Case File 103

Case File Name:
Frozen Over.

♤Chapter One Hundred-Three♤

"He's so perfect," Marie said, cradling Tahir as Mav and Vic stood behind her almost wordlessly.

I smiled as I leaned into Tazmin's side, sitting with her in the hospital bed, "Perfect still doesn't begin to describe him," I determined, relaxing in the hospital bed as I watched them all stare down at Tahir.

It's currently the next evening after giving birth and Tahir has already gotten his footprints and handprints done—he also had his very first check-up, but I think the doctor mentioned another one before we get discharged.

I can't wait to finally bring him home and show him his room.

"I still can't believe you had a baby," Vic said, hesitantly taking Tahir from Marie when she carefully handed him over.

"No for real," Mav added, watching as Vic held Tahir, cradling his head for support.

"I think we're both still processing," Tazmin said, placing a soft kiss to my temple.

"Yeah it's still pretty surreal," I admitted, leaning even closer to my wife as I unconsciously glanced over to the hospital door that slowly opened.

I smiled, noticing Tazmin's parents were back with smoothies that they picked up for us all.

"How's T doing?" Elena asked as she and Pierre began passing out the smoothies.

My smile grew, "Amazing," I sighed contently, taking the pink smoothie from her extended hand.

"And how are you?" Elena asked me, standing beside my hospital bed.

"Just as amazing now that he's here," I admitted, taking a small sip of my smoothie.

Even if it didn't feel like I had that much of an appetite.

Especially since I just wanted Tahir to myself, and everyone's holding him and passing him around.

But I think that's just my own instincts kicking in.

"Only a few more hours and we'll be home baby," Tazmin whispered softly in my ear, her dark eyes on me while my stare remained strictly on Tahir.

I nodded, "Just a few," I whispered, glancing over to the door that opened yet again.

Only this time my sister and Zane walked in with Nadia—who would be meeting Tahir for the first time.

"Where's T at? Can I see him?" Nadia immediately asked as soon as she walked into the room.

I couldn't help but smile, "Of course honey—just go wash your hands first please," I said, earning a few repetitive nods from Nadia—who headed over to the sink as Zane set down the flowers they got me.

I swear half of this room is taken up by numerous flowers that we had received. 

"How's our champion doing?" Zane asked me, his tone light and joking as he approached me with Morana.

Who immediately pulled me into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you," my sister whispered to me, briefly kissing my cheek.

Which naturally made a smile stretch onto my face, "I'm good," I told Zane, glancing back over to my sister as I reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Thank you," I whispered back to her.

Morana immediately nodded, "Of course—congratulations to you both," she said with a growing smile.

"Thank you," Tazmin said, her tone nothing but warm with them both.

"You both are going to be great parents," Zane said, smiling at us both before he backed away to go wash his hands with Nadia, "I can't wait to hold T," he determined as he turned the sink back on.

Meanwhile, Nadia had already dried her hands off and impatiently walked over to Vic.

"You need to sit down first Nadi," Morana told her, which immediately earned a nod from Nadia who sat down in one of the chairs beside Marie.

And I swear I drew in the deepest breath, watching as Vic carefully lowered Tahir down into Nadia's small arms—still supporting his head while my niece held him.

But I swear it was a sight for the sorest of eyes.

I couldn't even bother to fight the tears that burned in my eyes, processing the view of them while Elena took pictures to capture the moment.

"They're already the cutest cousins," Tazmin whispered to me, gently guiding me closer to her side as she caressed my arm to help soothe me.

"So cute," I forced out in a whisper, watching as Nadia smiled down at Tahir—whispering a few things to him.

At least until the door to our room slowly opened again and a nurse walked through with another.

They both had smiles on their faces as they greeted us all—informing us that it was time for both mine and Tahir's last check-up before we got to leave.

Nadia was sad for a moment, especially since they had to leave the room for a moment while I got my blood pressure taken and my heart rate checked.

They also asked me a few various questions, ensuring I would be good to go.

Until finally, my check-up was done and everyone was allowed to enter the room again.

Nadia specifically came over to talk to Tazmin, pulling up her Wordle so they could play together.

Everyone else conversed lightly, talking about various things while I stayed to myself—awaiting for Tahir to be back in the room.

It was strange but even being away from him made me feel unsettled.

Like I could physically cry from it.

"So sorry we just need to do one more check on blood pressure," the nurse suddenly said, hesitantly walking into the crowded room. 

I smiled, "No worries," I assured her, holding out my finger for the clamp device that read my blood pressure, "How much longer will it be with Tahir?" I asked, watching as the nurse wrote down my blood pressure.

"Oh he's with your sister," the nurse said, glancing over to Tazmin, "Gia's down with him in the nursery—it's so cute."

I drew in a deep breath, suddenly feeling everything shift around me.

It wasn't the talking that halted in the room or how Tazmin suddenly stood from the bed.

It was something more internal—like a force that weighed everything inside of me down.

I can't breathe.

"Get Nadia out of here," I told Morana, drawing in deeper breaths when tears grew in my eyes, "I need everyone out of here."

My sister immediately nodded along with Marie and the twins who exited the room.

Even if Nadia's small voice asked numerous questions on why she had to leave.

I couldn't even tell her bye.

I couldn't tell anyone bye—much less form words.

Meanwhile, Elena stayed back waiting for Pierre who had rushed out of our room with Tazmin and the nurse.

"Lena," I heard Elena's echoey voice.

I shook my head, keeping my face in my hands as I prayed for him to be okay.

Gia can't hurt him.

If she hurts him I swear to god—

"We'll figure this out, I'm sure Taz and Pierre are down there with them now," Elena assured me, gently rubbing my back as more tears burned in my eyes.

I could hear the distant heart rate monitor grow with quicker beeps—feeling like my entire world had frozen over.

Minutes felt like hours as I waited for Tazmin to get back with him, keeping my face in my hands as I continued to pray over and over again.

But my thoughts had another plan—they naturally imagined numerous scenarios of what Gia could have done.

She can't hurt him.

Please she can't hurt him—he's only a baby.

He's done nothing wrong. 

I immediately lifted my face from my hands, hearing footsteps echo into my room.

Tazmin was the very first person I looked to.

Her arms specifically.

Which were empty.

Tears immediately filled my eyes, blurring everything around me as I physically began losing my mind.

"Where is he?" I forced out, suddenly standing from the hospital bed even if my legs felt so unstable under me, "Where's Tahir?"

Tazmin took a step toward me, "Milena—"

"No," I cut her short, motioning her back, "Just don't... I-I just want to know where he is," I forced out, stumbling over my words as I naturally began to hiccup.

Tazmin drew in a visibly deep breath, "We need to be alone right now," she told her parents, who immediately nodded—backing out of the room to give us some space.

I only shook my head as I leaned against the bed, tears burning down my face as Tazmin approached me.

"I called Roman on the way up—"

"Gia took him?" I cut her short in a broken whisper, meeting her dark eyes.

That suddenly grew heavy with tears, nodding almost three times in a row—clearly unable to string together the words to say our son had been kidnapped.

My eyes grew heavier with tears, suddenly leaning away from the bed to pull Tazmin into a hug.

"I'm sorry Mil, I swear I tried—"

"Shhh," I murmured, running my arms around her waist as I nuzzled my face into her neck, "It's not your fault," I assured her even if more tears burned in my eyes.

"It feels like my fault—she's my fucking sister," Tazmin forced out as she held me so close to her body, "And she took him. We were supposed to protect him."

"We will protect him," I whispered, drawing in a deeper breath to help control my tears, "You called Roman and so... we'll get him back," I determined, desperately trying to think on the positive side of things.

Mostly for both of our sakes.

"We'll get him back," Tazmin whispered, nuzzling in closer to me as she let out a long tight sigh, "I swear I'll fucking kill her to get him back."

I nodded a few times, hugging her so tightly to my body.

"I already have a hit put out on Gia too—if anyone spots her they'll bring her and Tahir in," Tazmin said, her tone nothing but assuring as she ran her hands up my back, falling deeper into the hug.

I nodded yet again—feeling the world still for a moment around us, remaining silent in the hug we shared as we both prayed for the best outcome.

An outcome that for once we were both unsure of.

Hopefully, the FBI can help us get Tahir back safely.

♤

"We're getting everything traced now—whether it's traffic cams or satellites," Roman said, sitting at our dining room table with me.

Tazmin couldn't begin to sit down though, she had paced back and forth noticeably on edge.

The hospital discharged me an hour ago, and they had a thorough discussion with not just my wife but an agent working with the FBI.

It mostly regarded anything we could get on Gia.

But also, it was about them letting her in the nursery.

Aside from Gia previously working there, she shouldn't have that kind of clearance.

A couple of nurses are definitely about to lose their jobs—and if we don't get Tahir back I'm willing to sue the hospital into debt if that's what it takes.

"I got the hospital records from her stillbirth," Tazmin added, knowing that Gia most likely did this because she thought Tazmin played a role in her daughter's death, "I also reached out to Dorian."

I nodded a few times, knowing that Gia should know the full truth.

Even the part about Dorian playing a role in all of this.

"How long will it take to get an update?" I asked, mostly growing worried at the idea of Gia feeding Tahir formula.

We just started the cycle of breastfeeding in the hospital.

"It could be any minute now—I think they're almost done with checking the traffic cams," Roman told me as he typed on his computer, keeping his phone lit up as we waited for one of the agents to call.

I glanced to my wife, who was pacing near the window, arms crossed tightly against her chest.

Her jaw was tight, the weight of everything sinking in.

It had been hours since we had any sort of update, and with each passing minute, the gnawing dread in my chest only grew fucking heavier.

"Breathe, baby," I said softly to her, even though I could barely keep it together myself.

Tazmin paused for a second, glancing back at me, "I just can't stop thinking about where she's taken him—or what she plans to do," she sighed, running her hands anxiously through her blonde hair.

I nodded, but before I could say anything—

Roman's phone buzzed on the table.

We all visibly froze.

But Roman quickly picked it up and put the call on speaker, his expression nothing but focused.

"We've got a hit," came the voice from the other end of the line, an agent we had met earlier. "Traffic cam footage shows Gia leaving the hospital in a silver sedan. It was spotted heading north, just past Fort Lauderdale."

Tazmin drew in a deep breath, and my heart pounded so fucking hard in my ears.

"Where did she go next?" I asked, leaning forward, every nerve in my body on edge.

The agent hesitated for a brief moment before continuing, "She turned off into a smaller town near Lake Okeechobee. We traced her to a lake house that, according to records, has belonged to the Moretti family—"

"For generations," Tazmin cut her short, already aware of the place Gia had gone.

"Yes and it's pretty isolated, no immediate neighbors, and hard to spot from the main road," the agent added more details.

I nodded, knowing exactly where Lake Okeechobee is.

It was only a few hours north, a sprawling lake, quiet, secluded.

The perfect place to disappear.

Roman's eyes met mine, his usual calm expression now more serious, "We'll get there before she has a chance to move again," he assured us.

I let out a breath, my fingers trembling as I reached for Tazmin's hand.

I held her tight, feeling her pulse beneath my fingertips.

"We need to go," Tazmin said urgently, holding my hand tight in hers with the most serious look on her face.

I could tell we were on the same page.

We would both kill for Tahir.

"We have a team already en route," Roman said, keeping his voice steady, "Tazmin we need you to be there—you're her sister and you have a lot of information about the past to help talk her down."

Tazmin immediately nodded, even if the idea of my wife being so close to this dangerous situation troubled me.

But I also knew she would bring Tahir home.

She would ensure that he would be okay.

"Let's go," Roman said, walking through the house with us following closely behind him.

And as we approached the front door, my heart pounded in my chest, knowing that this wasn't just about getting Tahir back.

It was about stopping Gia before it was too late.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.

And then, just as we were stepping into the car, Roman's phone buzzed again—immediately earning his attention.

"I don't think you're going to like this," he said with a deep sigh, staring down at the message.

"What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper as Tazmin paused beside me.

"They just lost the signal," Roman said, making everything crumble around us.