AFLOAT Season 4 E.10

Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me.

— Agur (Ancient Sage)

________________________________

Ituron Community

The heavy door to the temporary office swung inward. Alex looked up as Tony, one of his most trusted lieutenants, strode in. His face was drawn, etched with the same fatigue that weighed heavily on Alex, and he held a tablet loosely in one hand. As he approached, his eyes swept across the room before settling on Alex, stopping a few steps from the desk.

"Sir, we have an update."

Alex immediately sat up, leaning both hands against the table.

"Eric called. He said he's on his way here," Tony explained.

Alex glanced at his wristwatch. It was almost 3:00 a.m., and there was still no trace of Dapper. If his mother woke up and found out her daughter was missing... He couldn't finish the thought, as the mere idea that Dapper would not be found before daybreak made his blood run cold.

"And the men?" Alex asked, his voice strained.

"They're on their toes. All entry and exit points are on lockdown. Nobody comes in or goes out without a proper check." Tony paused, his expression firm. "We'll find her."

Rage flashed in Alex's eyes as his jaw tightened. "I've been hearing that all night, Tony. I need answers." 

He straightened, trying to subdue the anger threatening to overpower his restraints. "And this ungrateful community. After everything I've done for them... If anyone has laid a hand on my sister—"

Just then, the door burst open. Both men turned as Eric marched into the room, refusing to wait for an invitation. The door slammed shut behind him, the loud bang echoing off the bare walls of the makeshift office. His chest heaved as though he'd run the entire distance, and there was something in his eyes that made Alex's stomach tighten. 

This wasn't another dead end. 

The certainity of the thought triggered an alarm in his head just as Tony immediately stepped forward, instinctively moving to block Eric's path. Alex raised a hand.

"Let him speak," he commanded.

His voice was deadly calm, while his knuckles twitched against the edge of the mahogany desk. Eric stopped, and for a second, nobody spoke. Then he looked directly at Alex.

"We found something."

CONTINUE