Hi: Hope everyone had a great time at Christmas and hope all of you will enjoy the rest of the Holiday Season.
Of course, trouble never sleeps in the area of Bristol Cove.
Chapter 69
The reunion
It had been rather easy to apprehend the, for lack of a better term, mercenaries interested in getting information from the younger Pownall clan.
"Just what is the story with you two?" The brother and older sister both shrugged their shoulders at the question as Lt. Commander Martinez continued.
"Well, you can keep your mouths shut, but before you ask, you're not entitled to any legal counsel."
Nicole's comment caused the red-headed firebrand known as Vanessa to jerk her bound hands from a burly chested security officer.
"You can't do that. You aren't gonna pull that amateur good cop bad cop nonsense with us." Loose ginger colored hair whipped the air. It appeared the woman hoped to take one of Nicole's eyes out.
"Well my dear," Martinez said, "you won't find any good cop around here." A sly smile sprang on the young female officer's lips. "When we take you into custody," she paused, "you no longer exist."
A brief silence surrounded the group until Nicole let out a gasp.
"Oh, no…Ryn…please."
In a flash, she jumped in front of Eddie, as an irate Ryn approached the handcuffed young man.
Wide eyed and with gritted teeth, the young woman's facial muscles looked ready to explode.
"Easy, tiger." Chief Hawkins' massive hand set up a roadblock to this boiling pot of anger, tense eyes fixed in a death glare at the two prisoners.
"Little lady, we got this in hand. You do trust us? Don't you?" A stern expression covered the SEAL's face.
"Why they want us? Why they want hurt us?" Ryn's anxious words began to tremble. "Why, they want hurt us…family? Why?"
As she finally ceased her questions, Hope stood next to her. A slim but muscled arm surrounded the distraught women's shoulders.
"Little lady," his bass-like tone sailed about the mother and daughter. "When your daddy gets here," pearl white teeth gleamed behind his ebony skin, "everything will be ok…where is the little guy?" He brushed Hope's cheek and entered the room.
A mile from the motel
Ben turned off the small unpaved road, still unsure about the reason for Maddie's request.
"Ben, thank you. I just couldn't speak…what I have to say in front of Ryn…scares me."
The young woman felt relieved after Nicole's call. His family is safe, this little detour will take just a moment. She hoped.
"You sound like you're terrified to talk to Ryn?" Ben's blue eyes grew colder as the moonlight dashed through the front windshield.
"Ben…please…I know you're upset."
"Really, then why did you ask to stop? What is this sudden fear of Ryn? Someone you love and her feelings for you are not in doubt."
"Ben, I've been visited. I mean…I thought it was a dream…unfortunately it wasn't." A hesitant and anxious Maddie continues. "It was Tia." Using her spread fingers to corral the unruly head of loose curls dangling over the young woman's eyes, she pauses to take a breath.
"Not that," Ben's words halted as his head shook showing a disbelief. "Tia put the zap on us all. Even I…wait even Ryn can sometimes feel her presence."
"Ben!" Her volume silenced the voice in the driver's seat.
"This baby is not yours." Maddie's chin dropped to her chest, as fumbling fingers shivered about her temples as if an Artic blast of wind entered the vehicle.
Ben acted accordingly. His demonstrative manner of before came to a screeching halt.
Turning to Maddie, the slight movement of his Adam's Apple showed the dread traveling over his expression.
"Are you sure?" A deep breath followed his words, as upper teeth grazed Ben's lower lip.
"I'm afraid so. Also, she talked about some fortune stashed away in Europe. I think that is why I was kidnapped." Her left hand reached for his shoulder. "Ben, where were you going when all this stuff happened?"
Pulling back onto he dirt road, his vision remained straight ahead. In a few seconds, the flashing lights of the Navy vehicles glowed ahead.
"Ben, were you leaving Ryn?" Her head tilted as she strained to see his solemn face. "Were you leaving us?" Her voice showed a slight strain. "Were you leaving me?"
"We're here." His only response.
As the Navy personnel leave from the graveled lot masquerading as a place to safely park your car. A tense reunion develops outside the motel room.
"Daddy," Little Ted's arms embrace his father with the strength of a strangle hold. Hope stays with a hesitant and suspicious Ryn.
"It is good you are safe, Maddie. I understand they tried to find out about some silly money in Europe." Ryn's facial muscles relax as she continues. "It is good, my man has found you safe." The never before stressing of the words, my man causes Maddie's ears to stretch. Almost the action of someone in disbelief with something they heard.
Ben reaches for Ryn, though his arms surrounding her did little to curtail a suspicious tone.
"We need to talk. All three of us. We are out of danger. But I still believe the longer we stay on land the more vulnerable we will become." The woman's strained vision shoots from Ben to Maddie, as if waiting for some sign exposing their thoughts.
"Mama," Hope decides to loosen the apprehensive atmosphere. "Chief Hawkins...he left two Security men with the desk clerk. Everything is taken care of. We can leave."
"Mama, I want to go home. I feel dizzy." Adds Little Ted.
"Dizzy? Ryn, is he ok?" Asks an anxious father. Ben's breathing becomes uneven, as the boy leans against his side.
"I'll explain. Ryn replies. "And…he will no longer be called Little Ted."
Maddie and Ben appear confused. Both stare at Ryn with blank expressions.
"He did what his father would have done…had he been there." She moves to separate her son from Ben.
In the distance, the sound akin to a firecracker fills the air. A scent of gunpowder drifts over the reunited family.
A single silhouette buckles and slowly bends at the waist.
In the distance a lone gunman comments on his need for vengeance.
"That's for John…you freak."
Note to reader:
Well, I guess there are safer places for the Pownall clan to live. Feel free to give your opinion. You can influence the story.
Thanks again
GJ
