"Nathan, you and Tash are going on the Prime Minister's case in Arizona, while Laura and I are going after the kidnapper" Charles instructed, as we all geared up, ready for another mission.
"No please" Tash pleaded. "I want to be with Laura".
Charles looked between she and Nathan and then nodded. "Alright. I'll ride with Nathan to Arizona. You'll ride with Laura"
As soon as we got into the car; I wanted to drive. I asked her.
"What's going on with you and Nathan? And don't you dare lie to me"
"You know I told you I had feelings for him, and you told me not to tell him anything, and I should only observe to see if he feels the same way..."
"Tell me you didn't voice out your feelings" I interrupted shooting her a death glare.
"Well, I did" She replied and looked away.
"Okay. And how did that go?"
"Well, he said he feels the same way, but he doesn't want a repeat of what happened to him during his childhood. Apparently, his mum worked with the Marines and she neglected him and his brother. She died though, in a War. He vowed to not marry any woman who works with the Force, to avoid a repeat of his childhood"
"Oh my!!" I tripped the steering wheel tightly.
"Yes. So he says, he's not going to let his feelings for me cloud his judgement. So we can't work out"
"I'm sorry darling" I said to her genuinely.
"No it's fine. How about you? How're you holding up? I heard about your divorce with Jared. No offence but it was high time you left that scum bag"
I laughed. "I still have no idea why my friends so much detest my husband"
"Ex-husband" Tash corrected and I rolled my eyes at her.
We got to the destination and we remained in the car, trying to make sure we were ready.
"Okay don't forget. Mr Matthew Caldwell, divorced his wife because he found out that their 5year old son is not his. Now, he owes a debt to a drug cartel group in Italy and he kidnapped the boy because he wants to use him as a collateral to pay off his debt" I said aloud, and we both came out. We were dressed like civilians. The plan was to find out if the child was still in the house, and if not, we'd follow him to where he was keeping the child. From his phone records that Pat hacked into, they were doing the exchange at an offshore airport in New York.
"No. Tash, we have to split. I know we're supposed to stick together and all, but if this guy is half as smart as they say, he's gonna get spooked and while we're here chasing him, he'd be running in the other direction and we'd lose the child forever" I said to Tasha, my partner. She nodded in understanding and ran in the opposite direction. I kept climbing up the staircase gently with my gun poised up searching for our suspect. Suddenly Tasha's voice boomed in my ears, over the comms.
"He's coming towards your direction. I'm keeping on a low cos once he notices me, then he'll be alerted of our presence and he'll make a run. I'm coming to meet you. Do not apprehend him alone Laura. Do not!!!! He's highly trained and dangerous"
No sooner had she finished warning me when he came up to me. He was holding a device.
Pat's voice echoed in my ears. "Backup is about to come in. Be careful, you guys"
Suddenly there was a distortion in the comms and it was disconnected. I was alone now.
"Hello Matthew" I said.
"Cut the bullshit Laura. I know who you are. They sent you to come and..."
"Matthew where are you keeping the boy?" I interrupted impatiently.
"You have no idea what Sally did to me. She milked me dry and made me believe that he was my son. She broke my heart. And now I'm going to take away her precious son from her. I'm gonna make her bleed. As we speak, the boy is en route to New Jersey" As he was talking, he was reaching his hand into his pocket.
I cocked my gun.
"Put your hands where I can see them"
He smiled, and brought out the gun and shot. I ducked under him, missing the shot and shot him on his shoulder. He didn't even wince a bit, which meant that he was wearing a vest.
He then dropped his gun and advanced towards me.
My heart started to pound as I held on to my gun tightly, ready to pull the trigger.
I wondered where the backup that Pat sent, were.
"Stay where you are Matthew!!" I ordered.
"You might be wondering where your backup is, right? They're outside, being dealt with, by my guys" I tried to look outside to see if he was calling a bluff but he was actually right. There was a gunfight outside. I looked at him.
"This house is soundproof and that's why. I'm so sorry Miss Anderson"
And then he kicked me, doubling me over. He used my own cuffs to cuff me to the railings on the staircase. I tried to struggle.
"Careful Laura. You're hurting yourself" He brought out his phone to make a call, and suddenly he freed me from the railings; my hands were still cuffed together, and he led me upstairs. Suddenly there was an explosion at the entrance. I tried to use that as a distraction to escape to my advantage, but then Matthew hauled me roughly up to the rooftop where a helicopter was waiting andthen he pushed me into it. Immediately, we became airborne. I was extremely frightened. I looked down and I could still see gunfights happening.
My thoughts went to my children immediately.
"Where are you taking me to, Matthew?"
"My boss would like to see you" He said with a smirk.
"And who might your boss be? And why does he want to see me?"
"Oh you'll be damned when you see him. And has anyone told you that you ask too many questions- the ones that might put you in danger?"
I ignored him and kept quiet.
Suddenly he put his hand in my breast pocket and brought out my phone. Oh shit!!!!
Without thinking, he threw it down the plane.
"No!!!"
Soon, we landed and pulled up in a very strange place. Matthew brought out a blindfold from God knows where and covered my eyes, ignoring my desperate pleas and protests.
We entered a very large safehouse that was weirdly dark and he put me to sit on a chair there. He then tied my legs to the foot of the chair, making any thought of escape, vanish from my head.
"Do not go anywhere. I'm coming"
A part of me wanted to ask him for a phone to call my kids and let them know I was safe. I felt very very worried.
"Where are you going?" I asked instead.
"Woman!! When will you learn to stop asking too much questions? You're gonna put yourself in trouble by wanting to know too much. Just stay put and you'll be fine" He turned away and walked out.
I looked around quickly to observe my surroundings. I looked down at my legs wondering the best way to untie them. I needed to untie them first then try standing up to look fo a sharp objects to use to untie my hands, and get myself out of here.
A soft whimpering brought me back to reality. At the farther end of the building, there was a little boy there. The child we were supposed to rescue. He looked so tired and hungry.
"Hi" I whispered to him.
He couldn't reply because he was gagged, and tied too. These people were inhumane. The little boy was in pain, because he had been obviously struggling to loosen himself.
I finally managed to unfasten the rope on my leg, and with my hand still tied to the chair from behind, I walked over to him. I explained to him how to help me loosen the rope on my hand and he did. I removed the gag in his mouth and freed him. He hugged me instantly. I carried him on my shoulders and tried to escape when I heard a very familiar voice.
"Feels so good to see you pulling out your heroic stunts again, Laura"
I turned to see him and then something hit me from behind and I fell down and blacked out.