"Sean! You can't do this. You can't... can't..." Luna chokes as she hits Sean's chest repeatedly.

"How can you leave... leave me... like this? Get up Sean please! Please." She crashes her head on his chest and sobs clutching his collar.

Bewildered, David looks at them as tears brew in his eyes. But suddenly a smile appears on his face as Sean lets out a cough. He flutters his eyelids about which Luna is unknown. She continues sobbing and mumbling which brings a small smile on Sean's face. He removes the locks falling on Luna's face as he whispers, "Sweetie, I'm fine." But Luna continues crying. "Sh... stop crying Lu. Come on, be a good girl and wipe these stupid tears."

"You're bad." Embarrassed, Luna wipes her tears and starts Sean hitting. But David is busy looking around. He frowns and shouts, "Okay now stop. We've a bigger problem."

Stopping their fight, Sean and Luna looks at David who looking around, says, "Where's Elroy? And have you wondered how we came out? We were inside the house! Someone must have brought us out. But who?"

As the realization dawns, Sean and Luna jumps up and looks at the burnt house. The house is still standing but the planks have all blackened. The broken door is lying on the snow as scattered ashes lie here and there. As they look at the burnt house their eyes widen in horror. Looking at each other, they dashes towards the house shouting, "Elroy!"

☆☆☆

As the daylight breaks out, glitters of rays peep into the wooden living room through the half-closed door. The rays are kissing Iris' tired eyelids which makes her wake up. She flutters her eyes open leaning against a wooden wall. As she remembers her encounter with Brenna, fear creeps on her face. She wriggles as she realises her hands are tied behind as well her legs. She shouts, "Help! Somebody please help me!" She looks around and gets another shock. An unconscious Elroy is leaning against the wall few feet away from her. He is also tied like Iris. His head is hanging down. Her horrified face turns pale when she sees the injuries on Elroy's face. Blood has stopped trickling marking bruises on his face.

"El! El!" She pushes herself towards Elroy as she continues calling him.

"Ah!" She lets out a scream and stops moving as her abdomen pains. Hearing her painful scream, Elroy shots her eyes open and shouts, "Iris!"

"El! Are you okay? How did you get injured?" Iris shouts as she leans her back against the wall to reduce her pain.

Elroy looks at her tied arms and legs and remembers everything. He looks at Iris and decides to not tell her about the bomb blast.

"I'm fine Ri! This is not the time to think about my injuries. We have to leave this place as soon as possible."

"And who told you you'll be able to leave without my wish?" A long shadow falls on the wooden floor. With the creaking sound, Brenna enters the living room as her cold voice forces the couple to stop talking. Iris closes her knees towards her chest as if she is trying to protect her unborn child.

Elroy shouts as Brenna towers in front. "Who the hell are you? What do you want from us? Why are you doing this to us? We don't even know you!"

"Well, I'm sorry to say that your last sentence is wrong, mister husband. It's not we. It's I." With a calm look on her face she moves towards a wicker chair kept in front of Iris and Elroy.

"What do you mean?" Elroy growls not understanding what game she is playing.

"You don't know me. But this thief wife of yours know me. She knows me very well." As Elroy looks at Iris with questioning eyes, Brenna leans back with a satisfied smirk.

"Iris, you... you know her?" Iris looks down but doesn't say a word.

"Answer me Ri. Do you know this woman?" This time Iris mutters a quivering, "Ye... yes."

"Who is she, Ri?" Elroy's voice shows a tint of nervousness.

"She... she is Brenna. Cia... Ciana's mother." Iris closes her eyes shut as the words leave her lips.

"What? But... but you told me that her mother died in an accident and you adopted her from an orphanage. You... you lied..."

"What? You bitch!" Brenna dashes towards Iris and slaps her.

"Stop! Don't... don't her." Elroy shouts as tears threaten to fall from Iris' eyes.

"You!" Brenna points her sharp nailed index finger at Elroy with a rage. But suddenly, she starts laughing hysterically.

"Hahaha... so you know nothing. Well bitch, how many secrets have you kept from him?" She looks at Iris who is pleading Brenna with tearful eyes to not to say anything.

"Secrets? Iris! For god's sake spit out the truth! What are you hiding? Please say something. Please." Nervousness quivers Elroy's voice as she looks at Iris with concern.

"Yes Iris. Please say the truth. Please." Brenna mimics Elroy folding her palms together. But soon her mocking tone becomes serious, "Please say how you stole my Ciana from the hospital and why? Because you fucking can't save your own daughter."

Like a blast, the last words shock Elroy and Iris from the core. Tears drop from Iris' eyes as she stares at Brenna while Elroy looks at Iris and mumbles "own daughter?"

"What do you think, I don't know anything? I know how that night because of your own carelessness your daughter died and you... you stole my child to repent your sin!" For the first time Brenna chokes as her eyes moisten.

"No... No! No!" Iris shouts as she nods her head desperately.

"I... I tried to save my daughter. Believe me El, I tried my best to save our daughter. But I lost... I lost as a mother. I fail... failed to protect our child El. I fa-il-ed. But... I didn't stea... steal Ciana. I... I agree I thought once that I'll steal... steal her. But I didn't. It was her father. He sounded so help... helpless. He... he was beg... begging me to take Ciana away. I didn't steal her." Iris breaks into tears as Elroy stares at her. His lips are shut tight. His bloodshot eyes are blank. Brenna comes near Iris and says in a calm voice, "I know you didn't steal her. But... you shouldn't have listened to that man. Do you know what happened to him? He is... dead. I. Killed. Him. And now it's time for your punishment bitch." Brenna moves away and walks towards the door. But halting in her tracks she says, "Talk to your poor husband. He is still in shock. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? And yes, don't try to do anything stupid." Saying this, the corner of her lips twitches upward as she leaves.

☆☆☆

Three exhausted people rushes out of the burnt house as they look at each other helplessly.

"Where is El, Sean? Where is he?" Luna screams at Sean as he tries to calm her down.

"Calm down Luna. Maybe he woke up before us and left to search others. It can happen right?" Sean tries to reason but Luna keeps on nodding no.

"I don't know anything. Give me my brother back. You!" He rushes towards David and holds his collar. "You are an officer right? It means you know this place well enough. Why don't you fucking do something? Where is my brother? Answer me dammit! Where is my family?" Sean pulls a hysterical Luna away from David with all his force.

"Listen! Luna! Stop behaving like this!" Holding her arms firmly Sean tries to keep her quiet, but she continues screaming. Finding no other way to stop her, Sean slaps Luna which brings her back to senses. She looks at him as her tear-stained cheek shows five fingerprints. Feeling guilty, Sean cups her cheeks and says in a calm voice, "I'm sorry, sweetie. But please try to understand. We'll not be able to find them if you behave like this. We have to calm down and look for clues."

Tired, Luna crashes her head on Sean's chest as he embraces her in a warm hug.

"I want my family back Sean. I... I can't live without them.I can't..." A lump of tear stops Luna's words while Sean wipes the brewing tears from the corner of his eyes.

"Sh... don't worry. We'll find them." Sean rubs her back when suddenly he frowns looking at something. Following his gaze, David looks on the ground where a wallet is lying.

"What is that?" Sean breaks the embrace while David rushes diagonally at the spot. As he picks up the wallet, Luna's eyes widen, and she limps towards David. Sean rushes after her as she snatches the wallet from David.

"This is El's!" She quickly opens it and caresses the family picture where all four of them are smiling. David leaves a long breath but Sean stares at the picture. Flicker of emotions are passing through his bluish green eyes. He snatches the wallet from Luna and asks, "Who... who are they?"

Luna frowns seeing Sean's pale face but replies, "You know El. The one who has red hair is Iris, my best friend and also sister-in-law and that little sweet black head is Ciana, their adoptive daughter. But, they love each other too much. A happy, perfect family. And Iris is also pregnant. The baby will arrive within few days. They were so excited for this vacation. But... god knows who cast an evil eye on them." Wiping a dropping tear from her cheek, he looks at Sean who has turned pale.

"Sean? Are you okay?" Luna shakes Sean as he mumbles, "Iris and Ciana. Iris is pregnant. They are kidnapped. No... No. No. It can't be." He looks at David and shouts, "David! We'll need more help. They... they are in grave danger. What date is today?"

David and Luna frown seeing Sean's sudden change in behaviour, "Answer me. What is today's date?"

"31st December. But why?" Luna asks while Sean shouts, "Shit! Not again. This is not happening again. David, please hurry! We have to save them before new year starts."

"Okay. I need the chopper to send signals." David says as he dashes for the forest.

"Sean! What the hell is happening?" Luna shouts as Sean looks on the ground intently.

"I'll tell you everything. But not now. We don't have time. Let's go. Hurry." Sean pulls Luna, but she doesn't budge.

"But where will we go?" Sean points at the ground where there are drops of blood.

"Look at these drops. They are not regular. I'm sure we'll find more blood under the snow because of the last night's snowfall. But the visible drops are enough to understand that they have gone diagonally. So, we'll follow this trail of blood." Luna nods while Sean holds her hand as they follow the splatters of blood.

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