Many thanks for all of your reviews, for some reason they are not reaching the site, last two days are not there but I'm sure they will get caught up. I do read through them and take note of comments so please just keep writing them. Hope you are keeping safe.

Chapter 30

I wasn't aware of falling asleep, I knew I was feeling really tired, but I wouldn't have fallen asleep. So why was I waking up and where the hell was I? Had Ranger found me and brought me here? But where the hell was here? My head hurt as I tried to make sense of what had happened. I remembered everything clearly up until being in the back of the police car. Had I passed out, maybe an adrenaline crash? That didn't explain the awful headache I had. As I tried to open my eyes, I found it really hard to focus, I felt a spinning sensation go through me and my stomach began to roll. I quickly shut my eyes and focused on calming myself down. I seemed to be laid down and it felt like I was on a bed. I could feel pillows behind my head and the weight of covers over my body. It didn't feel as though I was still in my jeans and sweater, so I ran my hands down my body. What was weird was that I still had my bra and panties on but now I was wearing something soft around my legs and body. I really focused to open my eyes, tamping back the feeling in my head, pleased that the nausea had backed off. It was dark, with only a small amount of light coming in from under a doorway. I needed to sit up, so very slowly pushed myself into a sitting position. I couldn't see very much but a slight movement caught my eye. Someone was sat in the corner of the room watching me. Ranger, it had to be him. I knew he would sit in the chair in my bedroom watching me sleep. So why didn't I feel comfortable now? I watched as the shadow stood up and walked over to the bed.

"How are you feeling?"
It wasn't Ranger, it wasn't a voice I recognized. I scooted up the bed until my back hit the wall behind me. I couldn't discern any features on the man's face and suddenly I knew I was in trouble. Big trouble.

"I'm sorry the gas I used in the car was probably a bit too much for you. You've been throwing up a lot and it took a while to get rid of it from your system"
"You knocked me out?"
"I had to"
"I have to get home, people will be looking for me"
"They can try but they won't find you"
I ran my hand down my arm to my wrist and was feeling for my watch. It wasn't there, just like my clothes weren't here either.

"I had to remove your jewelry and clothes, didn't want to run the risk of there being any trackers on you"
My right hand went to my left ring finger only feeling an empty place where my ring should have been, my ring was gone as well. That knowledge had tears coming to my eyes.

"My engagement ring, what have you done with it?"
"I bagged everything up and have sent it to where you live"

"Where I live?"
"Yeah, when I asked for your name and address you gave me some apartment in Trenton"
"I don't remember that"
That meant that any trackers were on their way back to Trenton and the trackers in my bag were still in the car.

"Who are you?"

By now he had moved to sit on the side of the bed making me feel very threatened by how close to me he was.
"Just someone trying to keep you safe while I finish what I need to do"
"Keep me safe, who from?"
"You have quite an entourage after you"
"Who?"
"How about that man last night who was shooting, or maybe even the guy who tried to kill you in that tunnel"
"You know about that?"
I watched as he very gently ran his finger where the scar on my leg was. Did that mean he'd seen it, shit, he must have undressed me while I was unconscious. I felt my cheeks heat up and looked down toward my feet, not that I could see them. Even though my eyes had grown accustomed to the dark I still couldn't make out anything in the room, even the man's face was deep in shadow.

"I was close by when it happened, but too late to do anything about it"
"You were following me?"
"No, I was looking for someone else. I came so close"
His voice took on a low wistful sound as though he were reliving something that had hurt him. If he wasn't following me then who was he looking for. I looked up as I remembered that awful day. Could it be he was looking for Ali, but why, who was he to Ali?

My thoughts were broken as he suddenly stood up and started to walk away.

"I have to go out and get some supplies, I shouldn't be too long.

"Please, don't leave me in the dark"
The thought of that happening brought a new fear to me. I shivered as I remembered being stuck in that tunnel in the dark. I wasn't sure I would cope very well if I was left in the dark again. I think he stopped as he reached the door, please let him turn on some lights.

"What are you frightened of?"
"The dark"
"Why?"
"I was trapped in the dark in that tunnel not knowing if anyone would ever find me"
As I heard the door open and close I felt the tears forming in my eyes. The darkness seemed to push into me making the tears flow faster. Then suddenly lights around the room started to come on, I had never been so relieved. Of course, that meant I could now see where I was, though from first impressions it didn't help very much. The room wasn't that big with very little furniture in it. The bed I was laid on, the chair where the man had been sat and an old looking wooden chest of drawers. The walls were covered in a faded wallpaper, that could have been a deep burgundy color on a cream background when new, with old fashioned light fittings in the center. Where there should have been a window it was now covered in wooden planks that had been screwed to the frame. Opposite was another door, so I left the bed to explore further. The smell of disinfectant told me it was probably a bathroom. Opening the door and with the limited amount of light in the room I could see a standard white bathroom with what seemed to be new towels and toiletries by a tub. There was an attachment that came from the taps that led up to a small shower. No way would I be using that, but I did need to use the toilet. Once done and with my face and hands washed and dried, I made my way over to the door that the man had left through. My mood dropped on seeing a locking mechanism that needed a code to open the door. It wasn't very warm in the room and as the air started to cool my skin I went back to the bed. The linens looked clean and a dark green cover seemed new, so I wrapped myself in it and lay down on the bed. The silence was intense as I lay there and all I could do was think about what the man had said. He'd mentioned last night so I knew I'd been here for a few hours. I was worried about Lula and Caleb, hoping they weren't too badly injured. Then I worried what Ranger was thinking and how he was coping with me being missing again. But most of all I worried if he would revert to how he'd been when I got out of the hospital in Miami. He'd look for me, I had no doubt about that, but would he push me away from him again because he was worried that it was his fault that I was in danger again. He couldn't do that to me again, I wouldn't survive it if he blamed himself. This was all my fault that I'd got involved in something that I knew nothing about and vowed that somehow, I'd get myself free. I began to chant my mantra to myself over and over again. I needed some courage to get me through this.

You are braver than you believe

Stronger than you seem

Smarter than you think

I couldn't bring myself to add on the last sentence, it wouldn't help me now.

I must have dozed on and off as time passed, but I was wide awake at the sound of the door opening. I lay still, facing away from the door to see what would happen. I felt the bed dip down and then I smelt something close to me. My traitorous stomach belied my sleeping form. I heard a small laugh from behind me so turned onto my back and looked up into the face of the man who had taken me.

"I brought us some food, I figured you must be hungry"
I pulled myself up to once again lean against the wall at the head of the bed and watched as he unpacked several paper bags. He handed me a paper box and a fork and then set two cups onto the floor. Inside were thin noodles and vegetables coated in a spicy sauce. The smell alone was overwhelming, so I quickly began to use my fork to devour the contents. It wasn't as spicy as I thought it would be, but it still tasted good. As I reached half-way down my eating slowed and I looked across to the man who was busy eating his own meal. Although the lighting wasn't brilliant, I could see that he had dark skin and wavy dark hair. I hadn't noticed the five o'clock shadow yesterday when he was masquerading as a police officer, but it was there now. His face had a rugged quality to it, possibly making him look older than he was. He must have felt me looking at him and looked up from eating. Brown eyes framed by long dark lashes that reminded me of Ranger but there was something niggling at the back of my mind. I looked down to my food and decided that maybe talking was the way to go, if he would talk that was.

"So what happens now?"
"Finish what I need to do"

"So you won't want me getting in the way then"
He looked up at me, his eyes piercing mine.

"For an intelligent woman you must know I need you around"
"Look you're gonna have to tell me what you think I can help you with"
"You're party to information"
"I'm not going around in circles again. You're going to have to talk sense and tell me what you're doing"
"You spoke with Ali"
"Yes, before she died. She . . ."
I stopped speaking and really looked at him. Okay if his hair was slightly longer and he sported more facial hair could he be who I thought he was? Maybe it was because I was staring or that my mouth was open, and my eyes looked bigger but he smiled as though he knew what I was thinking.

"Are you Fábrega?"

"No. I know that's what she thought, but it just isn't true"
"But the locket?"
"Was mine, I gave it to her. I loved her so much. We were planning on leaving and starting a fresh life together until someone filled her head with lies"
"Why would anyone do that?"
He sighed and wiped his hand down his face. My box was taken from my hand and replaced with a paper cup of coffee and then he turned and pulled himself against the headboard next to me.

"I met Ali when I ended up working for Fertelli. We kept our relationship quiet; it didn't pay for the men around us to think we felt something for each other. She just suddenly up and left the compound so I tried to find her. When I couldn't find her, I went back to the compound to see if anyone would tell me anything. When I got there, I found it almost deserted, soldiers had been and killed people and destroyed the fields and processing areas. I managed to track down some of the men who'd worked there, but they were very cautious about telling me anything. Eventually I learnt that a man had been to see Fertelli, I don't know who he was, but it made me think he'd maybe started the rumor. The strange thing was that the men I spoke with were spooked with the soldiers turning up. I think because Ali then I had left they thought we'd betrayed the operation. They thought that I was Fábrega, someone who had betrayed Fertelli in order to take over his business"
"Did you find Ali?"
"Yes. I found her one day in Bogota and tried to tell her it was all a lie. I swore I'd find who was responsible and kill him for what he'd done"
"So people think that you are Fábrega, a man who is pushing drugs into the States?"
"Yes, I'm also the man an assassin is after"
"Do you know who contracted the assassin?"
"Not yet"
"And you expect me to stay with you?"
"Someone knows you spoke with Ali, they think you know things. Somehow you are already in the middle of this"
"Look I get where you're coming from, I do, but Ranger can take far better care of me than you can"
"He your boyfriend?"
"Yes"
"He the one with all those men in black?"
"Yes. Wait you've seen them?"
"I called at the hospital for you. Your friends are fine"

I had a dilemma now. Did I believe him or not? If I believed his story, then he was looking for someone who had ruined his life. Maybe when Ali had told me to find him and stop him, she meant this man.

"Look, I don't even know what your name is"

"Isai Falla"

"Okay, call me Stephanie"
"Estefania"
"Okay, one of my friends calls me that"

"Do you know what it means?"
"No, I thought it was just the Spanish version"

"Let me show you"
I watched as he brought up Google on his phone and wrote in the name. Then he held it in front of me to read what came up.

"Estefania is pretty, nice, smart, talented, creative and an independent young woman. She has a great heart that everyone wants to have. She sometimes finds it hard to communicate but when someone tries to annoy her, she gets mad but calms herself down. An Estefania has a creative mind in a way that makes her ideas pop in a certain way. She treasures her friends more than anything and brings a big smile to everyone's face when she is near them. Estefania is a great friend to be around with even if Estefania becomes your best friend then she will take care of you as if she were your sister. Estefania's a hard person to find because she is very friendly and takes time to think and try new things before she actually decides to do it. Estefania is a positive person and gives advice to people when they need it, but taking her own advice doesn't work the same way"

"Is that who you are?"
"Nah, there are bits that I suppose could fit but this makes someone out to be too perfect"
He was diverting my attention from what we talking about and like the idiot I was I had fallen for it. I wanted to believe Isai, I really did. But I wasn't so sure that I could trust him. His story made sense, but it threw other things into the mix. It meant there was someone out there manipulating this whole thing. Why would they want to do that and why try to frame Isai? Was there something else that Ali had known that we still had to find out. Had this person worked with the soldiers to ensure Fertelli was out of the way? On the other hand, if he was Fábrega why had he brought me here. He could have walked away from me and I would never have known. Or maybe he was worried about what else I might know. My mind was going in circles as I tried to figure things out.

"Estefania, you're not convinced are you"
"No, and I'm not talking about that spiel from the internet. Have Ranger work with us"
"No"

"Why not?"
"He's military isn't he?"
"Well, I suppose"
"Look I'll compromise. I'll let you talk to him, tell him what I've told you and see what he does"
"Okay"
I thought that would give Ranger maybe a clue to find me but it could also help Isai to trust Ranger and for Ranger to trust Isai. I watched as Isai left the room, taking the rubbish with him, pleased when he came back quickly carrying a bag. He took a phone from the bag and handed it to me.

"It's a satellite phone so can't be traced. Call this Ranger of yours"

I sat on the edge of the bed and input a number I knew by heart. I took a deep breath as I listened to the connections and the dialing coming through.

"Hello"
My breath caught as I heard his voice, my emotions peaked making it difficult for me to catch my breath.

"Hello?"
"Ranger"
"Babe, are you okay, where are you?"
"I'm okay, I'm not hurt or anything but I have no idea where I am"
"Babe who's there?"
"A man called Isai Falla. He says he's being set up to look like he's Fábrega. He says he isn't that man"
"What does he want Babe?"
"I think he needs help to clear his name and to do that he needs to find the bad guys"
"Can I talk to him?"
I looked to Isai but he shook his head, declining to speak to Ranger personally.

"Babe, what do I need to do, to get you back safely?"
"Check out his story. He says that someone set Fertelli up to be hit by the soldiers. The locket is a photo of him, and he gave the locket to Ali. Someone told her something that she believed about Isai, so she left. They were deeply in love Ranger and someone destroyed their lives"
"Do you believe him?"
"I think so"
"Babe be careful and tell this Isai that I want to be able to talk to you every day. Para siempre, como mi pareja, amante y esposa. Mi alma gemela"

"Te amo con todo mi corazón Carlos"

The phone went dead in my hand and I let it fall to the ground. Racking sobs escaped me as it hit me. I was on my own with a man who I didn't know. I felt arms go around me and struggled to get free.

"Estefania, this will work out. Your man will now work very hard to help us"
"I don't want to be here, I want to be at home"
"Soon, for now I need you to get dressed we have to leave"

A sense of déjà vu struck me as I looked through the bag that Isai had left on the bed. He didn't have the same sense of dress that Tobi and Clare had. Instead the choice of clothes were cheap but probably functional. I used the bathroom to change in, in case Isai walked into the room, I had no idea how I looked as there was no mirror to use. The cap provided fit over my hair and I pulled my hair through the back to contain it then put on the jacket and boots ready to go. I assumed Isai had taken note of my size from the clothes I'd been wearing because at least the new clothes were a reasonable fit. I sat on the bed waiting for him to come back, not knowing what his intentions were worried me, though I didn't think he would intentionally hurt me. When he came back in, he just stood by the open door waiting for me to move. The thought of kicking up a fuss, screaming and kicking crossing my mind. Then I decided if I were out and about there was a better chance that I might be seen. I knew Hector would be scanning any street cameras he could hack into.

It seemed I was being kept in a house that had long since been abandoned, dust and dirt were evident on the stairs as we walked down. I was surprised that we exited through a back door but then saw a black SUV parked just inside of the back yard. It looked new, with tinted windows dashing my hopes of anyone seeing me. Neither was I expecting it to be dark. Hell, I'd lost a whole day without realizing it. As we sped through the streets of New York City I had a dread come over me as I wondered where we might be going. For once I kept my silence as I tried to see anything I might recognize. My hopes were dashed as we seemed to leave the built up area and travelled along roads that seemed empty. As we turned through high metal gates I looked frantically around. I was hoping maybe we'd end up at a house but instead stood in the center of a large grassy area was a large black helicopter. I didn't move, I couldn't, I was frozen in the seat.

"Estefania"
I turned to see Isai holding my door open and could only stare back at him.

"Where are we going?"
"Back to the beginning"
"Beginning of what?"
"To where my life fell apart"
He took my hand and pulled me from the car and gently lifted me up into the helicopter. I saw another man sat up at the front so assumed he was the pilot. The door slid shut with a loud sharp sound and I felt the engines begin to speed up. Once we were both buckled in, I could feel as we left the ground, gaining height quickly and banking steeply to turn and fly to wherever it was that Isai intended for us to go. There was no point in talking, apart from the noise being so loud I didn't know what to say except to ask questions. Somehow, I doubted that Isai would change his mind, so resigned myself to wherever we were going. All hope of Ranger finding me faded as the ground disappeared. I truly was on my own now.

I dozed on and off but kept jerking awake. The dreams I'd had were confusing and frightening. I noticed that the sky was beginning to lighten but couldn't work out where we were. The sea was to my left but then we were passing over large areas of barren land and water. As we began to descend, I could see houses under us, spaced out with only tracks running between them. My heart hitched as I saw a landmark in the distance, one that I had only seen in a photo and on the computer. A large white cross stood out against a rocky outcrop with what seemed like a larger community beyond it settled against the water of a river. I recognized where we were, we were in Colombia near the town of Puerto Carreño.