Apologies to all for the delay and sorry for the short chapter... just struggling a bit at the moment, but will try harder to update soon, promise! Thank you all for reading and commenting, it means a great deal! :-)
A small plane dropped low out of a pale blue sky, wheels down, and landed on the abandoned runway. It taxied along to the end and came to a halt where a brown car was parked. After a few minutes the pilot climbed out, with a briefcase in his hand. He looked over to the car, seemingly waiting for a signal from its occupant.
Kelly, Sabrina and Bosley watched from some foliage at the edge of the strip.
"I can't believe l don't have my binoculars in the trunk!" Kelly said as they all strained their eyes to see how Kris was.
"Kelly, it's okay…" Bosley said, trying to slowly move a branch from view. "…I don't think there's much we can do from here anyway." He sighed. Kelly looked at him, thinking through their options. He was probably right. She turned back to the see Jessica emerge from the car, then step to the back door of the car and drag Kris out by her hair. Kelly drew her breath in sharply, and heard Sabrina do the same.
Sabrina tensed, wanting to - needing to - run right over there that instant and give Jessica Rhys-Davies a piece of her fist. Kelly placed a hand on her arm and looked at Bri. "I know." She said softly. Sabrina looked on, noting that Jessica also had something held to Kris's throat… a knife obviously. "Dammit!" She cursed out loud and looked at Kelly then back at Bosley, whose frown was deep, and the worry clear in his gentle brown eyes.
Kelly saw the glint of the knife as Jessica made her way towards the plane, dragging a stumbling Kris with her.
She fought to keep her anger in check. Kris was in desperate need of help and there was very little they could do… the police helicopter had been kept at bay as they didn't want Jessica to feel threatened… they all realised how viciously dangerous she was. This was such a terrible nightmare! When was it going to end? Kelly watched, holding her breath as the pilot gave the briefcase to Jessica, who motioned for him to walk away. And he did. She felt sick to her stomach for Kris. She watched Jessica, laden with two cases and an armful of Kris, take all of her cargo up on board backwards, still managing to hold a knife to Kris. Kelly realised, with even more anger, that Kris was obviously in no condition to fight back. She felt hot tears of emotion prick at the corner of her eyes as she wondered if this was the last they would see of their dear friend…then she immediately pushed the thought away, and mentally shook herself. Don't even THINK that way, Kelly Garrett, she told herself harshly. Concentrate on a plan, dammit! Get control! She breathed in a deep breath then let it out slowly, and looked at Sabrina and Bosley with determination.
"We need a plane…NOW!"
Sabrina turned quizzically to Kelly. "But we don't even know where she's headed?"
"Mexico!" Kelly threw her palms outward, as if stating the obvious. Sabrina looked slightly hurt. "Alright, I get it, but WHERE?" She ran a hand through her hair and glanced around. "I mean, if I was gonna jump the country, sure I'd head South, but where would I land?"
Bosley moved away from the bushes and began to walk toward the car. "We can figure that out soon…I'm gonna call Charlie, and get us a plane here!" He hurried up to the car, got in and made the call. Then suddenly, the little Cessna's engines revved up, and the plane turned slowly on the tarmac, before quickly gathering speed on the runway.
Bosley got out of the car and looked over, shocked, even though he knew somehow the plane would leave.
"Kris!" Kelly breathed in disbelief, as she watched the plane's speed pick right up, then it lifted off into the air, leaving the girls and Bosley feeling so utterly useless and scared for their kidnapped friend. Kelly felt like punching something. Anything! She swirled around, her anger rising, feeling it bubble out of control.
"I can't just stand here, we've got to do something!" She snapped at Sabrina.
Sabrina stepped up to Kelly and took her by the shoulders, just as Bosley walked up to them.
"You okay honey?" He asked Kelly gently. He looked between them both, wondering if Kelly was going to lose her temper right there and then. He sure wouldn't blame her. But Sabrina held on to Kelly's shoulders and looked her right in the eyes. "I know, I know Kel, it's okay!" Sabrina said softly. "We are all going to get out of this mess, okay? We are going to get Kris back, right?" She said emphatically. She looked intently at Kelly, searching for some kind of expression of conviction on her friends face. Kelly gave a small smile, to let Bri know she was trying not to doubt her words, trying not to lose it completely. Bri felt a little of the tension drop in Kelly and she smiled back. Kelly looked at Bri. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry for being blunt before, Bri! I'm just so…" She held her hands up, the knots building upon knots in her churned up stomach, unable to describe her feelings to Bri. She didn't have to. Bri dropped her arms and smiled again at Kelly, a knowing, understanding smile that took Kelly down another notch. Kelly was so grateful to have Bri around right then. She sighed, then looked at Bosley. "Charlie's sending a plane over right now. Should be here in twenty minutes." He said, glumly.
"Boy, I wish it would rain, I could sure use a shower!" Sabrina as always, tried to lighten the mood a little. Kelly even gave a small laugh. They stood together, and waited patiently for another messenger from Charlie - albeit a mechanical one - to appear out of the skies.
There was a very strange vibration going on, Kris realised, as she came round for the third time, since passing out on the plane. She tried to figure it out and mentally check herself out before she opened her eyes. For a moment, nothing made any sense at all, she was totally disorientated. She opened her eyes, just as her memory kicked in, and understanding flooded over her like a waterfall. Oh no… it wasn't just a nightmare… she really was in trouble. She blinked and looked around the small interior of the plane and took everything in, remembering being dragged into the plane, remembering Jessica's threats if she didn't do as she was told, and remembering feeling anguish at the thought that something bad could have happened to Kelly or Sabrina. Still, she was feeling a little physically better than she had for a while now. Her head was clearing, although she was still in some pain, the intensity had dropped a little. Her arms were so stiff from being stuffed behind her back all the time - and now, she realised, she had her feet bound too. Well, she thought, trying to be positive, at least she was alive. For now. Kris looked towards the cockpit and saw Jessica, headset on, managing the planes controls, seemingly at ease. This was so not good. What had happened to Bri and Kelly, she wondered, worriedly. Had they tried to stop Jessica and got in the way? Kris felt despondent that she hadn't been in a fit state to fight back and try and get herself away from Jessica. Could she have tried harder? This was no good, she told herself. She had to think positive… she had to keep alert and look for opportunities to get out of this.
Just then, Jessica looked over her shoulder at Kris.
"Oh!" Jessica faced front again, but talked on, shouting over the planes engine noise. "How nice of you to join the flight!" Sarcasm was obviously one of Jessica's stronger qualities, Kris decided, not amused.
"So what's your name, pretty blonde thing?" Jessica shouted back over her shoulder.
Kris eyed her suspiciously.
"Why don't you make it up, like you have everything else?" She replied scathingly. Kris could use sarcasm too when required.
Jessica shrugged her shoulders. "Okay Blondie, have it your way!" It won't matter soon anyway!" She laughed a little, amused once more at her own little private joke.
The meaning wasn't wasted on Kris. She realised that she was only along for the ride, not the destinations vacational activities. She needed to figure a way out of this situation! If only she could at least work her hands free…she tried, but felt the rope so tight around her wrists, she doubted she could do anything to work it free. Still, she had nothing to gain by sitting idle. She had everything to lose. She began to work to free herself.
Then just as Kris began to get very frustrated with the rope, she heard the radio crackle, and a mans voice crackled in the cockpit. Kris looked up to see that Jessica had taken her headphones off, which meant she'd turned the radio to loudspeaker. She listened as the mans voice said Jessica's name and she suddenly recognised it as Bronwyn Rhys-Davies voice! How on earth had he tracked Jessica's plane down so quickly? She guessed Charlie…or maybe even Kelly or Sabrina had something to do with it. This thought cheered her a little.
Jessica sat up straighter in her chair and grabbed the microphone on the headset.
"What do you think you are doing?" She shouted angrily down the mike. The reply came back.
"Jessica Jessica! I've been out of my mind with worry darling! Where are you, what are you doing? Please come back! I…" Jessica cut him off abruptly.
"I don't care about your stupid American investments daddy! I don't want any part of it! Never have! I don't need you anymore either!"
"But darling Jessica, I love you! Why are you doing this? Please come back, let's talk about things…"
"NO! We've never talked, all my life! You don't love me, you just love your business! Always have! Business always came first! Now I'm putting ME first!"
"But Jessica please…!" But Jessica slammed the headphones down and switched off the radio. She sat fuming, checking the planes controls, and Kris could almost feel the hate coming off her. Boy, that was a revelation! She really hates her father that much! Kris thought this over. No wonder she was a short step from being completely psycho! Lack of parental love is a strong motivator…for anything. Kris decided to try another tactic.
"Jessica… I'm sorry you feel your father…" Kris didn't get far, as Jessica quickly interrupted her.
"Oh please!" She spat out at Kris. "Don't bother! Don't you understand?" She shouted, not just because of the engine noise. "I really DON'T CARE!" She finished, the hatred and loathing she felt for her father all to evident now. She took a deep breath and spoke again, in a lowered tone.
"You'll keep quiet if you know what's good for you, Blondie!"
Kris resigned herself to the fact that Jessica was just not going to listen to reason. She was going to have to somehow tackle Jessica the old fashioned way. She went back to work surreptitiously on the ropes.
Some time later - Kris wasn't sure how long, she'd unwittingly passed out again, giving her cause for more alarm - she heard Jessica speak into the microphone.
"Mexico International - this is Victor Lima five nine two Alpha requesting permission to land, over…"
Jessica paused as she listened to the response.
"What?…Sorry, please repeat, over?" Kris detected more anger in Jessica's voice.
"But I must have permission to land now, tower! I am low on fuel, over!"
Another pause, then,
"But I've never heard of such a regulation…..since when, over? …..I'm sorry tower, I cannot circle for thirty minutes, I must land now! Over!"
Then Jessica blurted out in a rage, "New regulations? Twelve hours prior notice to land an external flight? What absolute rubbish!" She seethed at no-one in particular.
Then she looked over her shoulder at Kris. "I bet your damned police has something to do with this!" She fumed at Kris. Kris stared icily back. She smiled inwardly though. She wondered if Charlie himself had anything to do with it? Did his connections spread this far? Probably!
Jessica turned back to the radio. "This is Victor Lima five nine two Alpha - I only have ten minutes fly time left, tower…" a lie, but didn't matter "I MUST have permission to land, over!" The response Jessica was hoping for didn't come, Kris assumed, when Jessica slammed her fist against the cockpit window.
"What do they want me to do…crash?" She shouted, again at no-one particularly.
"Are we really that low on fuel?" Kris asked, feeling more than anxious.
"Mind your own damned business and shut up!" Jessica replied hotly, not in the slightest bit interested in Kris now.
Kris rolled her eyes and leant back in her seat. She'd had just about enough of this woman telling her what to do. And she was tired of being her hostage. Dammit she was tired anyway, exhausted, in pain, and getting more and more anxious by the minute, even though she was trying to keep calm. Her head still hurt, and the blackouts were not a good sign. She needed to get treatment, she realised, and soon. She thought of Jill, somewhere in Spain, having such a great time with her own career. She wished with all her heart Jill was with her now. Not that she wanted Jill to be held hostage too… just that she needed her sister badly right now. She needed Kelly and Bri too. Oh Kris, come on! She chided herself. Keep positive! Gotta be ready for a break! Oh boy, do I need a break, she thought, wistfully. Kris realised she'd tuned out to Jessica's rants…she sighed and sat back up, trying to figure out what was going on up front. She looked out of the window to see if they were nearer the ground, but she couldn't see anything but sky and a little bit of land bobbing up now and then at the bottom of the window.
Jessica turned slightly in her seat and Kris looked up. Jessica had her gun on her. Kris froze and her heart seemed to skip a beat.
"Well Blondie, we're officially in Mexico now, so I just don't think I need you any more!"
"Are you crazy?" Kris replied, so badly frightened now. "You can't shoot a gun in here, anything could happen!" She tried again to reason with her uncaring captor.
Jessica smiled. "Oh don't worry, once one of these little babies" she wiggled her gun for emphasis "has ripped through you, it'll just stop at the metal at the back of your seat, darling!" Her grin spread even further at the thought of putting little Blondie out of her misery.
Then the radio crackled once more and Jessica, thrown, turned her attention back to it, . She listened in, her face registering some good news. She smiled and responded.
"This is Victor Lima five nine two Alpha - fifteen minutes, copy that, tower - appreciate the help, over and out."
Jessica was feeling a little better now, she had been given clearance to land in fifteen. Acceptable. She suddenly decided to prolong the blondes agony. She glanced back over her shoulder.
"Fifteen minutes until we land…hmmm…" Jessica smiled again . "Have you ever played 'I spy' ?"
Kris, feeling nauseous once more, couldn't decide if she was serious or not….