Tom Polo didn't say a word. He didn't even move. He just stared into the empty air ahead of him, his face burning with a deep, simmering anger. His eyes were sharp and cold, like two burning coals, fixed on nothing but the voice that filled his ears. Every word coming through the phone seemed to dig deeper into that anger, fueling it like dry tinder catching fire.
The voice on the other end laughed softly, almost mockingly. "There's no need for you to be so glum, Tom," it said. The voice was calm, collected, but carried an edge of amusement. "I kidnapped your father because I need something from you. Think of it not as a crime or a threat, but as a favor you owe me."
Tom's jaw clenched tightly. The words felt like salt rubbed into a fresh wound. A favor? When his father was taken? His mind raced, searching for the right response. Finally, he forced himself to speak, his voice low but sharp. "What kind of favor is this, where my father is kidnapped?"
The voice chuckled again, its tone almost playful, but with an unmistakable seriousness beneath it. "Don't get caught up on semantics," it replied. "What I want is simple, a certain artifact, a special emerald. Something only you can help me get."
Tom's eyes narrowed further, burning with suspicion and determination. "Give me the details," he said, voice steady but demanding.
"Details will come," the voice said, "once you accept the mission."
Tom hesitated for only a moment. "And upon completion, my father will be returned?"
"Yes," came the calm reply.
Tom's mind raced through possibilities, weighing his options, but he needed time to think. "I need time to consider," he said finally.
The voice gave a slow, deliberate reply. "You have twenty-four hours to decide. After that, I will call you back."
Tom nodded silently. Then he broke the silence with a sharp edge in his voice. "You're quite smart. For the first time in my life, I'm starting to feel I might be equally matched."
The voice laughed again, darker this time. "You're not equally matched, Tom. You're outmatched." Then the line went dead.
Tom lowered the phone slowly, his hands trembling with a mix of anger and adrenaline.
Just as the silence settled, gregor, who had been standing quietly nearby, asked, "Tell me you were able to triangulate his location."
Tom's lips curled into a small, confident smirk. "What do you think?," he replied.
****
Later, Tom and Gregor sat together in a small room, quietly plotting their next move. The air was thick with tension and the weight of urgency. Tom's mind was racing, and he wanted to act immediately.
"We should leave now," Tom said firmly. "No time to waste. We can plan on the way."
Gregor shook his head. "I don't agree. We need to stay here, plan thoroughly before we move. Rushing in without a clear strategy could get us killed."
Tom frowned. "We've been through this. Every minute counts. If we wait too long, the kidnapper could move Dad somewhere else."
"No," Gregor replied stubbornly. "We must be smart, not fast. That's how we win."
Tom exhaled sharply, frustration bubbling beneath his calm exterior. "Fine, then," he said, voice tight with irritation, "let's settle this with a coin toss."
Gregor's eyebrows rose, surprise flickering in his eyes. Then he smiled faintly, nodding. "Alright, if that's how you want to decide it."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter. Holding it up between his thumb and forefinger, he said, "Pick a side."
Tom glanced at the coin thoughtfully for a moment. Without hesitation, he said, "Tails."
Gregor flicked his thumb, sending the coin spinning high into the air. It flipped and flipped, catching the dim light as it tumbled. Finally, it landed on the table, spinning slightly before coming to rest.
Gregor leaned forward and peered down. "Tails," he said, raising an eyebrow. "You were darned lucky."
Tom let out a small smirk but shook his head. "It's not luck," he said quietly, his eyes sharp. "Look at the coin."
He picked up the quarter and held it close, turning it over between his fingers. "This is a U.S. quarter," he said. "Notice the design of George Washington's head on one side? It's slightly raised, making that side heavier."
Gregor nodded slowly, listening.
"Because of that, the coin is more likely to land on the heavier side, the head side. That means the odds of tails coming up are actually higher if you pick tails and just wait."
Gregor's eyes widened slightly, impressed. "So you picked tails knowing physics would do the work?"
Tom shrugged. "Exactly. I let probability and design do the heavy lifting while I just waited for the result."