Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

Jasper and Alyssa arrived at the abandoned factory just as Landon did.
Landon stepped out of the car, his complexion pallid, his eyes emanating a chilling intensity. In the glow of the car's headlights, a menacing glint flickered in
his gaze.
"Where's Lauren? Does anyone have any updates?" Landon's eyes widened in desperation as he spoke, his voice cracking from the strain on his dry, cracked lips. His throat felt hoarse, each word a struggle to utter.
Jasper noticed everything, feeling an unspeakable pain gripping his heart. Witnessing Landon's successive blows, he understood that despite his outward appearance, Landon was likely on the verge of an emotional collapse.
"Angelina has already arrived. She's tracking them, but I can't reach her when I tried calling her just now!"
Alyssa whipped out her phone and gritted her teeth. "Phone signals are jammed here. The kidnappers chose this place on purpose! Motherfucking bastards!"
"Alyssa, stay calm. I anticipated this. Xavier has reached out to the telecommunications company under the Beckett Group.
"We've put in an urgent request to get a portable emergency communications system and some new equipment. This will recover our phone signals to a certain degree." Jasper pulled her in by the waist and hugged her tightly.
The reason why he was so well-prepared for a kidnapping was because he had gone through whatever Lauren was experiencing right now.
"Angelina is a sharp investigator. It'll be alright. She'll find her. She'll find her..." Landon's voice trembled as he repeated those words, almost like he was trying to convince himself rather than reassure the others.
Ignoring the others, he started toward the back of the mountain. Jasper intercepted him, blocking his path. "Landon, where are you going?"
"I'm going to find Lauren." Landon's gaze was unfocused. It was as if he was in a daze.
"By yourself? You'd never find them even if you combed the whole place!"
Jasper's eyes were steely. "Don't panic. The men Alyssa and I brought are searching for her right now, and Cyrus will be here soon!"
"Don't worry? Jasper, the one who got kidnapped is Lauren, my lifeline!"
Landon suddenly howled, and his gaze took on a crazed sheen. "I don't have anything left except for Lauren. If anything happened to Lauren. If anything happened to Lauren."
He couldn't continue his words.
He was still alive, but right now, he felt no difference from being dead.
Just then, Cyrus and the police came. There were enough men to surround the entire factory area. They released drones to search the place.
"Squad One, search the back of the mountain! Squad Two, come with me!"
"Yes, Chief Cyrus!"
Cyrus felt pain in his chest every time he took a breath, thanks to the blow Remy landed on him.
His colleagues urged him to go for a hospital checkup. If his internal organs were damaged, he could be in critical danger. But in that moment, how could he focus on his own well-being? His concerns were solely for Lauren's safety.
"Cyrus!" Alyssa noticed that Cyrus wasn't looking great, so she quickly went forward and held him.
"I'm fine. Don't you worry."
Cyrus sighed deeply. When he looked at Landon, he suddenly felt a rush of emotion. "Mr. Landon, I'm sorry. I..."
"I don't blame you," Landon interrupted him. His voice sounded disoriented while the wind whistled around them. "You've always done your best to protect Lauren, I know that. The people who kidnapped Lauren were most likely targeting me. I'm the one who hurt her."
When Cyrus heard that, his guilt only intensified.
He even wished that Landon would grab him by the collar and give him a few blows, insulting him with the worst sort of profanities.
Lauren's hands were still bound, but she was like a roaring lion in a cage, using all her might to break free. With an aggression that was never seen before, she attacked her enemies with uninhibited rage.
However, her weak body couldn't keep it up, and soon she was subdued.