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Gwen starts to sob, "I don't know. We were both so tired yesterday that I said some stuff, and then she said some things. I just got the feeling that she has given up on life. She would take it if she got a chance to leave forever. Ryan, please come fast. Jen, I-I can't lose her too."
Since our parents ' funeral, Gwen has never cried like this, but nothing has affected her so profoundly. And I understand. Gwen hasn't been able to adjust to the loss of our parents as I have. I am older and have been connected to Arnoult since before our parents' death, but Gwen wasn't close to them like I was. She had been lonely until the day she suddenly seemed brighter. I just thought she had finally lightened up, but who would have thought it was Jen who suddenly made everything right in her life.
And I suddenly fear that if I can't find and get Cale back safe and sound, it can ruin three lives, all of which matter to me.
Getting to the hotel, I have Gray call for an ambulance as I take the elevator to the suite. When I enter Gwen's room, I see her haggard from sitting on the couch with a laptop. I turn to the other side and find Jen lying on Gwen's bed, covered with a thick quilt and a cooling pad on her forehead.
Rushing over to her side, I immediately remove my hand and check her temperature. She is burning.
Looking over at Gwen so focused on the laptop, I can't help shouting at her, "What in the world are you doing now?"
Gwen glances up momentarily and then refocuses, "Did you check Jen's laptop?"
I blink, confused at her. I planned to check her laptop once before, but things quickly turned, so I completely forgot, "Is that Jen's?"
Gwen nods, "Yeah. The day Jen sneaked out with my car keys, I entered her room to get her laptop. I didn't have her password then, so I took it when you came in."
I can't help frowning at Gwen, "You two are almost two peas in a pod. She took your keys secretly, and you took her laptop."
Gwen turns the screen to me, "I did what I thought I had to, and I was right. Look, this was just sent in right before Charles' death. Exactly ten minutes before."
Curious. I see that Charles had sent over a folder of Zip files. Joining Gwen on the couch, "Go ask Gray when the ambulance will arrive."
Gwen nods as I turn the computer towards me to open and read Charles's last message.
'I'm sorry, Jen. I never wanted to get you or anyone else involved, but I am not strong enough. They threatened that they would let me go if I called you to my house, but they never planned to let me go. In my last moments, I am sending you these files as an apology and revenge against those bastards who are about to kill me. I'm sorry, but I hope you live and take revenge for your husband and me. Yes. Your husband's files are in there. I hope you can forgive me for being such a lousy friend.
Goodbye.'
The bastard. Cursing the guy, I turn to the files and look through the records. Each record is labeled differently – scandal, criminal, terrorist, missing persons, murder. Opening the murder records, I see that these have been created since News Daily was established. They record murders of people who never made it to the news or were solved, even though it contained autopsy reports. One can see how much power the people responsible for this have.
Then my eyes settle upon the missing person records. Opening it, I go through the list of people, recognizing someone from a famous family who had never been reported as missing. I understand that some of these records are planning these crimes. It is like a hit list. I find Cale's name on it.
I can't help breathing shakily as I finally figure out whose property Cale could be trapped in and at the fact that it said he is to be traded as an enslaved person internationally when Jen suddenly starts moaning and twisting in pain. She has to get to the hospital. Where are Gray and Gwen?
I send the files to Mike's email address and go over to Jen to pick her up when I notice her sweat has utterly soaked her clothes. I have to change her clothes before getting her to the hospital.
Taking any shirt and pants from Gwen's closet, I strip Jen of my sweatshirt, trying not to look at her exposed chest, and pause at her underwear.
I can't help swallowing, but I must snap out of it. Stripping her of my underwear, soaked with sweat, she turns me on a little. Disgusted at my ability to get turned on in the weirdest or most desperate situations, I suppress my dirty thoughts and dress her before anyone can come in.
Finally dressed, I pick Jen up. Her unbelievably high temperature, hot deep breaths, and unconscious state worry me. I place her back down and take the glass of water from her side table. She is ultimately out, so I give it to her mouth-to-mouth.
Throughout our last time, I avoided kissing her because I felt that was too personal for our actions. Taking medicine for her fever, I press my lips against hers, pushing open her mouth with my tongue, making her moan. Pushing in the medication, I rise, sip the water, and bend back down to let her drink some.
Jen seems to wake up whimpering, her voice hoarse and her actions weak, "No. I don't want it. Get away from me."
I soothe her, rubbing her back, "Jen, it's me, Ryan. Didn't you say you would wait for me? So, take medicine for now. I'll bring your Cale back. I promise."
Jen's hazy eyes open, "Ryan? Will you bring him back? Liar. They all said the same thing, but they never brought them back."
Feeling a pang, I meet her eyes, "Please just believe me this once. If I don't fulfill my promise, I will follow you to the other world."
Jen's eyes tear up, "Just once, then."
I nod, "Just once."
I return my lips to hers, even though she is conscious now. Just as she swallows the medicine, she falls asleep, and I bump into Gwen and Gray, "Ryan, we were about to come to get you. The ambulance can't come. It's been blocked because of the flood, rain, and traffic."
