CHAPTER14
Gabi came round, feeling very groggy and frightened. She'd been blindfolded, she realised as she tried to open her eyes and found that they were restricted by material.
She tried to spit out the gag in her mouth, the material making her mouth dry and her throat felt all scratchy too.
"Hey just take it easy, Missy" a voice said
She frowned. Missy? Hadn't the police guard called her that? Was he in on this?
She tried to regulate her breathing, knowing that panicking wouldn't get her anywhere.
As much as she wanted to scream out loud right now, she was almost too afraid to.
"Just so you know" the voice continued, and Gabi felt hands at the back of her head "You can scream all you like, but no-one will hear you" the gag dropped off
She tried to scream, but found she couldn't, her throat were so sore.
What the hell had they injected her with?
"Here" the voice said, placing something at her mouth "Drink" he instructed
Gabi swallowed the liquid gratefully, wondering if she had just unknowingly swallowed another drug.
"All you gotta do is sit there and stay quiet, and we'll have you home in a flash" he said again, so calmly.
Gabi frowned. How could he sound so calm? He'd just kidnapped her from the street and he sounded like he didn't care. Like this was his day job.
"We just need your boyfriend to pay up and we'll be good" he added
Gabi sobbed then. Troy! Please don't hurt Troy she prayed silently.
"Aw don't cry sweetheart, you might break my heart" another voice came, a harsher, rougher voice.
How many of them were there? She silently wondered
She felt a hand go around her arm "No!" she sobbed "Help!!" she tried to call, her voice still not recovered.
"Shut up" he demanded, tightening his grip "Or you want that gag back on?"
She shook her head; hiccupping sobs slowing her progress as they shuffled her across the room.
"Feed her" the rough-voiced man said and she felt food being passed to her lips.
She had no idea what it was, and again, if it were tainted.
She bit down on it, realising it was an apple, and chewed silently as tears spilled from her eyes in gushes, absorbed by her blindfold.
She began to shake, the fear washing over her as reality and shock hit her. Please god; please get me out of here alive, she prayed again. Please, let Troy be ok.
---
Troy was in the studio, going through shots from the video tape with Sean when his cell rang.
"Troy, It's Robert. I'm outside. Come now" he instructed
Troy frowned. What was with all the cloak and dagger stuff? Could he not just walk into the studio and talk to him?
He headed out back, seeing Robert's car and getting in the passenger seat.
He looked to his manager, and his face was white. "I don't know how to tell you" he said, his face so grave, Troy thought someone had died.
"What is it?" he demanded
"It's Gabriella…" he began, rubbing his face
Troy's heart stopped beating "Is she ok? What's happened?" he asked, turning in his seat.
"She's gone Troy. We think she's been kidnapped"
As the words came out of Robert's mouth, Troy watched, but nothing else was heard. Gabi, his Gabi, was in danger. Because of him. FUCK! Who was doing this? Who wanted him so badly they would take his girlfriend as a substitute?
"I want to speak to the police" he said, numbly
"That's where I was going to take you, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't driving when I told you" he sighed, waiting for the explosion from Troy, and none coming.
"Drive" he said quietly, his voice dangerously low.
His head span in a million directions. Who had her? Where was she? What had they done to her? He screwed up his hand into fists, pressing them hard against his forehead. WHY had he left her? Why? He knew she was in danger and he'd just walked away…
"Troy, are you listening to me?" Robert asked
"It's all my fault" he whispered, his blue eyes so far away that Robert wondered if he might be having a break down "It's all because of me. If I hadn't got her from Chicago, she'd be safe. And now she's hurt, because of me…" he was crying but he didn't feel the tears, just the blurred view he had of the buildings whizzing by.
"Troy, just breathe okay? I called your mom and dad, they're on their way." He added
Troy was in a daze. "I was sitting in a studio talking about which shot looked best. Who FUCKING CARES?!" he yelled, hitting the dashboard. Robert flinched a little, thinking, here it comes. "Who FUCKING CARES WHAT I LOOK LIKE?! It means nothing without her" he clenched his fists until his knuckles were white.
"Troy, you weren't to know. Look, you gotta get in check, okay? The police are going to need you to help find her" he said
He nodded but his eyes were distant, unfocused.
Robert stopped outside the police station, looking to Troy. What was he supposed to do? He knew Troy would be ruined by the news, but he had to try and get him inside to help with finding Gabi.
He shook his arm "Troy! We're here" he said sharply.
Troy got out of the car and went into the police station, not even contemplating the fact that paparazzi would be there, news having travelled fast
"Troy, how do you feel?" one called
"How do you think I FUCKING FEEL?" he roared and Robert followed him quickly, helping to part the crowd of photographers as they made their way into the station.
"If she's hurt, I'll never forgive myself" he said softly, and Robert rubbed his shoulder in a gesture to comfort him.