Fentanyl E001: The Mysterious Experiment(Book 1)
Chapter 21: A Son's Search for Hope

"What's the plan?" I inquired of my father.

We gathered in the meeting room to discuss the plans. We all know the battle is coming, but we can't say when or how long it will last.

Nisha was still asleep, and I'm worried the war will take a long time to resume. I always visit her and speak with her in the hopes that she will listen and become more aware.

Nisha and I haven't dated in a long time. And I promised that after the war is done, I'll do everything I can to court her and show her that she's still a woman, despite being addicted to Fentanyl and not a normal woman.

When my father was talking and answering my query, I came back to reality.

"Dad's dying, and it'll be simple for us to win," I agreed softly. "However, I believe he's got a well-trained man, so it'll be difficult for us to destroy his organization."

That is not how I was thinking before Fentanyl was injected into my body. I want peace, not turmoil, and I don't want conflict. I want them to be able to get together with our family and share some incredible stories. But when they allowed me to participate in the experiment, my perspective shifted dramatically.

"Shawn," my father called me, and I turned to face him. He locked his gaze on me. We're the only ones here, and I'm not sure why he's calling me so loudly. But I have a feeling we're going to discuss something significant.

"Why?" I inquired, leaning back in my seat.

"About your mother..." When he mentioned something about Mom, I straightened my back. For the past few days, I've been preoccupied and haven't thought about my mother. I feel like a terrible son for forgetting about her. Mother has been in excruciating pain for far too long. We're still working on a cure for her, even though she's part of the experiment. I'm not sure why it's taking so long to replace a solution.

"What about her?" I took a deep breath and swallowed hard. I'm not sure how to respond when it comes to my mum. She's my weakness, and I can't think clearly when it concerns her. Was she a victim of some sort of misfortune?

He sighed as he paused and said, "The nurse contacted me earlier. There's no way she'll be able to join us. She's becoming increasingly erratic and unable to control herself. She killed the nurse the last time, which is why they segregated her this time," hearing this, my heart seemed to constrict. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I clenched my fists. My grandfather is to blame for this.

"Is it possible for us to pay her a visit?" I asked, hoping to see her, despite the risks involved. Grandpa is so callous that he wants to harm us mercilessly.

Dad averted his gaze, clearly torn by my request. Exposing ourselves to the dangers of the situation is indeed too risky. But I can't bear the thought of my mother suffering alone.

I feel utterly helpless. Dad remained in silence, and I knew he was powerless to intervene. I need to gather my strength. I'll need all of it. Even though Nisha is unconscious, she is my rock. Seeing her lying there, motionless, feels like a painful weight on my heart. Should I kiss her to try to wake her up? I miss her presence. I do that all the time.

"We must be courageous, son. I don't have the power to keep all of you safe. I'm doing everything I can, but I'm terrified of the results. We can make plans, but we don't know if we'll be able to carry them out," my father said, trying to console me.

Feeling hopeless, I bent my head and wiped away my tears like a child. Whenever Dad talks about Mom, it always affects me this way. I get so frustrated because I don't know how to help her when she's in danger or struggling with her circumstances.

Suddenly, my father's phone rang, and I watched as he took a deep breath before answering it.

As he stood up and his face showed astonishment, I was taken aback. What exactly is going on? Did something else happen this time? I couldn't stop myself from being carried away by Dad's reaction. I anxiously waited for him to share the news.

"Dad?" I drew his attention when he put down his phone. I immediately rose, unsure if I should approach him or not.

"S-Shawn... Your mother," he said hesitantly, and my anxiety surged. When will this issue be resolved?

"Dad, what happened this time with her?" My voice was trembling with fear, but Dad remained as still as a statue.

"S-she's missing, Shawn."

Hearing those words, I felt like I was going to pass out. I struggled to maintain my composure and think clearly. I was willing to put my life on the line just to keep her safe. Without hesitation, I tried to walk away from my father. I was determined to replace Mom.

"Shawn! It's simply too risky. Your grandfather's men are keeping an eye on you," Dad said, grabbing hold of me and preventing me from unlocking the door.

"I don't give a damn. Let it be! Dad, I'll track her down!" I responded bitterly, pushing his hand away from my arm.

Despite the danger, I couldn't bear the thought of my mother being in trouble and alone. My emotions were running high, and I was willing to do whatever it takes to replace her and ensure her safety.

When someone came in front of me, I was ready to push past them, but it was Nathalie. She looked like she was in a rush.

"S-Shawn..." She gasped for breath.

"Nathalie, get the hell out of my way. I need to locate my mother!" I was frantic, not caring about anything else at that moment. I could see that Nathalie was taken aback by my intensity.

"Your mother? I'm curious as to what happened to your mother," Nathalie inquired.

"She escaped and missing! Just move! I'm going to track her down!" I pushed her aside, not caring about her words.

"My parents are here," she said, and I halted for a moment. That's good news. But I couldn't waste any more time. I took another step forward, determined to replace my mother, but then Nathalie said something that made my heart sink.

"Shawn, about Nisha," Nathalie paused, and my mind immediately jumped to her. Was Nisha already awake? I needed to focus on my mother, but Nisha's well-being was equally important to me.

"Shawn, she's also gone missing. We have no idea where she's been because she hasn't left any traces. We also don't know if she's already awake. She wasn't in the laboratory room when we returned," Nathalie explained. The weight of her words hit me hard, and I knelt, feeling weak and overwhelmed. Tears and sweat streamed down my face. Why did they both disappear? Why do I have to lose both my weakness and my strength at the same time?

I couldn't comprehend the situation fully, and I felt utterly lost and powerless in that moment.

"We need to track them down. Tito Truce was in charge of everything at the time. I'm going to assist them as well. We'll just put on a mask and pretend to be someone else," Nathalie suggested, and her words ignited a spark of determination within me. I slowly stood up, feeling a touch on my shoulder. I looked and saw my father, wearing a determined expression.

"Shawn, stay strong. I'm right behind you," he said, and I wiped away my tears once again, nodding in acknowledgment.

We wasted no time and immediately started tracking down Tito Truce. In the woods, we spotted him with some of Dad's men in front of him. I wasn't sure if he could command Dad's men, but that was not my primary concern. My focus was on replaceing my mother and Nisha.

As we approached, Tito Truce signaled us towards the outfits we were going to wear, presumably to blend in and remain unnoticed.

"We're going to look for Nisha all around town. We have no idea where she went, or whether she was abducted. Mr. Shione's men will assist in the search, but they will be unable to do so because we have run out of cloak stores. Should we wait for her to return or risk our lives? But we're going to go with the latter option," we all agreed without hesitation, and then we set out to buy disguises.

Once we were in town, we decided to split up to cover more ground. I didn't know where to start looking for them, but I was determined to search every possible place to replace them. Trying was better than doing nothing, and I silently prayed that they would be safe.

I left the woods and dressed simply, wearing a loose red shirt and black pants. I put on a cowboy hat and a fake beard to disguise myself. Although I looked odd, I didn't mind the curious stares from people. I walked through the town, trying to blend in as a farmer, hoping to stumble upon something that might lead me to them.

-

When I became fatigued, I took a break. It had been about three hours of searching, and I was determined not to give up. Tito Truce eventually directed us to return to our hiding place. I had visited various places like the abandoned University of Green Ottawa, my mother's former mental institution, as well as Greenhills and the Ottawa River, but there was no sign of them.

As I walked through the town, I noticed people going about their daily lives, seemingly unaffected by the turmoil in my heart. But I couldn't stop worrying about those who had a significant impact on my life. I didn't want to lose hope, so I decided to return to our hiding place, even though I had no way of contacting them without a phone.

Walking felt surreal, and I sensed someone's gaze on me, but I was too exhausted to pay much attention. All I cared about was replaceing them and knowing they were safe.

My knees were trembling, but I kept pushing forward, making my way back to the edge of the woodland where we had hidden.

As I arrived, Nathalie was approaching me.

"Why did it take you so long to return? We were concerned about you as well!" Nathalie expressed her worry as she approached me.

"I didn't replace them," I said, my voice weary from the long search. Nathalie's expression softened with understanding.

"She's already here," she said, causing my eyes to widen.

"Nisha was already here?" I asked, hoping for some good news. Nathalie simply nodded.

"Yes. But she's with someone."

Before Nathalie could continue, her words were interrupted by a familiar voice. A voice that melted my heart, and I couldn't believe my ears. It couldn't be true, could it?

"Shawn, my son..." The voice called out, and my heart skipped a beat. I felt a mix of emotions, but one thing was undeniable - hearing my mother's voice made me feel happy and complete.