Turn It Loose

Many patrons frequented the upscale restaurant, but one in particular stood out—a dark brown-haired woman seated alone, her attention split between a salad and her laptop screen. She had been there for over an hour when the sound of two light taps on her table drew her gaze upward.

“Oh—Tony? Jeez, I’m sorry. Sit down,” she said, startled but recovering quickly.

Tony smiled at her flustered greeting and took the seat across from her. “You didn’t forget about our meeting here, did you?”

Finishing the last bite of her salad, the woman closed her laptop with a soft snap and gave him her full attention. “Of course not. Go ahead—what’s up?” Tony reached into the bag at his side and pulled out a set of documents. He placed them on the table and slid them toward her. “The police need our help. Again.” He flipped through the pages, stopping on one that displayed the photos of five teenagers, roughly between the ages of 16 and 18.

“These are the victims,” he said, then turned the page to reveal an image of an adult male. “And this… is the suspect.” Emily, the woman, leaned in, her expression shifting to concern as she processed what Tony was telling her. “A kidnapping case?” she asked, eyebrows raised. “If the police have all this, why do they still need us?” Tony hesitated before answering. “This case was already in progress while you were away from New York—about five months ago. The department’s been chasing leads, but the kidnappers were always one step ahead. They knew how to vanish.”

He paused, then added, “But now… there’s been a break. One girl escaped.” He turned another page, revealing the photo of a young girl. “Maya Smith,” Emily read aloud, scanning the police statements attached. Once finished, she closed the file and handed it back to Tony.

“Alright. What do you need from me?”

“They want us to create a scenario—set a trap, basically—to get the others back. And I know you’re the best at that,” Tony said. Emily considered the request, her mind already moving through possibilities.

“…When are we doing this?”

“One week. You’ve got time to think it over,” he reassured her.

Emily nodded, taking a deep breath. “Alright, I—” Her phone vibrated in her pocket, cutting her off mid-sentence. She gave Tony an apologetic look and pulled it out. “Em! How you doing, girl?” a cheerful voice greeted her.

Emily recognized it instantly. “What’s up, Davey?” she replied in a laid-back tone, clearly used to his energy. “I won’t beat around the bush—I want to invite you to dinner tonight. Celebrating something big. Can you come?” She glanced briefly at Tony, then stood and walked toward the restaurant’s exit. “I’ll try. Don’t worry,” she said, her voice measured. “You with someone?” Davey asked, picking up on her tone.

“Yeah, but I stepped outside,” she replied, keeping things vague.

“Alright then. See you tonight.” He hung up before she could respond. Emily exhaled softly and re-entered the restaurant. Tony had already begun organizing the documents back into his bag. As she sat down, he gave her a knowing smile.

“So, you’re in?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’m in.” Tony looked relieved. He stood, gave her a warm smile, and said, “Take it easy,” before heading out the door, leaving Emily deep in thought.

***

At night, the streets of New York City shimmered with beauty. Emily drove through them, admiring the organized rows of glowing lights that lined her path. The hum of the car blended smoothly with the soft music playing from her radio, adding to the pleasant atmosphere of her ride. After a few minutes, her drive came to an end as she pulled up in front of a modest white house. She grabbed her bag from the passenger seat and stepped out of the car. With quick strides, she made her way to the door and knocked twice—then let herself in without waiting for a response.

“Joey!” she called out loudly, her voice echoing through the house as she placed her bag and jacket on the hanger near the entry. She walked further inside, looking for someone, and eventually found him in the dining room. “Do me a Favor—grab the other stuff from the kitchen,” Joey said, motioning without looking up. Emily obliged naturally, returning shortly with a plate of glasses. She placed them on the table just as Joey opened a bottle of red wine and poured two glasses.

Emily smirked at his casual theatrics. Finding a comfortable spot to sit, she commented, “I thought this would be your evening with Maddie.” Joey took a sip of wine before replying. “Before Maddie shows up, I wanted to spend a little time with my sister. It’s been five months, after all.” Emily nodded as she mirrored his action, sipping the wine. “I left because you told me to, but... it’s fine. I really did enjoy the break,” she said with a small smile. “You work too much,” Joey replied with a light chuckle. “Giving you a vacation was my honour.” Emily smiled warmly but said nothing in return.

“And... I’d love to hear your thoughts about Hawaii. Tell me everything,” he added eagerly. Emily paused, her mind scrambling to replay memories of the trip. She gave a soft laugh. “Wonderful.” Joey looked slightly let down. “Really, Emily? I waited five months and all I get is ‘wonderful’?” They both chuckled, but the sound of the front door opening interrupted their moment. Their heads turned toward the entrance.

“Maddie?” Joey greeted, getting up to give her a quick hug. Emily stayed seated, observing them from a short distance. “Where your parents?” Joey asked while still holding Maddie gently by the arms.

“They had to fly to Washington last minute. Work stuff, of course,” Maddie replied. Joey hugged her again, sympathizing with the news, and then guided her into the dining room. Emily noticed Maddie’s expression as she looked at her—an expression Emily hadn’t forgotten. That look never changes, she thought. Maddie sat down beside Joey, who poured her a glass of red wine and handed it to her.

“Looks like it’s just the three of us tonight,” he said cheerfully. Emily looked between them, something on her mind.

“Are you two getting married? Is that what this celebration is about?” Joey laughed, ruffling Emily’ hair.

“Yeah, silly girl. We’re tying the knot soon.”

“Oh my God!” Emily exclaimed, throwing her arms around her brother in a warm hug. When she turned to Maddie, though, Maddie only extended a hand. It was an awkward gesture, but Emily accepted it with a polite smile. Joe watched the exchange—smiling on the outside, but inwardly feeling a pang of guilt over how Maddie was treating Emily. He suddenly stood up, giving Maddie a silent cue to help him with something. Emily noticed but stayed quiet, then stood up herself. “Where are you going?” Joey asked as he saw her heading upstairs.

“Bathroom. That, okay?” she paused on the staircase. Joey nodded. “Go ahead.” While he and Maddie returned to the kitchen, Emily reached the upper floor and wandered into Joey’s office. The room was cluttered, papers scattered across the floor. She began gathering them and placing them back on the desk when one particular document caught her attention. It felt thicker than the others. Curious, she unfolded it and began to read. Her eyes widened. “A death certificate?” she murmured, shocked.

She pulled out her phone and quickly snapped a photo of the document before putting it back in its place. “I’ve never seen this before…” Just then, a voice called from downstairs.

“Emily Davis?!”

“Yeah! Coming!” she called back, hurrying out of the room.

***

Starting her morning with a cup of coffee was Emily’ favourite ritual—especially now, sitting in the police meeting room. She flipped through a document Tony had sent two days ago, studying the details of an upcoming operation to rescue kidnapped victims. The quiet was suddenly broken by a sharp knock on the door, causing Emily to nearly spill her coffee. A man entered without hesitation, showing no sign of apology, and sat down across from her.

“I’m Detective Max Shepherd. You’re Emily Davis from the Demolition Crew, right?” he asked, his tone flat and unreadable. Emily took a calming sip of her coffee before setting the mug down. “Yes,” she replied with a nod.

“Tony—your friend—said you might have a plan to get those kids back. Do you?”

His cold demeanour made Emily uneasy. “Can I ask you something first?” she said.

“What is it?” he replied, slightly puzzled.

“...Are you working alone? No partner?”

Still expressionless, Max gave a small shake of his head.

Emily exhaled deeply, then reached for a page of notes and placed it on the table between them. “Alright, I’ll cut to the chase,” she said. Max nodded, eyes on the paper.

“Look at this sketch—it’s a layout I drew to represent the suspect’s house. Imagine I—or someone else—approaches, pretending to be lost and asks for help. If he opens the door, I go in and look for signs of the girls or find a way to gather information discreetly. You following so far, Detective?”

Max looked up from the paper and studied her. “Honestly, I’m still trying to place your Russian accent. Kind of distracting.” Emily blinked, caught off guard. No one had pointed out her accent before—not even herself. Max was the first to notice.

“Really? No one’s ever told you that?” he added.

She downed the rest of her coffee in one go and slammed the mug down harder than she meant to. Still, Max gave only the faintest smirk.

“I understand your plan,” he said. “We actually have an abandoned house near the suspect’s location. So, are you saying I should trust you to handle this, or would you rather I assign someone else from your team?”

Emily was torn between irritation and intrigue at his calm, unreadable demeanour. “Can you promise you won’t screw this up again?”

Max chuckled as he stood and adjusted his jacket. “It was a mistake, I admit. But we learn from mistakes. That’s why you’re here—to apply what you’ve learned. My job is to bring those girls back and protect whoever needs protecting.” His words caught Emily off guard—a surprisingly wise sentiment from someone so closed off.

“To confirm… the locations in Overbrook, right?”

He nodded. “I need to brief the rest of the team now. You’re free to go.” As Max left the room, Emily remained seated, alone with her thoughts—until her phone buzzed with a message.

“Come to Penny pack Park, please. I want to catch up with you.” It was from Joe.

***

A few minutes earlier, Emily had arrived at the park Joe mentioned. Now, she sat on a bench, munching on snacks she picked up along the way. It wasn’t long before Joe appeared, casually sitting beside her. This time, she wasn’t startled—she had spotted him from a distance.

“What’s with that face?” Emily asked, still chewing.

“Nothing. Just... feeling bad about how Maddie acted toward you a couple days ago.”

Emily let out a short chuckle and shrugged. “I’m used to it.”

“That all you wanted to talk about?” she asked, brushing the crumbs from her lap and sipping from a soda.

“There’s one more thing,” Joe said, hesitating. “When are you and the cops planning to solve that kidnapping case?”

Emily gave him a teasing look. “Four days. I’ll be dealing with that bastard face to face.”

“What?!” Joe’s voice rose. “Why you?”

“Jesus, Joe. Relax. I’ve got this, okay?”

His face was tight with concern. “You’re not a cop, Em. Just let them handle it. You came up with a plan to get those kids back—that’s what matters. You don’t need to put yourself in danger.” It was the first time Emily had ever seen Joe so openly worried about her.

“The guy can spot cops from a mile away,” she said calmly. “The only way to pull this off is through us. No one knows about the crew except the police. That’s our advantage.”

Joe let out a deep sigh. He clearly hated the idea. Emily knew it came from a place of care.

“I just want to do the right thing. At least once,” she said quietly.

That hit him harder than he expected. After a pause, Joe stood up and gave Emily a subtle signal to follow. She looked confused at first, but when he began walking, she trailed behind him. They reached his car parked nearby and climbed in. Joe didn’t say a word, nor did Emily. She stole a few glances at his focused expression as he drove in silence.

After a short ride, Joe pulled up in front of a shop Emily didn’t recognize. Before getting out, he felt Emily squeeze his hand.

“What are you doing?”

Joe only offered a small smile before heading inside. He returned a moment later with a small box and handed it to Emily before starting the engine.

“Open it. Put it on.”

Emily lifted the lid, revealing a delicate silver bracelet.

“You know I’m not really into accessories, right?”

Joe didn’t respond. Instead, he shifted the car into gear.

“Put it on. It’s your birthday gift—for next year,” he said.

Emily sighed in defeat and slipped it onto her wrist. “Maddie’s going to love this,” she muttered with a smirk, admiring the bracelet. As Joe drove toward her house, he added, “Remember this: you’re my sister, not some affair. Don’t let Maddie’s issues get to you.” Emily didn’t answer, just leaned back and turned on the radio, letting the music lull her toward sleep.

The rest of the ride was quiet until Joe pulled up in front of her house. He glanced over and saw Emily still asleep. With a mischievous grin, he cranked up the volume. “Jesus Christ!” Emily jolted upright.

Joe burst out laughing, lowering the volume again. “We’re here, sleepyhead.” Emily rubbed her eyes, then reached for the door. “Alright. Thanks for the ride.” Before she could get out, Joe gently grabbed her arm and paused.

“What now?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Who’s in charge of the case?”

“…Detective Max Shepherd. Satisfied?” Joe nodded, giving her a subtle signal to go inside. Once he was sure she was safely in the house, he pulled out his phone, typed Max Shepherd’s name into a message, and sent it to an unknown number. Then, he tucked the phone back into his jacket and drove off.

Elsewhere, Emily stepped out of the bathroom, towel drying her hands. She paused in front of her bed, remembering the photo she took from Joe’s office. With a curious flick of her thumb, she unlocked her phone and opened the gallery.

“Honestly, I’m still trying to place your Russian accent. Kind of distracting.” echoed the voice in her mind.

***

Tonight was the night Emily and the Boston police were set to rescue the kidnapped children. The operation would take place under the cover of darkness.

Detective Max was already positioned inside an abandoned house across the street from the suspect’s location, watching intently through a window. But there was no sign of movement. Frustrated, he pressed his communication device closer to his ear.

“Tell Emily to move in. ASAP. I’ve got no visual from here,” he instructed the officers stationed in a nearby unmarked car, where Emily waited in silence.

A few minutes later, Emily stepped out of the car and walked toward the suspect’s house. Max spotted her crossing the street from his vantage point and readied his comm. “Emily is on the move. Stand by,” he said. “Copy, sir,” the officers responded in unison. Emily reached the front door and knocked three times. She waited. No answer. Just as she raised her hand to knock again, the door opened unexpectedly. A tall man stood in the doorway, eyeing her with suspicion. “Yeah? What do you want?” he asked, his tone sharp.

Emily fought to keep her nerves in check. “I think I’m lost,” she said, holding up her nearly-dead phone. “I was looking for a friend’s house, but my phone’s about to die. Is there any chance I could charge it for a bit?” The man narrowed his eyes and looked her over for a few seconds. “So… you want to use my charger?” Emily nodded, doing her best to look harmless. “Just long enough to get a little juice. Ten percent, maybe.” There was a pause—long enough for her stomach to tighten. Then, finally, the man stepped aside and opened the door wider.

“Come in,” he said. Emily entered the house cautiously. Max gave another update through his mic.

“She’s inside. Eyes open, everyone.” Once inside, the man motioned for her to sit while he fetched the charger. Emily took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. When he returned, he handed her the charger wordlessly. “Thanks,” she said, plugging it in quickly.

From the kitchen, he called out, “Want something to drink?”

“Sure,” Emily replied.

“But… do you mind if I use your bathroom first? I’ve been walking a while.”

He didn’t hesitate. “Down the hall, first door on the left.”

As soon as Emily stepped inside, she locked the door and began scanning the room. Max had told her there might be a hidden entrance to a basement—based on blueprints he’d secured from a contractor familiar with homes in the Overbrook Avenue area.

Emily spotted something odd: a shabby red rug that looked hastily placed. She lifted it and found a narrow gap—a hidden trapdoor. Curious, she slipped a piece of folded paper into the crack and waited. Seconds later, the paper was yanked down from below. Emily flinched, hitting her head on the sink in surprise. She quickly repositioned the rug, flushed the toilet to keep up appearances, washed her hands, and exited the bathroom.

But as she opened the door, the man was already standing there. “What was that noise?” he asked, his eyes narrowed.

Emily forced a laugh. “Oh—I bumped my head trying to pick up your toothbrush. I think you dropped it earlier.” She smiled sweetly.

He studied her for a moment, then stepped aside to let her back into the living room. Emily checked her phone—still charging—while he brought her a glass of water. But just as she reached to take it, he pulled it back. “Has anyone ever told you… you sound kind of Russian?” he asked, his tone suddenly darker. Emily’ heart skipped a beat.

“…Never. Why?” she replied, trying to keep her expression neutral. A smirk spread across his face. “Just messing with you.” Then, without warning, he hurled the glass straight at her. It smashed against her face, sending her crashing to the floor.

Everything spiralled out of control in an instant—just like what Emily was facing now. She was fighting for her life, locked in a brutal struggle with the kidnapping suspect. The two of them clashed violently, knocking over furniture and shattering objects as the house turned into chaos.

In a desperate moment, Emily saw a narrow chance to escape—to signal Max with the code they’d agreed on. But just as she reached the door, the man lunged and yanked her back, landing a harsh blow to her face that sent her crashing to the floor again. Luckily, the front door had been left slightly ajar. From his position across the street, Max spotted the movement. His instincts kicked in.

“Code 10-91,” he barked into his radio, alerting the officers on standby. He grabbed his gear and rushed out of the abandoned house. Inside, Emily continued to struggle. Her strength was failing—her body bruised and her mind clouded with pain. She gasped, barely holding on. “Please… just end this… before it gets worse…” she whispered, her voice shaking with exhaustion and dread.

The man stared at her, his expression sending a chill through her spine. Emily recoiled in disgust. “I wasn’t going to do that,” he said coldly—then suddenly raised a knife, aiming straight for her.

But before the blade could fall, the door burst open. Max fired without hesitation, the bullet striking the man in the right arm. The suspect dropped the knife with a cry of pain and collapsed.

Max rushed to Emily’ side, his face briefly softening with relief as he knelt beside her.

“You’re safe now. Help is on the way,” he said gently, helping her sit up. Emily, pale and shaking, looked up at him. “The kids… they’re under… the bathroom floor… You’ll know what I mean,” she muttered, her voice barely audible.

Max nodded firmly. “Got it. You—come with me,” he said to a nearby officer, motioning toward the bathroom.While Max and the officer headed downstairs to investigate, other officers secured the house. Emily was carefully escorted outside, while medics took the injured man into custody.

An ambulance pulled up just in time. Emily, barely conscious, was being checked by paramedics when her body went limp—she fainted in their arms. The medics moved quickly, placing her on a stretcher and loading her into the ambulance.

Cambridge Hospital was the nearest emergency facility. Within minutes, they arrived, wheeling Emily inside on a gurney. The ER staff moved swiftly—nurses and doctors working in sync to stabilize her.

Soon after, Emily was placed in her own hospital room for further treatment, finally safe after the nightmare she had endured.