Eric wasn't angry; he looked forward to Tiffany picking him up. He obediently waited at the school gate's pavilion, designated for parent pick-ups. The surroundings were noisy, but his spot was relatively quiet. However, an elderly woman with a hunched back approached, weakly asking, "Hey, kid, could you help me buy a bottle of water? I'm not feeling well and need it for my medicine."
Eric glanced at her. She had graying hair, wore a dust mask and hat, and carried cleaning tools. He was surprised: her cleaning tools were dirty, but her clothes were clean and neat. Even her hands were clean. He gave her a strange look.
The woman said haltingly, "I don't feel well. Please help me."
"Alright, please wait a moment," Eric replied. Well-brought-up, he immediately got up to buy water. But as he stood, someone covered his mouth and nose from behind—the old woman!
He struggled, but her hoarse voice gradually normalized, revealing a familiar laugh. "Well, Eric. You can't even recognize your aunt…" Her voice turned fierce. "You deserve to die!"
Eric's heart skipped a beat; he fainted.
When Tiffany arrived, most students had left. She wasn't late, but couldn't find Eric. David suggested he might have gone home early.
"No way," Tiffany shook her head. Knowing Eric, he would wait until dark.
A classmate emerged. Tiffany rushed over, asking, "Hi, have you seen Eric Kelley, my brother?"
"I remember he was the first to leave. Why's he gone? Did he go somewhere to play?"
"Okay, thanks. Go home," Tiffany said. The girl waved and skipped away.
Tiffany's heart sank. "David, check the school's surveillance footage. Something must have happened to Eric!"
David's expression turned solemn. "Alright, I'll go now." He rushed into the school.
It was an elite school with high tuition; every child had some influence, making them valuable to the school. Eric, a rare prodigy, shouldn't still be in primary school.
After David left, Tiffany took a deep breath. She smelled dust and a faint floral scent. Following the scent to the pavilion, the scent was stronger, indicating Eric's recent presence. But there was alsothe smell of a hallucinogen!
Her eyes widened; she ran to her car, intending to follow the scent, but realized she'd sent David away and didn't know how to drive. Getting David back would take time; they needed surveillance footage to identify Eric's kidnapper.
Spotting an unlocked car, she jumped in without a word, saying, "I'll pay you anything. Drive!"
Silence. She turned to see Kenneth. "Why is Kenneth everywhere I go?" she thought.
"Wait!" Kenneth said, grabbing her hand and starting the car. "Sit tight." He sped off, ignoring Tiffany's protests.
"Alright, it's come to this. My brother matters most. The scent's fading," Tiffany thought, fastening her seatbelt and pointing. "There! Drive faster!"
Kenneth, surprised by her urgency, asked, "Did something happen?"
"My brother was kidnapped."
"What?" Kenneth's expression turned serious; he drove recklessly, ignoring traffic laws.
Tiffany smelled the fading scent, directing Kenneth. "Turn left… Straight ahead… Sharp turn ahead…" The area became remote, but the scent persisted. Still, she couldn't relax. Her family's destruction five years prior, a result of her imprisonment, haunted her.
"Drive straight!"
Kenneth pressed harder on the gas. He wondered how Tiffany knew the direction—was there a locator on Eric? But the situation wasn't suitable for questions.
The scent intensified. Tiffany urged, "Faster!" She felt lucky; Eric was afraid of insects, and she'd made him an insect-repelling bracelet with a calming scent, which he wore constantly. It was the scent she was following.
"How much further?" Kenneth asked, pulling into a remote area.
"About five hundred yards," Tiffany replied. They reached a newly built straw hut, highly flammable. Tiffany's expression changed. Those materials were highly flammable!