Chapter 6

Ana adjusted her eyes to the darkness of the room, it was freezing. She shivered a bit and hugged herself to get warmer. She had no idea how long it had been since the voice, that horrible disconnected static voice. Christian would be looking for her. She knew he would be. She tried to pull her knees to her chest, but the restraint on her left ankle didn't allow for much movement. Using the wall as a support she stood up. It was hard to keep weight off her injured foot. Ok Grey, time to figure out what happened. She replayed the events in her head as she remembered them, taking off from Seattle, the plane, the new flight attendant, Rey. Natalie had been on maternity leave for the last two months and Rey had been sent over by an agency. Her background checks had come clean, but then, how did I get here? And why am I here?

Still using the walls as support, she made her way around the room, trying to get a sense of her field of motion. She couldn't quite reach the door of the room, not that it would help if I could, what am I going to do, pick the lock?

Lost in her thoughts she barely registered the unconscious form lying in the corner of the room, until it was too late. She fell on it, and elicited a small groan of pain.

"Taylor!" Ana was ecstatic to find her bodyguard and friend alive... for the most part.

His voice was weak, "Mrs. Grey... Ana... are you ok?"

She could've hugged the man, he sounded like he was in excruciating pain, but still the first thought was for her. Overwhelmed by emotion, by fear, pain and exhaustion, Ana burst into tears.

"I'm ok..." she said between sobs, "Jason... are you... are you hurt badly?"

In the darkness she could hear rather than see his weak smile, "I'll do, Ana... you ok? Still in one piece?" His concern was touching, and his voice soothing. Pull yourself together Grey!

"I'm fine, a few sprains here and there. Nothing else. Do you know what happened?"

"All I remember, is you fainting on the plane, I thought at the time... maybe it was like the other day... at Starbucks... Luke had told me about that", ah yes, the famous Starbucks incident of 2018. It seemed so far away now, almost as if it was another life.

"Yes, I thought I was tired but I figure there was something in the tea."

"Probably... I got out of my seat to make sure you didn't hurt yourself and then I think someone got me in the head from the back. Felt like the butt of a pistol. They must've drugged me after, because I can't remember much else... I think I remember a boat... or at least the sound of a motor, but I don't know... I woke up once yesterday, and tried to jump the guy who came in to check on us... Didn't quite work obviously. I may have broken my leg and a couple of ribs in the process though... they made sure I was restrained pretty good after that."

"Yesterday? Jason... how long have we been here? How long have I been asleep?"

"Best I can guess... about 26 hours...I think they've been keeping you drugged though. The guy I jumped was trying to inject you. I guess I must've been more out of sorts than I thought though... the asshole got the better of me... I... I'm sorry, Ana"

"Jason, it's not your fault... if anything I should be apologising to you... its my fault we're in this mess... If I hadn't insisted on Vienna... if I'd just waited... just listened to... to...", the thought of Christian made Ana lose control, she couldn't hold back any longer. The thought of never seeing him or their children again... it was crippling... she tightened her arms around herself, and fell to her knees crying.

"Ana... please... you have to be strong...", Taylor could barely speak, he clutched his broken rib with one arm and tried to prop himself up on the other. Through clenched teeth he tried to calm Ana down, "we're going to get out of here, you're going to see him again... I promise... Look... look at me...", Taylor's voice took on a hard edge, "This... all of this... it's not your fault... it's not mine either... everyone on that aircraft had passed at least 3 levels of background checks ... whoever's behind his has some deep connections... there's no way they can wrangle this otherwise"

"You're right," she said through stifled sobs, "they said... they said no-one would be looking for me... that Christian didn't need me anymore...". Ana's fears were slowly taking control of her mind.

Taylor snorted. "And you believed them? ... What in your history with Christian Grey would make you think that was even remotely possible?... Ana... that man would fight Satan himself for you... and he'd win too!"

A small smirk escaped Ana at the thought of Christian fighting off a fiery devil for her, and then a sliver of doubt let itself into her lifted spirits. "But what if he thinks we're dead? What if they told him we're dead?"

"I've been thinking about that, I don't think they would tell him we're dead... what would be the point? It would break Christian, but other than that there would be nothing to gain from it. If they tell him you're alive then they at least have the option of ransom... Have they asked you to record a message of some sort?"

"No, they haven't... they haven't even told me who they are. All I know is that they seem convinced that Christian doesn't need me anymore."

"Hmm, that means they probably haven't made first contact yet. Without proof of life, a ransom call is pointless. Besides, given our cozy accommodations and the manner in which we 'checked in', I don't think this is the first time they're doing this."

There was a sound of flap and a metallic clang, followed by a one word instruction, "Eat".

Taylor and Ana both looked at the plate of bread that had appeared in front of them. Neither of them had eaten since the flight. She reached for a piece of the bread and broke off a small piece. "Here, you better eat, you need to keep your strength up too if we're going to get out of here"

Taylor shook his head, "No, Ana", he said softly, "We're not going to get out of here... You are... I'm too much of a liability now, I can barely move, let alone walk. To get away from these guys we need to run... so no, it's not going to be we, its going to be you."

Ana felt a surge of fury creeping up from inside her. Fury at the world. At the strange people who had brought her here. At what they were putting Christian through. At what they were putting her kids through. No, after all that, Taylor too. No absolutely not. She was not having any of that.

"Jason Taylor, if you think for one second that I'm going to leave you here, and go running off into some godforsaken place, you're horribly mistaken."

"Ana... Please... you don't understand. Our chances are better if you do. You can get help, show them where we are."

"They'll fucking kill you the minute that happens!" Ana practically screamed in his face, "I'm not leaving you here. We'll find a way."

"Ana, be reasonable!"

"Taylor, there's no way I survive on my own out there... wherever there is."

Taylor sighed, long and hard. A sigh of frustration and helplessness. A sigh of prayer to keep them safe. A sigh of relief... because Ana was right. They would kill him. And they could still. He was not the key player in this theatrical. No, he was the minor character with one line in the play. He was... dispensible.

"Alright, fine.. In that case... you heard the man... Eat"