"My boss… he must be close to your wife, Victoria. He knew Noah was helping you look for your son, and he tracked your phone. I don't know how. I know he won't let you off the hook so easily, but I know you shouldn't be in this mess. You and Travis are innocent, but he just won't care. I can scratch your back if you scratch my back," Ben said in a whisper, and Max shook his head.
He was finding it hard to wrap his mind around what he was being told. He wanted to know who the man was, but Ben was adamant he couldn't reveal anything since he also hadn't met his 'boss.'
He also wasn't sure if Ben was being honest with him, had the man not threatened him a few minutes ago?
"I'll let you go, but you have to promise that whatever happens, you and I never met," Ben said in a vibrant authoritative voice that indicated he had put his last offer on the table.
"I accept," Max said after a while, and Ben looked at him, a sly smile on his lips as he untied him and led him to another room where Travis had fallen asleep.
For what seemed like forever, Ben looked emotionally as father and son hugged and cried their hearts out.
"Time is up. Let's go," he commanded as he removed the two from each other's embrace and led them to the back door.
He paved the way for them and whispered, "at the count of three, if you're still within my vision, it's up to you."
"One," Ben counted as he pointed a gun at Max and Travis and inhaled deeply.
The father-son duo ran for a few meters, but Travis stopped and bent, one hand holding his knee and the other holding his chest.
He coughed and wheezed painfully.
He was panting and breathing heavily, and he just wanted to sit down and let nature take its course.
He thought he had seen the worst over the period he was held, hostage.
What could be worse than eating one meal after two or three days, being unable to go to the washrooms when need be, and not seeing his lovely family?
Once in a while, when angry and frustrated, Ben projected his anger on him by slapping and punching him.
"I… can't do this, father," he said as he looked at his dad apologetically. Max turned to look at Ben, horror written all over his face.
He realized at that moment that despite agreeing to Ben's plan, Ben hadn't suggested how he would be paid and the amount to be paid.
'Will he come after me and cause more problems?' He wondered.
He thought of running back to seek clarification on the matter but decided against it when he saw how tired Travis looked beside him.
Plus, what if he went back to seek his death?
'S*it, Travis. We need to get out of here. If not, your mom and sister will receive our bodies in black bags," Max warned, but Travis just shook his head as if Max hadn't said a single word.
"Come on," he groaned as he lifted up his teenage son.
Travis seemed lighter than usual, and Max attributed it to his lack of a proper diet, but he should have known what was in store for him.
"Aaagh. S*it!" He cursed as he tried taking bigger steps to nowhere in specific.
Ben had rushed back to the house inside his room and stood looking at himself in the mirror with pride as he said, 'you did good,'
It had taken all his willpower to free Max and Travis alive, and he sadly smiled as he thought of how his late mother, Jen, would have been proud of him.
Unfortunately, it was too late for her to see how her son had strived to be a better man.
"You'll never know peace," Jen had cursed him on her deathbed, and Ben had looked at her as though she was insane.
A few years into his adulthood, Ben had slipped into crime, terrorized and stolen from those he thought were wealthy but didn't deserve to be.
He used his knowledge of technology to disarm the CCTVs at the houses and left graffiti on the walls of the homes of his targets, and the much the cops could do was narrow down the suspect to one person.
Jen, however, found out what her son was involved in and tried pleading with him to stop, but her words landed on one ear and passed through the other.
Ben was an only child, and his mother strongly loved him and was very protective of him, as though he was an egg that could break anytime.
Ben took advantage of her compassion, knowing very well that inasmuch as she was against his acts, she couldn't report him to the cops.