Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews, reminding me that I still have to finish this. My college life has been hell so please excuse the long overdue writing. Yes, I know it was a cliffhanger, and I deserve to be shot for leaving you all this time. But guess what? I'm here now, and you can go ahead and freak out some more. Anyways, as I said before, these parts kind of switch POVs a lot. This is Jason's since you all wanted to know who the phone call was from. Happy reading!
"Jason, is Abby with you?"
I clutched the phone to my ear, feeling my bones stiffen into stone and the feeling of dread settle deep into my stagnant heart. This voice was so rarely heard, a staccato of murmurs that sounds almost like the whisper directly to the soul. Because it was so unusual that he would speak, it was a strong suggestion that something had to have happened. What struck my impending sense of tragedy was that the tone in his voice was grave.
"She just left for lunch," I answered, my voice detached of emotion as I clamored for the button to go back to the first floor. I pressed it and it lit up, but I continued to press it multiple more times, uselessly trying to make it move faster. The lift continued to the upper floor contently.
"With another girl," he added, sounding as if he was confirming something he already knew.
Nina. She left with Nina. "Yes. What is going on, Arnold?"
I heard him sigh and a small whimper cried in the background. The elevator was descending now, after an agonizing stop on the 13th floor, crawling down the glass tube, nowhere near fast enough for the frantic sensation in my stomach. I heard vague shuffling and indistinct whispers in the phone and felt irritation creep into my skin.
"Would someone please tell me something?!" I growled, nearly shattering the device held in my fist.
"I had a vision a few minutes ago," Arnold started.
My vocal cords dropped to the pit of my stomach. Arnold never spoke or really open up to outsiders simply because he couldn't stand what information he may draw once he does. He only converses with Ava in intimacy and on occasion with the remainder of the clan. Mainly, he just guards the clan and serves as the pillar of support whenever we really needed it. When he does speak out of character, it is a warning of coming danger.
"It was all scrambled, primarily flashes of scenery even. But I saw enough to know that Abby isn't didn't make to lunch," he stated, another whimper stirred the background.
"What did you see?" I said so low that I wasn't sure he could hear me clearly. In my head, my words were just a series of hisses.
"There was a dock and a light yellow bobbing boat house. The sky was dim, so it should be around sunset. Abby and the girl is on the boat house, tied up at the wrists and ankles. In the first flash, they are unconscious, guarded by six bulky men dressed in all black. And then, all I see is blood seeping into the worn wood of the dock and pouring into the ocean. There's someone in the water, but I can only see the top of the head. It's raining heavily and the waves are crashing frequently. Even experienced swimmers would be pulled into the current in those conditions. They're in danger.
"That's all. I'm sorry."
I bent my head and pinched the bridge of my nose, my eyes closed and my head whirring with the information and the nauseating images. I needed to stop panicking. I needed to figure out how to reverse this. I had to get her back.
"I need you to find that dock. I need you to get all the information you can manage with what we have. Call me back with any and every possible location," I ordered, recollecting myself momentarily so I can actually be a leader.
I hung up and clutched the phone in my hands. It was my only hope right now. As soon as the elevator doors open, I shot out in a sprint towards the revolving door of the TerraCotta. I cursed myself for not being to use my full speed and could only think that, for every second I waste, Abby could be nearing the river of Styx.
Outside the underground doors, the parking garage loomed dimly, with rows of cars parked neatly as if for a showcase. I glanced around at the empty quiet space once and found my titanium Spider. I produced the key from my pocket and unlocked the doors. The doors opened automatically, and I jumped in, yanking it shut. The engine revved almost as soon as I got in, and I was backing out before settling into the seat. Speeding out of the parking lot, and using what remained of my sanity, I fastened the seatbelt around myself.
The engine was so quiet, leaving me to my horrid thoughts. I was unable to think straight, my mind conjuring up red images of mangled flesh and lifeless eyes destroying my beloved. I was angry at myself, angry that the possible dangers didn't occur to me when she said she was going with no one else to watch over her. I was terrified that I really could lose her and do nothing about it. I was regretful that I hadn't just forced her to talk to me longer so that she couldn't have gone.
But mostly, I hoped that she could hold on until I found her.
There was ringing, and my eyes went to the screen behind the gears of my car. Recognizing the number displayed on the caller ID, I pressed the accept button.
"Talk," I commanded impatiently.
''I've searched all the docks in the 100 mile radius. Most of them are industrial and is manned by heavy security and occupied by numerous shipment crews. It would be hard to keep two women against their will without being noticed during working hours.
"There's one dock that's highly probable. It's for public recreation purposes, mostly visited by hobby fishermen and families on vacation. It's about 80 miles from the company. I've sent the location to your email and the live satellite imaging of the dock. Rita and I are also on our way to the dock,'' Joseph buzzed through the speaker of the car's telephone. I could hear Rita in the background, screeching a string of profanities, probably as she's weaving through heavy traffic.
Without any unnecessary words, he hung up. I let one hand drop from the wheel and touch a button on the screen. My email popped up immediately, and I chose to open the one at the top of the list. A map pulled up and my eyes studied it, memorizing the roads and turns. Browsing through the satellite pictures quickly, I searched for a dock and a particular boathouse. The car kept steady in my grip, heading to the main street at criminal speed.
Something darted into the road a few yards from the hood of my car. Hitting the brakes the same time as raising my eyes to the road, the car screeched to a stop just inches from the brave human.
Despite nearly getting run over, he seemed unconcerned about his safety and sprinted around to the passenger side of my car. His eyes reflected mine, blazing with urgency and concern, as he speed walked over. I was tempted to hit the gas and leave him there to say whatever he wanted, but something was stopping me.
I rolled down the passenger button with a swift movement of my finger, and he bent so that his face was framed by it.
''Have you seen Abby and Nina?''
I stiffened, reading in his face that he wasn't just looking for the girls for a casual chat. His face was twisted in worry, and even just standing like this, it seemed like he was fidgeting in anxiousness. His blue and gray eyes said everything I was holding inside with great effort. I couldn't tell him. He would only get in the way. It would be unnecessary for him to worry when it could easily be dealt with and cleaned up if I could only get there. Impatience sparked in my head, making the decision before the words tumbled out of my head.
''They said they were going to lunch with the Chairwoman,'' I responded mechanically.
''The Chairwoman called earlier and confirmed that they never showed up. Lunch hour is over. They aren't in the office. Their cell phones goes straight to voice mail. The driver said that Nina dismissed him, and he never drove them to the restaurant.''
I already knew this, but this confirmed my worst fears. Abby was terribly punctual, and she would have called if she was running late. And even if she were ignoring someone's phone call, she never actually shut off her phone.
I heard vibrating and a soft familiar piano tune, pulling me out of my wallowing thoughts. Mick reached into his blazer and pulled out a silver cell phone. He stared at the screen and then pressed the phone to his ear instantaneously.
''Abby?'' My hands clenched the wheel tighter, hoping with all of my strength it really was her calling to explain the disappearance and that she was fine. My hopes were dashed the moment I caught the voice of someone else on the other side.
''Gabriella Winns is having lunch with us. If you want her and her friend back, I suggest you bring five million to the Turtle Cove in an hour. Cash, no bank dyes, and no police. You come alone; no one else knows a word. If not, I'm sure these pretty ladies won't mind spending the night with the sea turtles.''
The voice was scrambled, funneled through an altering machine. My whole body felt like it was being suspended over the edge of a cliff. She really was taken along with Nina. She was an heiress, and a treasure chest for dark minds with greed in their eyes. I don't believe for a second that they will just let her go once they received collateral. The Winns were powerhouses in the world of business, and this will blow out of proportions once the press gets wind of it. To ensure their own safety, the kidnappers would have to eliminate witnesses and flee the country using the money.
If I let the humans handle this, there was a high chance of fatalities and the process will be prolonged. Even if I risked exposure, I had to snatch Abby and Nina back to safety. Surely the demon could repent some of his sins if he went down after saving the angel. I couldn't think of the consequences beyond those concerning her safety. I would deal with it all once I secured her.
"I want to talk to them. How can I be sure they're still okay?" Mick demanded, his voice calm, but his face pale and petrified.
"I assure you the ladies are fine. They are just napping from the long journey. If you don't believe me, then don't bother about it. It's your price to pay."
An annoying continuous tone came through the device after the kidnapper hung up. Mick was still frozen on the spot. I observed him as his eyes faded from his thinking process. I formulated a plan in my head. I would not need the ransom money. It would take too long to try and withdraw that amount without suspicion even if I did a small amount from every account I owned. There would be unnecessary time wasted, and I could easily and cleanly take care of the criminals. No one else had to be wiser.
I took my foot off the brake and the car began to inch forward half a second before my passenger door pulled open and Mick jumped into the seat without a word. I stomped on the brake again and snapped my head over to him.
"Get out," I said, through gritted teeth, my patience virtually grains of sand in an hourglass.
"Drive me to the bank immediately," he replied simply, ignoring my expression.
"It is impossible for you to withdraw five million without alerting the authorities. And if you do, the both of them will be even more danger. So get out now or I will throw you out myself!"
"How did you-"
"It doesn't matter right now. If you continue to delay me, I cannot guarantee that they will be alive."
He stared at me, his eyes intense with thought. Then, he shook his head and reached back to pull the seatbelt over his body with a click. My eyes narrowed in a glare and my fingers dug into the body of the steering wheel.
"I won't delay you, whatever it is that you're planning on doing. I know you're going to the dock. Take me with you. I will not stay here she could be getting hurt."
My first instinct was to kick him out of the vehicle immediately. If I let him come with me, he would be one more burden to care about and one more person unnecessarily involved. On the other hand, I couldn't let him stay here. He could feel helpless and alert the authorities in an attempt to do something good and end up getting a reverse result. I weighed the consequences fleetingly, knowing what I could not risk no matter what I had to pay. I gave out an exasperated, frustrated sigh and pushed the gas pedal into the floor. The car shot out into the street, the surroundings blurring like the gears in my head.
Mick's heartbeat was speeding along and his breathing was deep, like an animal preparing for battle. His cologne scent whirled around us, assaulting my overly sensitive nose as I took the first breath in a long time. My thumb moved to touch a button on the steering wheel and the hood of the car retreated to the back, the wind whipping through and lessened the concentration of adrenaline mixed with human essence around me. Instead, every scent blurred together and became insignificant as I set my mind to pick up only one particular smell.
"Does the family know?" I asked, staring straight out into the passing roads.
"No. The Chairwoman thinks that the girls had to go to a last minute meeting. I didn't want her to be concerned. Her health isn't stable enough for that. The GM and the Director won't start missing their presence until the end of work. Though, the Director sometimes contacts Abby to check on her during the day. That I cannot guarantee, but she will not worry too much unless someone tells her Abby hasn't returned to work."
I offered a nod as a response. The best case scenario was to return the girls before anyone noticed they were taken in the first place. The best case scenario was that no one else knows about the kidnappers and they merely disappear. I didn't dare to allow the worst case scenario enter my head.
The ocean appeared on the side of the road, and the air filtered into the car was saturated with salt and sea breeze. The waves were steady and serene, but in the distance, clouds heavy with precipitation were dragging themselves this way. Just like Arnold said, it was going to rain, and soon, the waves would be choppy. I didn't have a lot of time. Out of the corner of my eye, Mick shifted his weight and put his face closer to the passenger window.
"Once we get there, you will follow me silently and do everything I say when I say it. You won't question me, and you won't hesitate. When I tell you, you will take the girls back to this car and drive them to safety without me. You will not look back, and you will tell no one about this. You will tell them to do the same. Once you get back, you all will try your best and pretend nothing happened. Go on with your day if you can. If you cannot do that, you will get off now and not interfere. Do you understand?" I said sternly, my eyes never leaving his.
I saw fear in those eyes for a second before he nodded, his breathing hitched nervously. I snapped my head back to the road and saw a fork in the seawall. The sign stuck in the white sand, GRAY'S RECREATIONAL PIER, led down a path of sand and gravel lined on both sides by shrubs. On small turn of the wheel led us straight down the path. I could hear the waves getting louder, and the coil in my stomach nearly sprung free with the urge to snap the twigs that are those kidnappers into a hundred pieces.
I slammed on the brake when another car came into view. A dull gray van parked only a feet from mine. I put the vehicle in park and yanked the key out of the ignition, throwing the thing into Mick's lap. He caught it and slipped it into his pocket without a word. I opened the door and stepped out, taking a deep sniff of the air. My nose locked into the familiar scent. Abby was in the area. Moreover, she'd been in the van with Nina. Another scent fed the anger brewing in my gut. Chloroform.
They'd been drugged. That's why they were unconscious and easily taken here. What came next didn't just alert my nose, but my ears took the brunt of the sensory information. There was so many vague sounds of movement and contact, but then there was a loud splash as something hit the waves about 500 yards away from us.
I left the car door open, darting off in the direction of the noise. Mick was just scrambling out, and I could hear him struggling to keep up with my pace. I forgot my precautions and pushed myself to the limit of my speed, defying human possibilities, leaving him completely behind. My skin stung as rain drops fell like bullets from the sky all of a sudden, and the sky grew dark with menace. I was instantly drenched, but I was suddenly at my destination.
There was blood. So much blood that it fell from her body, absorbing into the worn wood of the pier. The water surged and receded in a turbulent cycle, quickly growing violent as a familiar head struggled to stay above its depths.
Author's Note: Gasp!!! Another cliffhanger! Review, or I may forget an important detail and delay the chapter. I gotta say, I absolutely love protective, violent, and angry Jason. Don't you? And brave, quick-thinking Mick too! REVIEW!!!