Nate takes a few steps toward me, his arms stretched out. “Do you like it?” he asks with a smile.
“My lips are going to be on your body forever,” I say, my voice laced with shock. “That's what I want, baby,” he replies, smug and confident. “You’re crazy,” I breathe as I kiss him on my tiptoes.
I am amazed that he went so far as to get a tattoo of my lips on his chest. It fills my heart with warmth and affection and I fall for him even more each day.
As we enter the truck, I notice the sun slowly dipping below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the sky. The perfect full moon is already visible in the sky, ready to take over the night shift. We begin our journey back home.
CAIN
I approach Paul's apartment block and my heart rate accelerates. I try calling Nate and Tessie's phones, but there is no answer. I exit the police car and walk up the steps to his apartment.
Paul opens the door and greets me, his bald head shining in the light. Stepping inside, I notice the mess. His apartment is a typical bachelor pad, with piles of takeaway boxes left on the table and empty beer bottles scattered everywhere.
We make our way to his bedroom, which is cluttered with multiple computer screens set up. Paul sits at his computer and begins typing away, his fingers moving quickly across the keyboard. I pull up a chair and sit beside him, eager to see what information he has found.
I ask him, “What do you have for me, Paul?” Paul looks at me, then turns his gaze back to his computer, pushing his glasses up his nose. After a moment of silence, he responds quietly, “It's not good, dude,” as he begins to pull up various websites on his computer screen.
Paul leans back in his chair and gestures toward the computer screen, urging me to take a look. I shift my gaze toward the screen and see a website open, displaying a forum labeled College Hotties. My eyes scan through the page's contents and I can't help but feel disturbed by the forum's number one topic—Tessie. The way they talk about her and the other girls on the forum is highly objectifying and derogatory, making me feel sick to my stomach.
Paul's voice trembles with concern as he reveals, “In order to gain access to the forum, I had to disguise myself as a horny college student. At first, it seems harmless fun, with the members rating girls based on their looks. But then, things took a darker turn.” With a few clicks on the computer, he accesses another highly restricted forum, only allowing certain members to join.
I see videos where girls appear to be on drugs or spiked, being taken advantage of. Paul hesitantly reveals, “It seems that these videos are being sold to certain members. “Paul’s words hit me like a ton of bricks. “Their number one target is Tessie,” I piece together. As soon as the words leave his mouth, a wave of dizziness washes over me. Anger and frustration well up inside me and I feel the urge to lash out at the computer screen in front of me.
“I can't believe this!” I yell out in frustration. Paul calmly scrolls through the website and says, “It seems like Dan has already collected money for a video of Tessie. He owes several people. Moreover, she is the highest-ranked model on the website. Multiple photos of her have already been uploaded to the site.” Unable to contain my anger, I snatch the computer mouse from Paul and start scrolling through the website myself.
I scrolled through and noticed that Dan had taken pictures of Tessie while she was at college and even while she was at home. It's a relief that he is in the ground rotting.
Paul rises from his computer chair and turns to me with a serious expression. “Dan might be dead, Cain, but it seems like someone else has taken over his role,” he says, his tone low and guarded. I concentrate on his words, sensing that something important will be revealed. “Archibald Hanks,” he continues, his voice barely above a whisper. We both fall silent, letting the name sink in. After a brief moment, Paul adds, “He's the commissioner's son,” before pushing his glasses up to rest on his head.
"Knew that fucker was bad news. Can you keep this to yourself? I’m begging you, Paul," I say, my arms tightly crossed in front of me. My mind is racing with all the possible outcomes.
“You don't have to beg. I've never liked Commissioner Hanks,” Paul replies, his tone low and serious. “I think he's a pretentious fucker and his son, from what I've seen online, is even worse,” Paul adds and pauses for a moment.
“We have a couple of other problems, Cain,” Paul continues. “Archibald also has suspicions on Dan's whereabouts and thinks Tessie has something to do with it...”
My heart sinks at the mention of Tessie. She's been through enough. The last thing she needs is to be dragged into something like this. “Ok, that's one problem. What are the other problems, Paul?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
“It's not just Archibald,” Paul replies, his eyes darkening. “Others on that forum want sick videos of Tessie, too. Some serious money was exchanged and Dan couldn't fulfill his order. It's a sick game to them at this point to see who can win–they will do anything.”
I can't help but feel a sense of urgency and helplessness as I put my head in my hands and take a deep breath. I turn to Paul and ask him, “Can you find out who the others are?” Paul's response is honest, but hopeful, “I can try and get back to you. Some of them are anonymous, making it hard.”
Despite Paul's limitations, I know he's doing everything he can to help me. I thank him for his efforts and ask him to keep me updated. I pat him on the back and I can feel the weight of the situation bearing down on me. I exit the apartment and try to call Nate and Tessie, but they don't pick up. My heart races as I wonder if something has happened to them. The fear and uncertainty are too much.
TESSIE
I gaze out of the truck window, mesmerized by the moon's sheer brilliance. The night sky is crystal clear, and the stars twinkle like diamonds. I can't help but express my awe as I say, “It's breathtakingly beautiful tonight.”
Suddenly, Nate pulls over the truck into a nearby field. “Let's get a better look, shall we?” he suggests. I nod in agreement and we hop out of the truck, climbing into the back. As I lay down on the cold, steel bed of the truck, I feel Nate's warm embrace as he wraps his arm around me. We both gaze up at the sky and seeing the twinkling stars leaves us speechless. I slip on my jean jacket and drape it over my upper body, seeking comfort from the chilly night air. Nate pulls me close and wraps his arms around me lovingly. We share a peaceful moment of silence, lost in our thoughts and emotions as the world around us fades into oblivion.
As I lay on Nate's chest, I tilt my head slightly to avoid touching his freshly inked tattoo. With every passing moment, my eyelids grow heavier and I feel myself drifting off.
Suddenly, bright lights, flashing in blue and red, jolt me from my slumber. I open my eyes to find Nate stirring beside me, his body shifting as he slowly wakes up. However, a loud voice startles us both before we can even comprehend what's happening.
“I've been searching for you two all evening!” Cain's voice echoes through the night. As walks beside the truck, his police car lights beaming behind him.
I slowly sit up, my mind still foggy from the sleep, and Nate follows suit. Rubbing his eyes to clear the confusion, I try to make sense of the situation.
Nate's voice is groggy as he asks, “What's the time?” In an attempt to rouse us further, Cain responds loudly, “It's two in the fucking morning!” I chime in, “We must have fallen asleep.” Cain's voice is angry as he exclaims, “Mike and I have been trying to call and text you all night! I nearly had to call in a police search. Luckily, I’ve found you.” Nate, now fully awake, explains, “We left our phones in the truck.” He jumps out of the truck bed.
The wind blows through my hair as I stand up on the back of the truck. Cain, in his full police uniform, stretches his hand towards me and offers to help me get down. I take it, feeling the weight of my body shift as I leap to the ground.
“I’ve gotta get back on duty. By the way, she is freezing cold. Take her home. Now,” Cain instructs Nate in a firm tone.
Nate waves his hand nonchalantly and jumps into the driver's seat.
Cain walks me to the passenger seat with a gentle yet protective demeanor. I slide into the seat and he leans over to fasten my seat belt, ensuring it's secure.
MIKE
At 6:00 a.m., Tessie is sound asleep in Nate's bed. Meanwhile, Nate and I are sitting on the sofa, listening intently as Cain paces back and forth in his police uniform, sharing with us what Paul has discovered. Nate appears to be in deep thought, resting his head in his hands while we absorb the information.
Nate suddenly stands up, his voice low but intense as he whispers, “We will just have to kill them, too.” Cain looks at him with concern and replies, “It's not easy. Paul is not sure about the number yet.” He pauses momentarily, continuing, “I don't want her to find out about this. Not yet. She will freak out. What she doesn't know won't hurt her. We've just got to ensure we are always with her.” The tension in the room is palpable as we discuss the sensitive and dangerous situation.
When contemplating a way to escape and keep Tessie safe, an idea suddenly comes to mind. “We could all go away,” I suggest, hopefully. “Get away from here for a while. Spring holidays are coming up soon.” Cain looks at me thoughtfully. “Not a bad idea,” he says, nodding in agreement. “Let's carry on as normal, but just be extra cautious till then, guys.”
“I'll make sure Archie or his friends don't go near her at college,” I say, determined to keep her safe.
Cain's gazes at Nate's chest, which is bare and exposed. His expression is stern and he seems to be examining something intently. As I follow his line of sight, I notice a new tattoo on Nate's chest. It's a pair of lips and they look eerily familiar. Cain speaks up, his voice laced with disbelief. “Dude. Did you get Tessie's lips tattooed on your chest?” I can't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. Nate stands there with a proud smile on his face, nodding in affirmation.
