Chapter 56. Kidnapped

"Capital City Central Police Station, good evening."

"Good evening, officer,"

Benjamin replied. "My name is Benjamin Hawi. I'd like to report a missing person—my fiancée. She's twenty-three years old. Her flight landed this morning at 9:30, and we haven't heard from her since."

"The case has already been reported, and our search team has been deployed," the officer on the other end responded.

As Benjamin drove toward the station, his phone rang. It was Larry's son.

"Dr. Hawi, we just got a call from the National Hospital casualty wing. Dad's been admitted. Mom and I are on our way there now."

Benjamin immediately relayed the news to his father, who was still coordinating with the inspector in charge of the search for Megyn. Without hesitation, Benjamin changed direction and sped toward the hospital. Anxiety clawed at his chest as thoughts raced through his mind. What happened to Megyn? Where could she be? What would I tell her family?

When he arrived at the hospital, he was met by police officers already stationed there. Larry had just regained consciousness.

According to the doctors, he had been drugged with an unusually high dosage of general anesthesia administered via inhalation. He was lucky to have been found and rushed to the hospital in time.

Phone records from Larry's service provider showed that after Benjamin had messaged Larry with instructions on where to pick Megyn at the airport, Larry had gone to fetch the car from the hospital parking lot around 8:30 AM. But Daisy had called him soon after, begging him to pass by her apartment before heading to the airport. She said she had something "special" for him and complained that he'd left without a proper goodbye. She promised it would only take fifteen minutes.

According to Larry's recollection, he agreed and stopped by Daisy's place. She insisted he give a lift to two of her friends, claiming they were headed in the same direction. Once the three of them were in the car, the two men immediately placed a large towel over Larry's face. He remembered nothing after that—until waking up on a hospital bed.

Benjamin's face tensed with disbelief. "Larry, you're seeing Daisy? After everything she's done? Are you crazy—just like her?" He sighed, "so when I sent you the message asking you to pick up Megyn, you were with her, and she got to know this."

Police officers had already been dispatched to Daisy's apartment based on the directions Larry provided. But she wasn't home. Her door was locked. Neighbors said she worked night shifts at a nearby maternity hospital, but she hadn't reported to work either.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage from city road cameras revealed more troubling details. It showed where the car was driven, the point where Larry had been dumped by the roadside, how the car picked up Megyn at the airport and where the car was later abandoned—just a few meters from the city's largest, most notorious slum.

Witnesses reported seeing the vehicle's occupants get out with a woman who appeared to be unconscious or heavily sedated. They hailed a cab and vanished into the slums.

"But such occurrences are common around here," a bystander explained. "People are so used to drug addicts being dragged around, nobody pays attention."

A woman stepped forward, saying she recognized the two men and knew where they lived—but she wanted assurance of her safety before revealing anything.

She was accompanied by three plainclothes officers. Four more officers followed in a second cab. Benjamin and his father were driven by a third driver, and finally, a police van carrying eight uniformed officers brought up the rear—with Larry now stable enough to join.

Fear swept through the slum's narrow alleyways. Residents ran indoors; police operations in that area often ended in chaos or unintended casualties.

They reached a rundown area inaccessible by vehicle. The final approach had to be made on foot. Only the plainclothes officers, the woman informant, and Benjamin—who insisted on going—proceeded into the heart of the slum.

A hundred meters in, the woman pointed toward a tin-roofed structure just meters ahead. "That's the house. Be careful. They might be armed."

Benjamin said nothing. He followed closely behind the officers, his heart pounding. If Megyn's in there… what condition will I find her in? The thought of her tied up, drugged, or worse overwhelmed him.

His breath hitched, and for the first time in years, he prayed aloud, voice shaking:

"My God, please keep her safe for me. I can't live without her."

Tears welled in his eyes.

Suddenly, unable to hold back, he rushed ahead and banged the door with force, nearly injuring his knuckles. Only one officer was close enough to join him at the door.

A young man opened, clearly annoyed and ready for a fight—only to be met with a sharp command.

"Police!" the officer barked, forcing his way in.

The house was small—one bedroom, poorly lit, stinking of alcohol and smoke. Two men and a woman lounged on the worn-out sofa. Benjamin scanned the room quickly—no sign of Megyn. But his eyes locked on Daisy.

He stormed across the room and grabbed her by the collar, yanking her up to her feet.

"Where is Megyn, Daisy?!"

Daisy smirked, unnervingly calm. "I knew the millionaire would come for his princess."

All three of them—Daisy included—were clearly under the influence of alcohol and possibly stronger substances. Uniformed officers flooded into the house, handcuffing everyone and beginning their search. Still no sign of Megyn.

"Where is she?" one officer asked, addressing Daisy directly.

Daisy giggled, swaying drunkenly. "Let the millionaire sleep with me first, then I'll tell you…"

She didn't see it coming—the sharp slap from the officer that jerked her to reality.

"I'll talk!" she cried, touching her cheek. Then she reached toward the officer seductively—another slap landed, this time from Benjamin, knocking her to the floor.

"Where is my Megyn?" he shouted, voice breaking.

"She's… she's sleeping. Dead. By the river," Daisy mumbled.

One of the men finally offered to show them where Megyn was. He led the group to a tiny shack near the riverbank. There, lying on a wooden bed, was Megyn—pale, still, and cold.

"Princess…" Benjamin knelt beside her. "Princess, come back to me," he whispered, nearly in tears.

She was breathing—but barely.

"She's alive!" one officer confirmed. "We need to get her to the hospital—now!"

Benjamin shed his coat and wrapped it around her. A makeshift stretcher was assembled using jackets, sweaters, and anything they could spare to keep her warm and steady. The journey back to the waiting ambulance was slow and grueling. Every step felt eternal.

Benjamin held her hand the whole way, speaking softly. "You're strong, Megyn. You can fight through this. Greater is He who is in you than any evil around you. Please hold on."

When they finally reached the ambulance, Benjamin climbed in with her. The sirens wailed as they raced toward The Sunset Hospital.

He sat beside her, eyes fixed on her pale face, whispering: "Just open your eyes. Please, Megyn… just once. Let me see those beautiful eyes."