The Dark (DEVON) // ✔️ // [NEWADULT]

|| Chapter Twenty-Eight - Gotcha ||

Devon's POV:

   I don't think I've ever felt genuine guilt before this. It's one thing to kidnap someone - sorta - but it's another to drug them before doing so. The plan was to leave remnants of the drug in the hallway so that when I raised the alarm that Aria was "missing" there was some inclination of what happened.

   It was still in the air who actually attacked her. I dreaded the idea of it being one of our own, but either way I'd have to take steps to ensure they didn't do it again... they couldn't do it again.

   The plan was to lure them out under the pretence that someone else had taken control. Clearly, if their idea was to kidnap Aria, they would've done it. But they had another motive. Something told me that it wasn't the entire dragon gang involved either...

   I let go of a sigh before bursting into action. I ran from my room and down the stairs, gun in hand, "HARRISON! PARKER!" My lungs burnt with the force of my scream.

   I heard the foot-traffic as Harrison and Parker came running around the corner. Sweaty from training. They both had their guns fitted snugly into the waistbands of their joggers, "ACE! JOE!" I continued.

   Harrison and Parker looked at me, then each other, wearily before saluting to Ace and Joe as they strolled toward us.

   "Aria is gone." I watched them with a cold expression.

   Harrison paled and called for Jodi, "Jodi was one of the last people who talked to her, maybe she saw something?" He suggested. I thinned my lips and nodded.

   If Jodi had seen me, she would've mentioned it by now. She's a nice girl on the surface, but if someone fucks with her friends... she unleashed hell onto them.

   Especially since she'd feel completely and utterly betrayed. She'd probably put a bullet between my eyes before I could've even moved Aria up the stairs.

   "Hey!" She beamed, jogging around the corner. Jodi wrapped her arms around Harrison's torso and he planted a soft kiss to the top of her head. Envy twisted in my gut.

   "Jo-jo have you seen Aria since you guys bumped into one another earlier?" He asked, smoothing down some of her loose baby-hairs.

   She thought for a moment before biting her bottom lip, "No, we parted ways and I went into the kitchen to get some water-" she frowned, "-wait why? What's happened, has she left?" I watched as something like guilt passed over her features. I made a mental note to ask her about it later.

   "No-" Parker's voice cracked, he cleared his throat, "-no she's gone missing. Just... vanished." His words were nothing above a whisper as he spoke.

   I cleared my throat and dragged a hand through my hair, mustering up as much concern as I could, "Exactly, she's missing and after the attack on her last night I'm not so certain-" I pretended to catch myself and scrubbed the back of my neck, "we just need to take a while to devise a plan before we go in all guns blazing." Then I heard it.

   "What. No. We should get out there ASAP and find her!" Parker interjected, moving toward me at an alarmingly threatening pace. I levelled him with a look but he didn't back down, "If you- if you really gave a shit about her you'd be out there already. So, what's the score? Who're you working with! How do we know that you aren't the mole? This isn't like you at all." His sudden bout of accusations didn't go unmissed.

   Gotcha.

   "Fine." I huffed, not letting on, "Go get the men ready." I ordered, "Jodi you follow." They did as I'd asked, dismissing themselves. Parker casting a furious glance over his shoulder at me as he did.

   Harrison and Ace watched the doorway he'd disappeared through with furrowed brows.

   "It's Parker. He's the attacker." I declared. Harrison's head snapped toward me, his blonde hair falling into his face.

   Ace shook his head, "Don't be so dense, Dev."

   "It's part of my plan." I reasoned, they eyed me suspiciously, "I don't think this was retaliation at all - on Isaacs part anyway." I walked down so I was close to them before speaking, "I think Victoria has a separate mission to her obligations under Isaac. Isn't it funny that as soon as Aria became involved in my life, Victoria reappears? When Aria first got here, she saw someone spying into my window - a man under Victoria's command." Ace looked at me dubiously, he didn't want to believe what he was hearing, "The attack on the house-" I pushed on, "-there was no shortage of men, we know that, but did anyone actually see Isaac? The guy isn't one to pussy out on a fight especially now, since Aria is involved. It'd be a personal attack." I finished, looking between them.

   A long silence stretched out.

   I added, recalling what I'd done, "Also Aria is tied up to a chair in the compartment under my room."

   Harrison threw his head back and released a long breath, "Boss, your plan, whilst ingenious... was reckless as all hell." He laughed a humourless laugh.

   "My question is, why are we standing here still whilst men are being rallied to search for a girl who ISNT ACTUALLY MISSING." Ace finished, shouting.

   Just as Parker came strolling around the corner. Followed by a gaggle of men. I eyed them up and gave the order, "Grab Parker."

   They did as I asked, detaining him. Jodi screeched and bounded up to me, "What the fuck are you doing?" Harrison grabbed her arm and held firm as she seethed.

   "Parker's the mole." I said simply, "Lock him up and await further instructions, make sure you don't let him out of your sight." I locked eyes with Parker, expecting to find pure fury, but instead I was met with anguish that caused my gut to clench.

   Time to release the "fugitive".

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Eeeeeeeeeek! It's coming together, I'm hoppy. (And yes the HOPPY was intentional)

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