucky.

I had no family in Kentucky with that last name, I killed them all.

I popped Colby's back in, following the line of dots.

"Where are they taking you?" I mumbled to myself, following the dots.

There were so many in California that I had to adjust the settings so that it would only show the past twenty four hours.

It looked like he took a plane somewhere, because the blinking dot kept moving as I studied the others.

His abductors took him to Utah, and then took a plane, which he was currently on.

The trail was heading straight for where the Kumar and Prior were.

In Kentucky.

My family was kidnapping my husband, but why?

They knew very little about him and I, besides the fact that we were married but that was kept under the radar.

Colby was also a leader of one of the most well-known gangs in the country, so that could play a factor into it.

Kavin was doing pretty well in New York, last time I heard. His name is up there too, so maybe they just want control of both the east and west coast.

But who is they? Right now, all I know is that Kumar and Prior are involved.

I don't know who they really are, but they were obviously connected to the gang at some point if we still have the trackers.

I quickly put all of the trackboxes back in the cabinet, locking it up before leaving the room.

I scoured the base, only to find Sam and Corey in Colby's office.

"Guys," I said as I swung into the room, "Colby's on his way to Kentucky,"

"What are you talking about?" Corey asked, his face scrunched up.

"He has a tracker," I explained, "I did a little bit of digging and it turns out my family has him,"

"Why?" Sam asked, glancing over at Corey.

"I don't fucking know," I snapped, throwing my arms in the air, "But we need to get there asap,"

"Fine," Sam agreed, "Let's go,"

We quickly went out of the base, not answering any questions from multiple people who shot us concern looks.

We were racing the clock.

Who knows what they want to do with Colby, but it probably isn't good.

I have a hunch.