CHAPTER 8: RISA IS CAPTURED

The night was moonless. Only the faint glow from a village streetlamp lit the area outside their homestay. Inside, it was quieter than usual. Nico had fallen asleep on the sofa clutching a bolster, while Liam stared intently at his laptop, digging for more information about Dr. Johan’s lab security system.

Zara stood in the kitchen, stirring Milo in a blue plastic cup. Aiman leaned against the wall, holding a piece of paper filled with notes they had copied from Mr. Hadi’s secret files.

“Where’s Risa?” Aiman asked, suddenly realising one of them was missing.

Zara looked toward the slightly open bedroom door. “She said she was stepping out for a bit. Didn’t say where. Just wanted some air.”

Aiman stood up straight. “She went out alone?”

Zara nodded. “She usually does. She’s not afraid of the dark.”

Aiman checked his watch. Almost 2 a.m.

“Liam!” he called.

Liam looked up, startled. “What?”

“Track Risa’s phone. Now.”

Liam quickly launched an app on his laptop. “If she’s got location sharing on like usual, we can…”

A blinking red dot appeared on the map. It moved slowly. Then it stopped.

“She’s... at Mount Lambak,” Liam said, frowning. “Near the old entrance we saw.”

Zara slammed her spoon into the sink. “She’s nuts going there in the middle of the night!”

Aiman took a deep breath. “We’re going after her. Now.”

________________________________________

Armed with just two flashlights and a digital camera, the three of them raced through the forest trail. The road to Mount Lambak was silent, accompanied only by the sound of crickets and rustling wind. Liam, as usual, was getting fidgety and whiny.

“I have finals next week,” he muttered. “If I vanish like Risa, who’s going to answer the test for me?”

Zara shot him a glare. “Keep talking and you’ll be the first one gone.”

They reached the old trail entrance Liam had marked. No one was there. The ground was still damp from the afternoon rain. Zara shone her light on a narrow side path, spotting a faint footprint.

“Someone came this way,” she said.

Aiman nodded and led them carefully down the path. The darkness grew heavier. Their flashlights bounced off mossy stones. Liam brought up the rear, constantly glancing over his shoulder.

Suddenly, Zara stopped.

“Something’s hanging from that tree branch,” she whispered.

They turned and saw a small, damp, dirt-stained purple handkerchief. Aiman recognised it instantly. It belonged to Risa.

Without another word, they quickened their pace and soon arrived near the hidden lab entrance. They crouched behind some bushes, watching.

Two men in black outfits, each wearing earpiece communicators, stood outside the concealed steel door. Between them was Risa. Her hands were tied behind her back, her mouth covered with tape.

“Risa!” Liam blurted, about to rush forward.

Zara yanked his collar. “Don’t you dare.”

The men turned at the sound but didn’t spot them. They ducked just in time.

One of them spoke into a walkie-talkie. “Subject secured. Awaiting further orders.”

Then the three disappeared into the lab, dragging Risa with them. She looked exhausted, but calm.

Once the door sealed shut, Aiman exhaled deeply.

“We’ve got less than a day before the conference ends,” he said. “If we go back without Risa, we’re not just failing... we’re losing our friend.”

Liam stared at the lab door, his face grim.

“What do we do?”

Zara pulled off her hair tie, her expression firm.

“We rescue her.”

Aiman nodded. “But we can’t just charge in. We need a plan. We need to do this the way Risa would.”

Liam blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Silently. Carefully. But this time... we’ll be the ones giving the surprise.”