Chapter 2: Ransom
AN**I took the liberty of making POTUS and his wife Lydia Alison's godparents. I figured it was possible, since Elizabeth and Henry and POTUS and FLOTUS knew each other for so long**
With his assurance that the full force of the Cuban police would get involved, Nadine left his office. She got in the car and headed to the consulate.
When she arrived at the consulate she found Elizabeth and Henry on a sofa, eyes closed, clearly trying to catch a moment of peace in the chaos. She closed the door to that room and found Blake on the land line phone in the other room, liaising with the State Department. "Blake, the Cuban police are on board." Nadine said.
"Good. Jay is going over security reports and media video of the blast to see if there is anything unusual. He will keep me posted." Blake said. "How are you doing Blake?" Nadine noticed the hitch in his voice, the fact that at some point his blazer had become undone and he hadn't bothered to do it up and the fact that he was shaking a bit. "I'm okay, it's just that i've never been particularly fond of loud noises and all of that. I will be fine." he said. Nadine walked over and hugged him and let him linger in that hug for a few moments.
The loud ringing of the land line startled both of them. "Hello Jay (he was the only one that had the number), what is going on?" Blake asked. "Do you have internet? I know who has Alison. Check the secretarys email." Jay said, breathless. "Internet hasn't been restored here, what is going on?"Blake asked, while signalling Nadine to grab the other receiver so that she could listen in as well. "It seems that a bomb was planted by a militant group that don't want the embargo lifted. When it went off, one of their men, who was posing as a guest grabbed Alison so that she would get separated from her parents on purpose." Jay said. Nadine had to swallow the rising panic in her throat. "I thought that we vetted everyone that was in attendance there. This person had to have known that they would eventually be found out. I will go alert the secretary and Dr. McCord." Nadine said.
When Blake finished on the call they both took a deep breath and walked into the room that the secretary had been relaxing in. This time both Elizabeth and Henry were awake and looked scared. "Ma'am, we have on Alison. Jay was scouring all the media and private videos of the ceremony and saw a video, just after the bomb exploded. It appears that someone from one of the militant groups in the area took Alison because they didn't want the embargo lifted." Nadine said, a hint of panic in her voice. "So Alison has been kidnapped?" Elizabeth said. "It appears so. Jay is filling in POTUS as we speak. I expect that he will be calling soon." Nadine said. As if he was psychic the phone in the nearby office rang. Blake picked up. "Yes, sir, just one moment please. Ma'am, POTUS for you."
Elizabeth took a deep breath, let it out and then walked over and took the phone from Blake.
E- Hello Conrad
C- How are you and Henry holding up?
E- Hanging in
C- Just wanted to let you know that I've brought the entire security council together, strat com is working on physical removal (once we locate where she has been taken). Our assets in the area are involved and trying to locate where Ali is physically. This is everyones top priority and I promise you that we will find her. You and Henry stay in the embassy as long as you need. We can send Jason and Stevie to be with you guys should you want it. On a personal note, I told Lydia what happened. Being that Alison is our god daughter, I thought that this would be okay. She said a prayer. If you two need anything, just ask.
E- It's okay that Lydia knows. I kind of thought that you would tell her. Keep me posted with what is going on. As soon as they find her please let us know. We will let you know if we need anything.
And then the phone call ends. "Nadine, please call deputy secretary Cushing and bring him in while we are here." Elizabeth asks. "Secretary Cushing is already there Ma'am. Jay got him in earlier." Nadine said.
"What did Conrad say?" Henry asked Elizabeth. " Just that basically everyone possible is working to find Ali. He wants us to stay here until she is found and to let him know if we need anything." she said as Henry mumbled, we need our daughter back.
A few minutes later, Elizabeth was on the phone with Stevie, Henry was working on a plan with DS and Blake and Nadine were trying to figure out ways to back channel anything they could when there was a glitch in the power. All of a sudden, Elizabeth and Henry's cell phones started to ring and the tv in the embassys front room came on. Elizabeth looked down at her cell phone and could see that she had internet access again. She told Stevie she loved her, and opened her email. She asked Henry to call Jason so he left the room. At the very moment Elizabeth got into her email, the phone rang again. It was Jay. Elizabeth saw it. An email entitled we have your daughter.
"Blake, can you make it so I can see this email on the tv screen please?" She asked as she handed over her phone. Once hooked up, Elizabeth took her phone back and opened the email. On the screen came a man, in camoflague with a gun in his hand. He was no where they could make out right away.
"We are the exembargo militia group. We have your daughter and you will keep the embargo in place, not call the policia and pay us $5 million dollars if you want her back. I will tell you though, the longer it takes for you to comply with these demands the less likely you are to get her back.
TBC