Back to Her Home (Book-2)

Missing

Clayris walked out of her bathroom, till then all of the maids have left the room. She was wearing a black skinny jean, making her butt prominent, a white shirt and an orange jacket. Her long hair was now tamed and in a high pony tail, she wore her boots and taking her laptop, wallet, mobile and car keys she walked out. She got down and walked to the dinning room for her breakfast.

Her brother wanted her to come with them but it has been months since she took her cars out. She had many cars, because if she has any other interest than inventing, it is collecting cars. She sat down and had her pancakes, orange juice. She was not seeing Elisa anywhere, smiling she got up and texted her brothers that she is leaving home and will be at office by fifteen minutes.

Walking up to her garage, she looked at her car collection. The floor was lightened up making Clayris admire the beauties. She picked Zenvo ST1 which of the same colour as her jacket. Sitting inside she caressed the steering wheel; she missed her babies. Without any delay she was out to drive.

…………………………………………………………

Arthur who was the COO of the company was overseeing if everything was to the point while Xavier was reviewing the contract. They had their lawyer with them, because it is Darwin’s policy that they won’t sign any contract unless they have read every nook of it.

Xavier and Arthur stopped their work as they heard a knock.

“Come in”; Arthur ordered

Xavier smiled seeing the man with golden hair and greyish blue eyes. Thankfully his secretary is here, Xavier thought.

“Ethan, are you okay? You look pale”, Arthur questioned making Xavier look closely. Ethan was more like Xavier’s friend than his secretary. He would not like seeing his friend seeing sick.

“I’m fine. It is just that I watched horror movie last night and it scared the s**t out of me”, Ethan joked making Arthur shake his head in disappointment while Xavier narrowed his eyes. Something is not right and he can tell, he would not force Ethan to tell him.

“Anyway, is everything prepared?”, Ethan changed the subject making the brothers’ nod in agreement. Every document was prepared, meeting room was prepared; everything was done.

“Where is Miss Darwin?”; Ethan asked in confusion, Clayris was to be here right? Because if not then it will be bad for him. Clayris need to work from office otherwise he will not be able to get anything and trying to hack inside her computer is like having a death wish. She will trace him down to the end of the earth.

“I’m here”; Clayris answered walking inside the office. Ethan looked at her, she took his breath away without even trying. She crossed him without even looking at him and that broke him from his trance. Xavier handed her the contract papers without even asking and she took it with same complete ease. She started reading the contract with great concentration.

Xavier looked at Ethan who was becoming uncomfortable with Clayris’ sudden appearance.

“Ah, Clayris, this is Ethan Summers my secretary and my friend”; Clayris looked up and saw Ethan. She walked up to him and stretched her in introduction.

“Clayris Darwin, nice to meet you”, Ethan took her soft hands with delay.

“Same here”

With brief introduction they went back to their work, after sometime it was time for the meeting. Xavier and Clayris left first as Arthur had to collect some files. He was about to join his siblings as Ethan stopped him.

“Arthur why are you going?”; Arthur frowned what type of question is that. This is an important meeting for the Darwin industry of course he is going to join the meeting.

“To the meeting”; still he answered Ethan with great annoyance.

Ethan raised his eyebrows in question. “But why? I’m sure they both have it handled. I mean it’s Xavier and let’s not talk about THE CLAYRIS DARWIN. They can handle it alone” With that he left the Xavier’s office leaving Arthur behind.

Suddenly his mind crossed, how none of his siblings noticed that he did not follow them to the meeting. Was he this unimportant? If he disappeared will nothing change? He walked out of the office and went to the meeting room. He looked inside from the window of the door and was dejected to see that everything has started without him; and how it all seemed to go smoothly. He looked down at his shoes and walked away from the meeting room with a heavy heart.

After hours of discussion, Wilson company and Darwin Industry have come to an agreement. Wilson company will get 45% profit while Darwin Industry will get 55% of the interest. Seeing that every development will be done inside Darwin industry. Even though the idea was of Wilson company but they have not developed a single thing, they just came up with an abstract idea and wanted to discuss with Darwin Industry seeing that one of Darwin company is entirely dedicated to software engineers, that also have white hat hackers just to see if no one breaching inside.

They would have never thought that Darwin industry would be so interested that the development will be supervised by Clayris Darwin herself. Wilson company will be sending some of its top software engineer as well to overview everything as well, they don’t want to blindly trust anyone.

With the deal signed Clayris and Xavier returned back to his office to finally discuss from where they should start. They did not notice how Arthur’s eyes followed them from his office, they were too much into discussion. Arthur shook his head, taking his things he went out of his office without any destination in mind; he just wanted to go out. Ethan who was on his way to Xavier’s office noticed how Arthur walked out of his office, without saying words to stop Arthur he ignored it and went to his way.

Clayris was sitting down and looking at the files of their software engineers and their hackers while Xavier was looking into information of Wilson’s engineers. They do not want suspicious people to come inside Darwin Industries. Ethan entered the office; his eyes went directly to Clayris’ laptop which was just kept at side of her table. She has not been using her laptop at all since she came to the office.

“Here, this laptop contains, all their achievements and personal information that they have filled up before joining”; Ethan said as he handed the laptop to Clayris who gladly accepted it.

“Thanks, this will help a lot”; Clayris expressed her thanks and without any delay started looking at everyone’s profile. They have many engineers it will take at least a week if she starts to personally look through everything. She will link the information with her main computer with criteria she needs to be fulfilled and it will do rest of the work. She took out a pen drive to download every information of the people.

“You can take the laptop home”; Ethan suggested making Clayris look at him. She did not ask for his advice then why the f**k is he giving it? She looked at Xavier who was not paying attention and was busy working.

“No need”; with that simple answer she took the information in the pen drive, collecting her things she stood up.

“I’m going out”; Xavier looked at her, nodding he went back to his work. She walked out of the office and walked to Arthur’s office to tell him she is going out as to not make him worry. She opened the door and saw that no one was inside. She frowned in confusion, where is he? She saw his assistance answering a call.

“Sorry sir, Mr. Darwin is not in his office. I will pass your message”; Clayris walked up to his assistance. She was a woman in her early forties, yet she looked beautiful. Her blond hair reached down her back and her blue eyes looked confused.

“Do you know where my brother went?”, Clayris asked and looked at the woman’s name tag ‘Isabella Norman’. Isabella looked with wide eyes; Miss Darwin was talking to her. She knows that Miss Darwin is a valuable national asset. She has connection with the President, seeing Clayris raising her eyes in question she came out of her thoughts.

“No, Miss Darwin. Sir, did not leave any message to where he is leaving or till when he will come back”; Clayris frowned, this is the first right?

“Is this the first something like this has happened?”, Isabella shook her head.

“no, Ma’am; Sir sometimes leave without informing anyone and comes too office the next day”; hearing this did not sit right with her. Arthur has been gone missing just like that without informing anyone. She took out her mobile and called him.

*This phone is switched off, please try again later*, Clayris frowned and looked at the screen.

“Don’t worry Miss, Sir does this when he is tired, to clear his mind and search for new ideas. He always tells me to not disturb him. He always comes back in good mood after such outing”, Clayris nodded, hopefully she is right. Clayris knows that Arthur is her elder brother sure he can handle himself, right? Just as she was about to go to Xavier’s office to know what is up with Arthur her phone started to ring.

She picked up her phone seeing it was Eric’s father; Eban Watkins. He is a good man, he worked as a security guard but now have retired because of Ethan. He now runs food joint which now have branches all over the country.

“Hello, Clayris?”, his voice sounded scared. It was as if he was about to cry and was helpless, not knowing who to turn to.

“Yes Mr Watkins”, Clayris answered not knowing what has happened to make him so scared but it is for sure have to do something with Eric seeing he called her.

“Have you heard anything from Eric?”, he did not beat around the bush.

“No, I have not heard anything from him. I have not met or heard from him in these three months. Why? what happened?”, Clayris answered as calmly as she could. She is not liking what is happening, first her brother just went out and now her only friend.

“I have not heard from him since yesterday. He did not come back home and he has been off in these three months. Even his bodyguards do not where he went? I am scared what if something happened? What if he did something to himself?”; As Eban was explaining his voice, he was trying hard to control himself for his wife who was panicking at the moment.

“Don’t worry, your son is not an i***t. He won’t do anything to harm himself. I will find him and bring him back, don’t worry. Take care of yourself and Mrs. Watkins, I will message you when I find him. I promise I will find him sound and well”, Clayris promised with her heart, if she wants to find someone no one in this world can hide from her. Seems like she needs to put some sense in her friend’s mind.

“Okay, I will be waiting for your message”, Eban replied, he felt assured. He knows Clayris personally and he is sure that she will fulfil her promise. He will need to beat some sense in his son’s brain. With that Clayris hung up the call. He turned to his wife and calm her down. Assuring her that Clayris will find him, they themselves cannot do anything. They do not have so much power to find someone, but Darwin family sure does.

Clayris walked out of her office calling up some people who are under her.

“Hello”

Clayris heard a girl’s voice, Bianca Morris. She works in Schmpace Organization, the organization that builds satellite and space equipment for the country.

“This is Clayris”; she answered making Bianca stop whatever she was doing. She heard shuffling of for sometime as she finally replied.

“Hi, it has been a long time”; Clayris was assigned in Schmpace for building up a high-tech satellite that could carry so power weapon which can destroy threatening meteors before it could reach the Earth.

“It has been, I need you to do something for me”, Clayris asked without delaying any more time.

“Ah, sure tell me”

“I am sending you a number, car number and a photo of a person. I want you to tell me his exact location. How much time will it take you?”; Clayris said in one breath. She does not know why but he was not able to remain calm. She always did but this time she was finding it difficult to do so.

“Ah, it will take ten minutes max”; Bianca replied, this is the first time Clayris has asked something but they have no power to reject her request even if they want to.

“Great, thanks”; with that Clayris hung up the call and send her every information. She got in her car and drove off. She knows his favourite spot; she will go find him there till that time. It will take around twenty minutes to arrive there and she finds it hard to sit in a place and wait for his location. She will find him for sure, no matter what it takes. God forbids if someone did something to him, they will be dead before they could say their name.

……………………………………….

“One more”; the bartender looked at the man with worried eyes. Arthur Darwin was regular and he always booked the entire VIP bar area. He drinks till he passes out and stay here whole day. The manager never minds seeing that they get paid good amount every time he comes here.

But the bartender could not help but be concerned about him, because no matter how much he drinks he just says self-hating words. He just says how much he is ‘useless’. Seems like being rich is not all that fun. He made another drink for Arthur who took it smiling at him. “Thanks”, Bartender smiled at him, he likes Arthur’s manners because he always thanks him whenever he gives him a drink no matter how drunk he is.

“Are you okay?”, he questioned making Arthur laugh.

“How can I be? I am just so useless”; without another word he chugged the strong whiskey that burnt his throat.

“One more”, bartender sighed and handed him another glass. “Thanks”, Arthur smiled and chugged it as well. Bartender sighed, seems like he will be drinking here whole day.