The basketball court was almost empty.
Practice had ended nearly thirty minutes ago.
Most of the team had already left.
Ethan Carter sat alone on the bleachers.
A basketball resting beside him.
His shirt was damp with sweat.
His hair messy.
Normally he would've gone home already.
But lately?
Home felt quieter than it used to.
And every time things became quiet—
His mind drifted back to Lia Thompson.
A laugh.
A smile.
A memory.
Ethan immediately stood up.
Annoyed with himself.
"Get it together."
After another practice ended, Ethan Carter headed home.
His muscles ached.
His shirt was damp with sweat.
And honestly?
The only thing he wanted was a shower and sleep.
Twenty minutes later—
Ethan stepped out of the bathroom, rubbing a towel through his wet hair.
Fresh clothes.
Fresh hoodie.
Finally feeling human again.
He was about to throw himself onto his bed when his phone suddenly rang.
Ava.
Ethan frowned.
Ava rarely called him.
Especially at night.
He answered.
"Hello?"
Ava sounded worried.
Really worried.
"Ethan, have you seen Lia?"
His stomach immediately tightened.
"No."
Silence.
Then Ava spoke again.
"She's not answering."
Ethan started walking toward the parking lot.
"What do you mean?"
"I've called her six times."
His pace quickened.
"Maybe she's sleeping."
"No."
Ava's voice shook slightly.
"She worked today."
A pause.
"She always tells me when she gets home."
Now Ethan felt it too.
That strange feeling.
The one that told you something wasn't right.
"Have you called Ryan?"
"He's not answering either."
Ethan frowned.
That was unusual.
Very unusual.
"Okay."
He unlocked his car.
"Stay home."
"What?"
"Just stay home."
Before Ava could argue—
He ended the call.
Then immediately called Lia.
Once.
No answer.
Twice.
No answer.
Three times.
Nothing.
His grip tightened around the phone.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Then he remembered something.
Months ago—
After a school safety incident—
Several students had shared emergency locations with close friends.
Lia had never removed hers.
Ethan opened the location app.
And froze.
A blinking dot.
Lia's location.
Not moving.
One spot.
For nearly twenty minutes.
His heart started pounding.
"Come on..."
He jumped into his car.
And drove.
Meanwhile—
Ryan Blake was searching the alley.
The same alley where Lia had disappeared.
His chest felt tight.
His thoughts racing.
Then he saw it.
A faint glow near a trash bin.
A phone.
Lia's phone.
Ryan immediately ran toward it.
The screen was cracked.
The call history still open.
His call.
The one that ended suddenly.
Ryan's blood ran cold.
"Lia..."
He picked up the phone.
And climbed back into his car.
Determined to search every street if he had to.
Meanwhile—
Ethan was speeding across town.
Eyes locked on the GPS.
Then suddenly—
The location started moving.
Ethan blinked.
"What?"
The dot was changing.
Driving.
Fast.
His pulse jumped.
Was Lia escaping?
Had someone taken her?
He didn't know.
But he followed.
Street after street.
Turn after turn.
Until finally—
The GPS led him to an industrial district.
A place filled with warehouses.
Dark roads.
And almost nobody around.
Then Ethan saw a familiar car parked ahead.
His eyes narrowed.
"No way."
Ryan Blake.
Ethan stepped out of his car.
At the exact same moment—
Ryan stepped out of his.
Both froze.
Neither expected the other.
Then Ethan noticed something.
In Ryan's hand.
Lia's phone.
His stomach dropped.
Ryan noticed where Ethan was staring.
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Then Ethan asked the question neither of them wanted to hear.
"Where's Lia?"
Ryan looked down at the cracked phone.
Then back at Ethan.
His voice was low.
Cold.
And full of fear.
"I was hoping you knew."
TO BE CONTINUED...