บท 280: For Carmen

The apartment felt like it was closing in on me, the walls pressing tighter as the reality of the situation sank in. Carmen was gone.

Kidnapped. By people far more dangerous than I could even comprehend. My mind raced with images of her being hurt, trapped, and alone somewhere, and it made me feel sick to my stomach.

Isabel was pacing in front of me, her face set in hard, grim lines as she processed the note in her hand. I could tell she was already running through scenarios, calculating risks, figuring out what we could do. But the silence between us was suffocating, and I couldn't stand it anymore.

"We have to do something," I blurted out, my voice sharper than I intended. "We can't just sit here and wait for them to hurt her."

Isabel stopped pacing and looked at me, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Do you think I don't know that?"

Her words stung, but I didn't back down. "Then what are we doing? We have to get her back. We have to—"