CHAPTER 459: CHAPTER 276: FOUND THE SUSPECT!_3

Left with no other option, Dean took Louise and drove to the airport’s departure hall. He planned to survey the scene and, while there, check the surveillance footage...

...

「At this moment.」

In a brightly lit, lavishly decorated room, Ross’s fiancée, Gaia, opened her eyes, feeling confused and weak. Her mind was still groggy; she could only remember being in the restroom. When she came out, she had been shocked to find everyone gone. Then, something had covered her mouth from behind... After that, Gaia knew nothing. She could only be sure that she had been attacked.

She shook her head a few times and became slightly more alert. Gaia wanted to get up and survey her surroundings. But for some reason, she still felt weak; most of her muscles seemed beyond her control, making it impossible for her to stand. A wave of panic began to spread through her.

Calm down! she told herself. The training said that in situations like this, staying calm is the only hope for rescue!

Gaia came from a minor noble family and had received some education in this regard. She forced herself to calm down and, drawing on her family’s special instruction, began to observe her surroundings.

The room struck Gaia as very strange at first glance. A long, heavy table was set with delicate candlesticks, fruit bowls, a tablecloth, wine glasses, dinnerware, knives and forks, and a vase holding a beautiful floral arrangement. Beneath her feet lay a thick red carpet. Judging by these elements alone, it looked like a place where a nobleman might invite a lady for a dinner date.

But Gaia was no ordinary woman. She came from a noble family and had a keen eye.

The seemingly exquisite dinnerware—fake!

The red carpet underfoot—fake!

The fruit in the fruit bowl—fake!

The heavy, antique-looking dining table—also fake!

These are all cheap, mass-produced items!

The most ridiculous part was the area not illuminated by the lights.

If she wasn’t mistaken, that looked like a prop wall and staircase over there.

Could this be some kind of film set?

Just as Gaia was trying to figure out where she was,

TAP. TAP.

A hollow tapping sound echoed from all directions.

Simultaneously, a voice with a carefully modulated intonation emanated from above. "Beautiful lady, welcome to my home. I know you might be confused right now, but so that we may both share a beautiful memory, please listen very carefully to what I am about to say."

Only then did Gaia notice a speaker and a camera mounted above her head.

I’m imprisoned!

She clenched her trembling fists, struggling to remain calm, and said in a quavering voice, "Go on!"

It seemed there was a microphone installed as well, picking up her voice.

The man, hidden somewhere out of sight, heard Gaia speak. He paused for a few minutes, then said, his voice tight with suppressed excitement, "Such a wonderful voice! I have a premonition... you can fulfill my lifelong dream!"

His tone and manner of speaking were very strange. Or rather, not just strange, but artificial—like a terrible actor attempting to mimic lines from a movie. Lacking any real depth, his delivery sounded forced and unnatural, a pale imitation.

But Gaia didn’t dare mock him.

The first rule of self-rescue, Gaia reminded herself. Until help arrives, I must ensure my own safety at all costs. Do nothing to provoke the kidnapper!

Gaia knew the kind of influence Ross’s family wielded. She believed that if she could just stall for time, she would eventually be rescued. Therefore, until that moment, her own safety was paramount.

So, Gaia ventured a response, "As long as you guarantee my safety, I will do my best to meet your demands, sir."

"Yes, that’s it!" the voice on the intercom cried.

"That’s the feeling! Exactly!"

"Mother, I’ve found her! Come and see, Mother! I’ve found the woman who can replace you! She’s destined to be the perfect leading lady, to perform the final act with me, to complete your dream!"

"She is, isn’t she, Mother?"

The man on the other end of the speaker seemed to descend into madness again. His obviously unhinged state shattered the courage Gaia had painstakingly mustered. Tears she could no longer suppress streamed down her face. She lay on the floor, gazing weakly at the crude, peeling ceiling, sobbing silently.

It’s terrifying out here!

I want to go home...

...

「Meanwhile.」

Dean and Louise had arrived at the airport restroom where Gaia had disappeared.

Las Vegas isn’t actually very large; most hotels in the city can be reached within about a thirty-minute drive. Consequently, this tourist and gambling hub effectively has only one major airport: Las Vegas McCarran International. This resulted in strained flight schedules, and even now, past nine in the evening, the airport was still bustling with people.

Louise asked, "Should we check the surveillance footage first, or investigate the restroom itself?"

She had already coordinated with airport authorities, so two airport security guards were accompanying them to provide assistance.

Dean, however, said nothing. He simply stood at a distance from the restroom entrance, carefully scrutinizing the surroundings.

There wasn’t much to see in the restroom itself, he thought. The crucial point was that Ross had been right outside the restroom entrance at the time. Inside, besides Ross’s fiancée, other women were using the facilities. For the perpetrator to have silently abducted Gaia, they would have first needed to incapacitate her. Then, they’d have to place her in a large suitcase or some other bulky container and finally, depart without attracting any attention or suspicion, practically right under Ross’s nose.