Chapter 153 - The Video Call

Jackson, Amelie, and Alexander were discussing their next move inside Jackson and Amelie's hotel suite when there was a frantic knock on the front door.

Amelie went to the peephole and turned to the two men in shock, "It's Sean."

Jackson and Alexander looked at the woman with curiosity. Why was this man showing up at their front door? Wasn't he afraid that someone would be suspicious?

"Open the door and see what he wants," Jackson instructed.

Amelie did as told and opened the door.

But, as soon as she turned the handle, Sean pushed the door open and rushed inside.

"We have an urgent situation," he said in a panic.

The trio looked at the man in front of them. He looked so neat and refined without a single hair out of place. Who would have thought that he could be so fl.u.s.tered?

"What's wrong?" Jackson asked calmly.

Sean took a deep breath, trying to control his trembling voice. "Halia's been kidnapped..." he said.

Jackson immediately jumped up with concern. Was he hearing things? Did Halia really get kidnapped? "When did this happen," he asked.

"Not long after we left the teahouse she supposedly went to meet Mrs. Wu for lunch, but on the way there, their car was stopped by a black van. The kidnappers tried to take both women, but Halia put up a fight and managed to help Mrs. Wu escape. Mrs. Wu is now in the hospital, but Halia was taken away," Sean explained.

"Have the kidnappers made contact yet?" Jackson questioned further.

"Yes, they have demanded for ransom and asked for the police to not get involved. Father Feng had a brief video call with Halia and she seems fine," Sean replied.

"How did you hear about all this? Is there any way we can get access to the video?" Amelie saw Jackson was getting a little upset, so she quickly tried to think of a way to help. Perhaps, if they saw the video, they would be able to gather some clues. Halia was an agent, she must have left clues when she got the chance.

"My fiancee is the secretary of Halia's father. He asked her to prepare the finances as soon as he was contacted by the kidnappers," Sean explained. "I can ask her for help."

20 minutes later, there was another knock on the hotel suite door.

While Jackson paced back and forth nervously, Sean went to open the door.

It was Natalie and Pumpkin.

"I have the video here," Natalie said as she rushed in.

Ever since the day that Sean first kissed her and she realized he hadn't come to Macau for Halia, she had begun to suspect the relationship between her best friend and this man. After all, she had clearly seen them having dinner together and it was odd that they had been in Macau and Hong Kong at the same time. So, as soon as her fiance asked her for a copy of Halia's video call, she immediately grabbed it from Father Feng's phone and went to find him - no questions asked.

But, she was surprised to find three other people in the room that she had never met before.

"These are my friends, Jackson Wu, Amelie Roux, and Alexander Dupont," Sean quickly introduced.

Natalie stared at Jackson. Jackson Wu? The name sounded familiar. Wasn't he...Halia's boyfriend? The one that she had been longing for? What was he doing here?

"I will explain everything to you later. Hurry and show us the video," Sean said.

Natalie immediately selected the video on her phone and started playing it as the three men and one woman surrounded her.

At first, the video was black. Then, slowly, Halia came into sight.

"Hi, Dad," she said calmly.

Jackson looked at the smile on Halia's face and felt his heart break. Even at a time like this, she didn't want her loved ones to feel worried.

"I have not been hurt. We just arrived here 15 minutes ago and these guys have already given me some food and water. Don't call the police. Just listen to their demands and I'm sure I will be fine," Halia said as she turned her head to the side.

Suddenly, Sean reached out his hand and paused the video. Everyone looked at the man in confusion.

"Bingo!" Sean yelled.

"Did you discover something?" Jackson immediately asked.

"That hair clip," Sean said as he pointed to the screen. "I gave it to her."

Natalie looked at her fiance questioningly. It wasn't the time to be jealous, but why did he give Halia a hair clip, and why was he pointing it out? 

Everyone continued to watch in confusion as Sean pulled out his phone and made a phone call to Beijing. "Help me track Halia's hair clip," he instructed.

He then put down his phone and opened his maps app. "She said she arrived 15 minutes ago. From the time she was taken to that video call, it was 30 minutes. That means, we are looking at a 15-minute radius from the scene of the kidnapping. They couldn't have possibly crossed the bridge to the main island of Macau, they must still be hidden somewhere in Taipa, Cotai or Coloane Village."

As Sean spoke, his phone rang. Beijing was calling him back. "Halia is located in Coloane Village, I'll send you the location right now," the agent on the other end of the phone said.

"Yes, I was right. She's right here in Coloane Village," he said as he showed everyone the pinned location. 

Jackson breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the man. He was quite impressed by how well they worked together. His woman was definitely in the right hands.

...

Meanwhile, inside an abandoned house in Coloane Village, Halia was tied up against a chair.

Just like she said in her call to her father, she had not been hurt and she was planning to just listen to the kidnappers' orders. But, that didn't mean these guys were getting away with what they were doing.

Her hairclip was securely fastened to her head and she knew Sean and Jackson were searching for her. She simply had to remain patient. When the timing was right, she was going to show these guys that they were messing with the wrong person.

As she stared at the floor, deep in thought, a young man slowly approached and sat opposite her. "Hello, Miss Haili Feng...or do you prefer to be called Halia?" he asked.

Halia looked up and her eyes opened wide in surprise.

A pair of cold eyes and a sinister smile stared back at her. Halia had a bad feeling about this.

Why didn't this man have a mask on?

Kidnappers never removed their masks...