May 25th, 2024 – Early Morning –Barney
Various pictures of Robin popped up before he had even finished typing her name. He clicked on the first one.
Her hair seemed a little longer than last time he'd seen her, but not that much.
The picture showed her on a red carpet, posing with some guy. She was still gorgeous.
He went back and looked at the next one, a headshot that couldn't have been that old either.
A picture of her attending a charity event was next. She was once again posing with others, and the two men closest to her had their arms around her.
He briefly wondered how many of these men she posed with were more than just acquaintances.
He went back to the main page and scanned the pictures. There were a lot of men, but he didn't see anyone twice which could only mean that she wasn't in a serious relationship.
He went back to the main page and clicked on the first link, WWN's website.
The picture that came up was the same they had used on the news earlier. Next to it was a short explanation about Robin's work.
She had apparently become the expert for warzones and globally developing stories.
There were a few links to some of her segments and he clicked on the first one.
Robin was interviewing a soldier about the latest battle. She was wearing a bullet proof vest and her hair was in a messy ponytail. A part of him thought that she looked as if she had fought in the battle herself, but that something about that attire was really cute.
Had she worn a bullet proof vest today? But if they all had worn them, wouldn't have the soldier survived the ambush?
"What have you gotten yourself into?" He whispered as he clicked on the next link.
Another interview, this time with the leader of some rebels in some forest. He didn't really care for the content and just starred at Robin the whole time.
She certainly seemed drawn to dangerous stories.
Finally he couldn't take it anymore and went back to the main search results, to check for something about her personal life.
He found a site that had a short interview with her about a warzone she had recently been to. The article started with a short introduction of Robin but it didn't really tell him anything new either; Canadian born, traveling the globe for WWN for the past ten years, age 42.
But there had to be more somewhere.
The next link featured a write-up about another gala she'd been to. No personal information whatsoever.
His eyes lingered on the picture of her, she was wearing a beautiful gown and looked absolutely stunning. He forced himself to click the back button and to search for more information.
She seemed to have spent some time in New York earlier this year as she had gone to a couple of events in the city in January.
He wondered where she had stayed, who she had met up with, and whether or not she had had a good time.
May 25th, 2024 – Early Morning –Robin
Ben was the first one to crack and started crying.
"I'm never going to see Trish again."
"Sure you are." George tried to calm him down.
"And the Thank-God-You're-Alive-Sex will be out of this world." Robin tried to crack a joke.
"Stop being so delusional, we are going to die!" Ben yelled at them.
"You don't know that Ben." George retorted.
"Yes I do. And maybe you two don't care because your lives are so messed up, but I do."
"Calm down Ben." George tried once more.
"They might trade us for prisoners Ben." Robin argued.
"Have you been around for the stories we've covered Robin? They never do that. Sure they are going to search for us, but these rescue operations are never successful. You know that! So stop talking bullshit."
"All I'm saying is that we shouldn't give up hope." Robin replied calmly.
May 25th, 2024 – Early Morning –Barney
Apparently Robin had run a marathon for a charity event last year, Barney discovered as he clicked on another link.
The picture accompanying the article showed her in super short shorts and a light sports top. Her legs were as slim and slender as always and he remembered a time when she would lounge in her underwear next to him on the couch.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
Hopefully no one would notice her legs wherever she was right now. Hopefully no one was torturing her. Hopefully she was still alive.
He started to cry again and shut his laptop forcefully before grabbing his cell.
There were literally dozens of new messages, but he ignored most of them and only clicked on the gang's group chat.
Lily had proposed to meet up at their house for breakfast. He didn't like the thought of sitting around, gossiping about what might have happened to Robin with the others but on the other hand, he knew that he would loose his mind if he stayed inside his apartment all day.
"Will be there. Ellie and I will bring bagels." He hit send before he could change his mind.
May 25th, 2024 – Early Morning –Robin
"Robin? Hey?" George hissing woke her from her light slumber.
He robbed over to her until their shoulders and legs were pressed against each other.
"Ben's finally asleep." He got a hold of her fingers and started stroking her hand the best he could while being tied up.
He kissed her. Very gently and short.
"Listen Robin." He started while still caressing her hand, "you have a really good chance of making it out of here alive, okay?"
"We are all…"
"No we aren't. But you will. You are by far the most valuable of us, they aren't going to kill you as long as you follow a couple of rules." He continued.
"George, we are all going to make it." She whispered.
"Babe, listen. In order to survive you have to be an easy prisoner, okay? No fighting, no screaming and whatever you do, don't become hysterical in here."
"George, we are both going to make it." She whispered.
"I'm going to be the first one they'll kill. I'm the most exchangeable of us three, but you can't let that get to you, okay? You have to stay strong. Promise me you will fight for your life."
"George stop it."
"Robin promise me you will fight."
"George…"
"Promise."
"I can't."
"Babe, please, you can't give up."
"What would I be even fighting for?" Robin replied, hating how whiny she sounded.
She felt George's lips on hers again, longer this time.
"Look, right now we are in this together, we've got each other to fight for, right? And once I am gone…you'll have to fight so you can tell this story. You've got such a bright future awaiting you out there baby, you are a great journalist and an amazing human being, you will be an inspiration to so many people. And if that's not enough to fight for then do it for me. Do it so you can tell Josh that his daddy loved him."
"I think you should tell him yourself." Robin replied, crying now.
"I've got every intention to do so. Just as I have every intention to get you out of here alive."
"You made a really bad call trading your shift today." Robin replied, trying to brightening the conversation.
"Nah, I wanted to spent time with you, and look how well it worked out. We've been together non-stop for what? 12 hours? 24 hours?"
They kissed once again but shot apart the moment they heard Ben move.
George robbed away from her and she immediately felt the loss of his body heat and the comfort it had provided.