The Case of the Forgotten Path & Invisible Thief

Chapter 13: The Price of Silence

The first night in the van was unbearable for Mallory and Max. The cold air of the dark streets, the claustrophobic space of the van, and the constant buzz of Mrs. Robb's and Elliot's conversations only heightened their fear. Mrs. Robb's cruel taunts echoed in Mallory's ears as she lay there, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep.

But the second day in captivity was when things started to change. Elliot, despite his cold demeanor, seemed to struggle with the situation. As Mrs. Robb busied herself with her next steps—muttering about plans and how everything was going according to schedule—Elliot slipped quietly into the van, holding something in his hands.

Mallory looked up at the soft thud of the van door opening. Elliot's silhouette appeared in the dim light, and Mallory's heart skipped a beat when she saw the food in his hands. He looked around nervously, glancing back toward Mrs. Robb to make sure she wasn't watching, before crouching down next to Mallory and Max.

"I got you guys some food," Elliot whispered quietly, his voice barely audible. "Don't tell Mrs. Robb. She won't approve, but you need to eat."

Mallory stared at him, unsure of what to think. The gesture was kind, unexpected. Her feelings about him were confusing. Just days ago, she would've never imagined that she'd feel a flutter in her chest because of him—now, it was hard to ignore. Her mind raced. Was this his way of showing a softer side, or was it all part of his plan? Regardless, she couldn't help but appreciate his attempt to make things a little easier.

"Thanks," Mallory murmured, her voice low.

Elliot quickly handed over the small bag of food—sandwiches, fruit, and a drink—and backed away, disappearing back into the shadows just as quickly as he came. Mallory looked at the food for a moment, the weight of his kindness sinking in.

As the hours dragged on, the tension remained thick in the air. But even in this grim reality, Mallory couldn't shake the butterflies in her stomach whenever she thought of Elliot. Something about him seemed... torn. Was he really all bad? Or was he just playing a role, stuck in a web of lies spun by Mrs. Robb?

Meanwhile, across town, panic was beginning to set in for both Mallory's and Max's parents.

Ruby and James Mallory had been desperately searching for their daughter all day, along with the Porco family. Neither of them could understand what had happened, nor did they want to face the reality that their kids might be in real danger.

Ruby paced back and forth in the living room, her worry lines deepening. "Where are they? Why haven't we heard from them?"

"Maybe they just went out for a while," James tried to reassure her, though even he didn't fully believe it. Something didn't feel right. The unsettling silence of the house only made everything worse.

Just then, the phone rang.

Ruby's heart skipped a beat as she grabbed it from the counter, her hands trembling. "Hello?" she said, her voice shaky.

A cold, distorted voice on the other end sent a chill through her spine. "We have your children. If you ever want to see them again, send 95 billion dollars. No questions, no police. If you even think about involving the authorities, you will never see them again."

Ruby froze, the words sinking in slowly. "What...?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

James grabbed the phone from her hand. "Who is this? What do you want?"

"Send the money to the address I'll give you, or there will be consequences," the voice said, before hanging up abruptly.

Ruby slumped back against the couch, her face pale. "What do we do? They have Mallory and Max... 95 billion dollars? We have the money, but..."

James's jaw clenched. "I'm not giving them that money without a plan. We'll do whatever it takes to get them back, but we need to be smart about this."

Ruby nodded, swallowing hard. "Max's parents... they're not going to let us handle this on our own, are they?" Max's mom Angelica cries and says what ae we going to do now.

Max's dad Matteo no was not, his mind already working through options. "Will. get the police involved. We'll do whatever it takes to bring them home."

Meanwhile, in the van, Mallory and Max were still reeling from the events that had unfolded. Their hopes rested on the small chance that someone, anyone, would find them before it was too late. And as the day dragged on into night, they began to wonder how much longer they could hold onto that hope.