Chapter 25- the face of the enemy

Fred pulled the car by at the quiet layby and quickly instructed his colleagues to move Dan out into the replacement one that was waiting nearby. Ken and Murray cut his bindings and pulled him out of the car. Dan gasped as the blood rushed into his cramped legs. He could hardly stand but this didn't seem to bothers his captors who just dragged him across to the other car. "Make sure you wipe everything clean", Fred instructed his partners. "Yeah , okay but I'm not touching that sick", Ken grumbled as he slipped on gloves and began to wipe surfaces in the car with a cloth. "Fine I'll get the kid to help with that", Murray remarked glaring over at Dan.

"Go help kid", Fred pushed Dan toward the car. He tried to move but just tumbled to the ground. Fred laughed and moved toward Dan, "legs sore, he taunted ,"well then you won't feel this", he kicked Dan hard in the shins. Dan doubled over with the sudden pain hearing Fred's laughter. "I'm going to tell my great grand father what you did", Dan stated threatenly deciding he might as well use the old mans name to his advantage. That actually made Fred pause in the act of kicking him again. "The old man did say not to hurt him too much", Ken warned. Fred looked disappointed. "I just wanted a little bit of fun", he complained. But he backed off leaving Dan lying in the dirt.

Dan lifted his heads slowly, his three kidnappers were now a few paces away. The opportunity to try and get away now presented itself. But his legs were so sore that he doubted he could move very fast. If he was going to get away maybe this was not the best time.

He lay back down, why bother tunning anyway, there was nowhere to go and nobody out there that cared. Nothing would ever be the same again now that Simon was dead.

So Dan lay there while the men continued to clean their old ride. Ken looked rather disappointed when he approached Dan hauled him up and dragged him over to the replacement car.

"Right lets get going we have only another 30 miles to the rendezvous", he stated.

The director was feeling more and more confused as he listened to information coming over his radio. Finally he put the instrument down and turned to Fiona and Jason. "None of it was down to Carruzo", he told them. Carruzo died just before the kidnapping attempt at the amusement park". "Can the coroner determine what killed him", Jason asked. "Well the body was badly decomposed but the cause was still obvious, gunshot wound", the director reported." So someone took him out", Jason remarked. "Without anybody else knowing", Fiona pointed out," his name is still being used on the streets." "Yes well the coroner determined by the damage to the skull that the shot was made at very chose range", the director lifted his hand and put it to his head. "He could not rule out a self inflicted wound", he concluded.

Jason shook his head, "you mean Donald killed himself, but that's absurd, he had everything to live for. " I'm just repeating the coroners findings. But honestly can you see Donald letting anybody come up to him and shoot him", the director challenged.

"No I suppose not", Fiona reflected. "Yeah but I'm more interested in Fiona's thoughts. Donald Carruzo's name is still being used on the street and that seems to suggest that his own people don't know he is dead", Jason remarked. "How could they possibly not know", Fiona remarked. The director thought about that, 'there is only one explanation, someone very clever is making it seem like Donald is still alive".

He thought some more, "Dan is Donald's last remaining heir, the only key left to his fortune. Someone else could have kidnapped him in order to get their hands on the fortune", the director mused. "But nobody else can get the money, isn't it all tied to the family", Fiona remarked. The director nodded, "yes and you might have just provided me with an answer. There has always been one more person in this, someone that is easy to forget about". Jason looked puzzled, "exactly who is that", he asked

Preparations always took rather a long time. But this close to success being careful was paramount, she could not risk them knowing her identity until Daniel was safely within the folds of the family.

She stood back from the mirror admiring herslef and thinking that the plan she'd devised was a rather ingenious, totally equally anything Donald have ever done.

It was a pity Donald was not here to see it but in the end he had been rather spineless and not interested in proceeding with Dan's kidnapping.

Molly Carruzo was thankful that she was almost the same height as her dead husband.

The addition of clever make up helped with appearances but she was still careful nobody came too close. Luckily Donald has always like theatrics scaring his employees with the old darkened room trick. This was something she needed to play upon because if any of the employees suspected Donald was dead they'd try for a take over and she'd be left with nothing. This was prescisely why she was doing this, Donald had placed all his assets in the hands of his male heirs . He had left her a pittance though his will did stipulate that male heirs needed to provide for her continued health and comfort. Stupid Donald, that left her totally reliant on others.

The money she'd managed to stash away over the years was slowly dwindling as she used it to pay off acts carried out in Donald's name. She needed accesss to his fortune so she could use it to control the employees once they found out Donald was dead. Money, she had learnt was always a great incentive. She'd forge his signature but Molly Carruzo was barely literate. She'd come from a large family of 15 and had faced a life on the streets, getting money from whatever source she could muster.

At 14 she only had one thing in her advantage, her looks and she'd used them to snare herself the best possible life, the girlfriend , then eventually the wife of upcoming mobster Donald Carruzo. He'd lavished gifts and money upon her catapulting her into a life of luxury. There was no way she was ever going to give that life up without a fight. Years of watching Donalds various plans unfold had taught Molly a thing or two and she was proud of how her current plans were working out.

Now all she had to do was get herself to the car and go and meet her employees and the key to her future, Daniel Mangan. Molly smiled ,this time she was going to succeed, Saunders was already dead, so could not find out the truth.

Yep life was good and it could only get better, well at least it would for her. She doubted young Daniel would enjoy it very much.

"Sir, the helicopters exploded but from what we can tell nobody was in it at the time. There is blood on the grass nearby, leading us to assume someone was injured. We found footprints of 5 people which indicates that someone has come to their aid", Agent Greer reported down his radio to Director Tandy. Any clue about the identity of the injured party", Direcotor Tandy asked hoping to at least ensure the Belden's of their daughter wellbeing. "Well we can see an impression from where a person had lain on the ground, there was also some dark hair that was covered with blood", Agent Greer stated. Fiona swallowed, "sounds like Saunders is injured", she remarked. Agents Greer continued his report ,"I've got an alert out at every hospital, cliinc and emergency room in the area. If any body brings in Saunders then we'll catch them", Greer stated.

"We searched the area for the kidnappers and found no immediate sign. However once we widened the radius of our search we uncovered an abandoned car. The thing had been wiped clean of prints. But there were traces of vomit in the back seat", he continued.

That is likely Mangan", the director remarked, "he's undoubtedly sick due to lack of his medicine".

"Yes and he's only going to get sicker", Fiona reported. "Why aren't those kidnappers trying to get help for him?

Because they get caught of they do", Jason replied. "Yes but if I was them I'd also be worried about what their boss will do if the give him a unconscious kid", Fiona reminded them. "Prehaps they didn't believe the broadcast", Jason remarked. Director Tandy thought about that, "what would you do if you'd found out your uncle/ step father was dead", he asked his agents. "I'd give up…oh, do you think Mangan might have told them the broadcast was fake", Fiona felt for the suffering of Dan. "Yes think he might", the director acknowledged. "Perhaps there is a way to give him back some hope then", Fiona remarked. "We can rebroadcast about the kidnapping and medication but perhaps let him know in a sneaky way that Mr Saunders is still alive." Alright I think I'll contact the Saunders and ask for any facts about their son that Dan knows but the kidnappers don't", the director agreed

Fiona turned to her boss, why don't we tell them Carruzo is dead at the same time, it just might get them to back off. The director pondered that, "the body is not in good enough condition for anyone to visually identify it as Carruzo, so we may not be believed. Also that announcement may just place Mangan in more danger. If the others no longer have fear of Donald over their heads they may just decided to kill him", the director stated. He looked over at them, "perhaps the broadcast may inspire Mangan to take action himself".

"We are nearly there", Ken enthused. His joy was cut short a few minutes later when the car suddenly swerved and started to shake. "Dammit I think we have a flat", Fred moaned. He pulled the car to the side and got out to look. Yep definitely a flat", he told the others. Murray promptly put his foot hard on Dan's back, "hurry and change the tire", he demanded. They sat and waited listening to the radio, 'we interrupt this broadcast for a special update on the kidnapping of Daniel Mangan, the FBI is imploring the kidnappers to seek medical assistance for Mangan who has a genetic disorder. If the kidnappers are willing to let Mangan go the FBI is offering immunity from prosecution. Please ring'', the radio gave out a number , 'and now back to our regular program, we had a request for this song, its called I'm somewhere out there and it is from the shooting star dedicated to that special person in his life". A song started to play, "Hey give me a hand out here", Fred moaned. Murray lifted his boot off Dan and opened the door. Dan lay on the floor, he'd heard the broadcast and subsequent dedication, I'm coming to get you….., the song blared. Dan found a smile coming to his face. The song was a message, somewhere out there Simon was alive and he was coming to get him. Maybe though he needed a little assistance. Ken was looking out the window and Murray and Fred were occupied with the tire.

Dan wiggled himself free of his bonds then he slid open the door and forced his legs into running as fast as possible.

For about a minute Ken didn't notice anything, he was too busy laughing at Fred efforts to get off the tire. But then lack of someone in the back registered, "stop the kids gone", he yelled back.

The others quickly dropped what they were doing then quickly went after Dan

Dan's body was fatigued and cramped from time on the floor of the car. His energy was sapped from lack of food or drink, but desparation made his run faster than he ever had.

"The kid is actually quite fast", Ken complained as he sped up. "Yeah but he won't get far",Murray stated

Fred was puffing, "if we don't catch him the old man will kill us", he told them .

The three men looked at each other suddenly afraid. They put on extra speed.

Dan knew his strength was failing and he couldn't keep this up for much longer.

He sent out a silent plea, "please any one ,help me".

All that came back though was a breeze and the ominous sound of breathing as the others began to run him down.