Page 3 of Twice Missing
A flurry of movement to his left caught his attention.Two figures in dark clothing were frantically typing at a bank of computers, likely trying to wipe the data.
"Step away from the keyboards!" Noah ordered, advancing quickly.
One of the suspects complied, raising his hands slowly. The other made a break for it, darting between the server racks.
"Runner heading east!" Noah barked into his comm, giving chase. The suspect was fast, weaving through the labyrinth of equipment with practiced ease.
Suddenly, a crash resonated from the far end of the warehouse, followed by a string of curses. Noah rounded a corner to find Agent Reyes grappling with the runner, both of them tangled in a mess of cables.
"I got him, Sutherland!" Reyes grunted, securing the suspect's wrists with zip ties.
Noah nodded his thanks and turned back to the main area, where the rest of the team was securing the scene. The air was thick with tension and the acrid smell of fried electronics.
"Status report!" he called out.
"Three suspects in custody," came the reply from Sergeant Martinez. "No casualties, but we've got some resistance at the back office."
Noah moved swiftly towards the office, his weapon at the ready. As he approached, he could hear the sound of furious typing and a low, urgent conversation.
"This is your last warning!" Noah shouted through the door. "Come out with your hands up, or we're coming in!"
The typing stopped abruptly, replaced by the sound of shuffling papers and a muffled curse.
Noah nodded to the SWAT officer beside him. In one fluid motion, the officer kicked the door open, and Noah rushed in, his flashlight beam sweeping the room.
The office was empty, save for the rows of humming servers and flickering screens. He approached the main terminal, eyes scanning the display.
Suddenly, a flash of data caught his attention — a string of numbers and letters that made his breath catch. But before he could process what he'd seen, the screens went black. One by one, the servers shut down with a whine.
"No, no, no!" Noah slammed his fist on the desk, frustration boiling over. He keyed his comm, "Legacy, they've wiped the servers. Everything's gone."
Lieutenant Legacy's voice crackled back, calm and steady. "Easy, Sutherland. Our tech team will go over the hard drives. We might be able to restore some data."
Noah shook his head, even though she couldn't see him. "You won't find anything. Ashford is too smart for that."
As the team secured the scene, Noah stepped outside, the cold air biting at his face. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart.
"O'Connell," a gruff voice answered.
"It's Sutherland. We hit the warehouse, but..."
"Any luck?" Thomas O'Connell asked.
Noah sighed. "They wiped the servers before we could get to them."
There was a moment of silence on the other end. When O'Connell spoke again, his voice was low and serious. "Someone tipped them off. Be careful who you talk to."
Noah's jaw clenched as he scanned the dark treeline. "I always am."
As he hung up, Noah felt the weight of the moment settle over him. This wasn’t just another case; it was a turning point. The stakes had escalated, and he knew he was now entangled in a web of deception that reached far beyond the warehouse.
The early morningsun cast long shadows across Station Street as Noah pulled his Bronco to a stop in front of Kerri's house. He sat for a moment, two coffee cups steaming in the cup holders, and gazed at the old train station across the road. Now a historical museum, the building stood as a silent sentinel to High Peaks' past, its weathered bricks tinged golden in the dawn light.
Noah's eyes lingered on the museum, remembering countless afternoons spent there as a child, watching his mother work. A familiar ache bloomed in his chest as he thought of Luke. His twin should be here, sharing these quiet moments, these memories. Instead, Noah carried them alone.
Shaking off the melancholy, he grabbed the coffees and made his way around back. The snow crunchedunderfoot, crisp and new-fallen. He let himself in, the warmth of the kitchen enveloping him.
A blur of fur greeted him as Axel, Luke's former service dog, padded over. "Hey boy, how you doing?" Noah murmured, setting the coffees down to ruffle the dog's ears. Axel leaned into the touch, his tail wagging lazily.
