The Ransom (Part 1)
By Jenny Taylor
Virgil was in the main hall in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, admiring the work of local artists, he then decided to return to his hotel, and walked towards the main entrance. Outside in a fake taxi, someone was watching and waiting to pick his moment to pick-up his target. Virgil stood outside the gallery and tried to flag-down a taxi, the strange taxi driver pulled up in front of Virgil.
"Where can I take you today sir?" The driver asked, taking care not to arouse suspicion from his unsuspecting target.
"The Four Seasons Hotel please driver." Virgil replied with a smile on his face.
The driver then pulled away from the gallery and distracted Virgil with an innocent conversation, instead of driving towards the hotel, he drove away from the city.
After the little conversation, Virgil turned his head to look through the window to admire the view, the driver turned his head and pressed a button which raised a see-though reinforced plastic divider, separating the passenger from the driver. Virgil suddenly realised that something was wrong, because he just saw a sign post 'Downtown Sydney 50km' in the opposite direction!
"HEY! Where are you taking me?" Virgil demanded. No sooner as he spoke, the driver pressed another button, locking the passenger doors. After hearing the locks click, Virgil looked around and realised that he was being kidnapped! He tried reaching into his pocket in order to activate his emergency locator beacon, but then something stopped him. It was a hissing noise which made him shiver down his spine.
GAS!
Virgil tried reaching for his beacon again, but it was too late. The gas filled the passenger compartment, causing Virgil to choke before collapsing into the back seat, unconscious.
The driver grinned and a small, evil chuckle came out. Then he pressed a button marked with a telephone.
"Target secured boss." The driver said in a low menacing voice.
"Good." Came the reply, slowly and dark, "Bring him to my ship at White Cliffs. And make sure that no-one is following you."
"Yes boss. I'll be arriving at the rendezvous in 12 hours." The driver switched off the call and turned his head to look at rear-view mirror, he adjusted it and grinned at the reflection of his unconscious victim.
"Now my sleeping friend, you are going to have a nice, little chat with the boss when you wake up. Ha, ha, ha." The driver laughed as he drove off casually towards his destination.
Next day, on Tracy Island, Scott was sleeping in his dad's chair with his arms crossed, behind his head as a pillow, suddenly a loud bang came from behind and made him jump and fall onto the floor.
"Very funny you two!" He scowled, looking at Alan and Gordon sniggering with the latter holding the remains of a balloon in his left hand and a pin in his right.
"Ah c'mon Scott." Whinged Alan.
"It's only a bit of bit fun." Gordon said cheerfully.
"Not when you get a gut feeling that something's happened to Virgil it's not!" Scott snapped.
"What do mean Scott?" Asked Gordon, bewildered from the tone of Scott's voice, Alan frowned.
"Scott, you worry too much. Virge can take care of himself. It's not like anything bad is ever going to happen to him." Said Gordon, trying to lighten up the atmosphere, but Scott shook his head.
"Virgil didn't call last night like promised he would do, and you know what Virgil is like when he keeps his promise." Scott said frowning.
"Did you try to call him last night, Scott?" Alan asked getting desperate, but looking at Scott's face, he realised that he wasn't going to get the answer he was hoping for.
"Yes I did after we came back from that mission last night. But no reply."
"Did you try his cell phone and his hotel? His -" Alan panicked, but Scott cut him off.
"Yes I tried all of the contacts and no reply from him what-so-ever. But when I asked the receptionist at his hotel to ask if he had returned, she said no. So I left a message with her to get him to call back when he returned."
"So you've stayed at Dad's old desk all night to wait for his reply?" Gordon asked getting worried.
"Yes and still no answer from Virgil." Scott said getting frustrated with worry. Then Grandma and Kayo, followed by Brains and M.A.X. entered the lounge, looking cheerful until they saw the expression on the boys' faces.
"What's going on?" Grandma said sternly. "I can tell from the looks on your faces that something's bothering you." She looked at the trio standing next to their father's desk. The trio looked at each other and Scott spoke first, "It's Virgil." Looking into his grandmother's eyes, his voice filled with fear. From the reaction in Scott's voice, Kayo was taken aback with worry, Brains too with M.A.X. starting to shake in fear. Then Grandma spoke.
"Well? Spit it out kid, we haven't got all day!"
"He's -" Scott began until a familiar sound telling them that someone was trying to make contact interrupted, they all rushed to the table hoping that it was Virgil calling, but to their disappointment, it was John, "Come in John."
"Guys?" John said slowly in fear.
"John what is it? Has the Hood captured Virgil? Is-" Alan panicked before Grandma cut him off.
"Shush kid and let your brother speak." Grandma snapped gently and then turned to John noticing the fear on his face.
"I really, really, really wish you hadn't asked that question Al." John replied in fear and sadness, almost to the point of crying. Then everyone in the room opened their mouths in shock with fear spread on everyone's face, fearing the worst of what might have happened to Virgil.
Kayo asks John, looking concerned, "Which question that Alan asked are you referring to?"
John took a deep breath in order to regain composure before speaking, "Virgil has been kidnapped," He said slowly, making sure that his message has sunk into everyone before he continued, stuttering, "By- the - the - h- Hood!"
Then everyone sat down on the couches in shock, disbelief and fear. Fear that the man who took their father has his hands now on their dearest and kindest brother of all, Virgil.