Chapter 13: The Trail Goes Cold

The fluorescent lights of the hospital corridor seemed to fade into the background as Luka's mind fixated on Sophia's disappearance. He, Pam, and Dr. Patel arrived at the halfway house, a small, unassuming building on the outskirts of town, where Sophia had been living. The staff, a kind-faced woman named Rachel and a young man named Alex, greeted them warmly, but their expressions turned worried as they saw the concern etched on Luka's face. Luka began by asking them to recount the events of the previous night. Rachel and Alex exchanged a nervous glance before Rachel spoke up. "Sophia seemed a bit restless last night, but she went to bed around 10 pm, like she always does. We didn't notice anything unusual until this morning, when we realized she was gone." Luka's eyes narrowed. "Did she have any visitors recently? Anyone who might have been a problem?" Alex hesitated before speaking. "There was someone who came to visit her yesterday afternoon. A woman, I think. Sophia didn't seem too happy to see her, but she didn't seem upset either." Luka's ears perked up. "Did you get the woman's name?" Rachel shook her head. "No, I'm afraid not. Sophia didn't introduce us. But...there was something strange about the way Sophia interacted with her. It was like she was...afraid of her, but also trying to hide it." Pam's eyes locked onto Luka's, a spark of understanding flashing between them. Luka turned back to Rachel and Alex. "Can you describe the woman?" Rachel closed her eyes, as if trying to recall the details. "She was tall, with long, curly brown hair and a scar above her left eyebrow. She was dressed in a black coat and hat, and she looked...intimidating." Luka's gut twisted with a growing sense of unease. He had a feeling that Sophia's disappearance was more than just a simple case of a patient running away. There was something sinister at play here, something that threatened to undo all the progress Sophia had made. As they continued to question Rachel and Alex, Luka's mind kept drifting back to Sophia's history. Had she been in contact with someone from her past, someone who had managed to track her down and pull her back into the darkness? The thought sent a chill down his spine. Just as they were about to leave, Pam's phone rang, shrill in the silence. She answered it, her face tense as she listened to the voice on the other end. When she hung up, her eyes met Luka's, a look of urgency in them. "What is it?" Luka asked, his heart racing. Pam's voice was low. "The police just found Sophia's phone. It's been activated, and the signal is coming from an area on the outskirts of town." Luka's jaw clenched. They were running out of time. They had to find Sophia before whoever had taken her realized she was missing. He turned to Dr. Patel, his eyes locked on hers. "We need to get to that location, now."