Later

I had no idea where we were going, but I was loaded back into the van and we were driving again. As we rode in silence, I was wracking my brain on how to get out of the situation and to save Mrs. Kapelput. Hopefully Ozzie would notice that we were missing and would call the police or even Mr. Gordon. After a while, we reached our destination and the man that was sitting beside me put the gag back in my mouth. By now, my wrists were screaming in pain from the sharp plastic edges of the ties cutting into my skin. Suddenly, a blindfold was forced over my eyes, causing me to unconsciously exclaim through my gag. I was then led out of the van and we started walking quickly. I could hear traffic so I knew we were back in the city, and I could hear our footsteps on concrete, but that was the best I could determine. I could feel the difference between us being outside and inside, and after walking inside for a bit; I could hear the bing of an elevator, the doors opening, and we got inside the elevator. The familiar lurch of the box caused me to almost lose my balance, but I was still able to stay on my feet. I counted the number of floors that we ascended by the bell rings. After the 25th ring, I could hear the doors open and we stepped through the opening, walked down a hallway with what sounded like tile beneath our feet, and turned right. After stepping inside what I assumed was a room, we walked in a few steps and I was forced to sit in a chair.

I heard a deep voice exclaim enthusiastically, "Ms. James! So nice of you to join us!" I didn't recognize the voice and I couldn't respond with the cloth in my mouth. "This was certainly an unexpected surprise, and of course I asked Tabitha to bring you here so that we could have another guest to our party. Unfortunately, you're too early and so our other guest hasn't arrived yet. Therefore, you'll have to just settle with me for now. Thank you, Tabitha, please fetch our other guest." I heard her footsteps leave the room. "Oh! Forgive me, you must be terribly uncomfortable." After a moment, I felt cold metal between my hands and suddenly the pressure of the ties was released. I unconsciously rubbed my wrists to relieve their pain, but I wasn't brave enough to remove my gag and blindfold yet. My captor must have realized this and started to chuckle. "Here, allow me." The blindfold was removed from my face and my eyes closed to adjust to the suddenly bright light.

Once my eyes were ready, I looked around the space. I was seated at a long table with candelabras in the center, there were glass doors in front of me that showed the skyline of the city. Between the glass doors stood a couple of tall, golden figures holding a light in each of their hands and reaching toward the sky. I risked looking around to see who was in the room with me. The figure beside me was tall, so I had to lift my head to see his face. Suddenly, I recognized him as the man I had met at the charity concert, though unfortunately I couldn't remember his name. There were many people that I met that night and I am terrible with names. But I did remember his face, how could I not? As distinctive as it was, anyone would remember him. He reached for my hand and examined my wrist and tsked. "I apologize. My sister can be a little rough sometimes." I wanted to yank my hand out of his, but I remembered the situation I was in. If I cooperate, maybe I can convince him to release Mrs. Kapelput and keep me instead. He used his finger to take the gag out of my mouth by sliding it down my chin. He smiled when the task was done.

"So…Tabitha mentioned that you are related to Mayor James, is that right?" He circled the table and stood across from me. "Y..yes sir…" "Oh! There's no need for that. You can call me Theo." That's when I remembered his name, Theodore Galavan. "And may I call you Felicity? Such a lovely name." he paused for a moment, "unfortunate that the name doesn't match the face." I lowered my head in embarrassment for just a moment, but lifted it again when I spoke. "Please, Mr. Galavan," he gave me a chastising look, but I ignored it, "release Mrs. Kapelput, she's innocent." He lifted his finger to wave it in front of me in rejection. "I can't do that. I need her to get Mr. Cobblepot to cooperate with my plans." "But…I'm his girlfriend, surely you don't need two hostages to get what you want?" "You…are surprisingly helpful, aren't you?" he released a soft chuckle as he lowered his finger and walked slowly toward a desk that was located to the right of the table that I was seated at.

He sat on the edge of the desk and rested his hands on the edge. "That is true…you could also serve my purposes." He must have seen the desperation on my face, because he smiled wickedly. "But you just want her to be released, don't you? Hmm…you are a rare breed in this city, truly selfless. And there is the added bonus of you being related to the mayor, what luck!" he clapped his hands and held them there. Then he lifted both of his pointing fingers and they met his clefted chin. "But, then again, the plan is already in motion and it would be pointless to change it now." He got up from the desk and walked slowly toward me, I unconsciously moved my body away from him in the chair. He knelt down next to me and whispered in my ear, "Unfortunately, I must decline your request. For you see, blood is thicker than water." Some part of me, deep inside, wanted to spit in his face; but resisted the almost instinctual compulsion. There was no point in provoking this man.

"So…" he said as he withdrew his face from my close proximity, "I need to go run an errand, make a phone call….will you just wait here till I get back? By then, our other guest should be here. Boyd will keep you company." He gestured to my captor, indicating that he was referring to him. Then, Theodore left the room; leaving me with the remaining one of the two men that took us from the apartment. There were several minutes of silence, only broken by the sounds of city life from outside the room. I had no intention of trying to escape at this point; it was no use if I didn't know where Mrs. Kapelput was being held. My best bet would be to cooperate till I can get some clues or something to help find her, then I would try to escape. Although I'm sure most people would get out first, then try to search later; but I never was a very smart person.

"Um…Boyd? Would you like to have a seat? I'm not going anywhere…" I didn't receive a response for a couple of seconds, then I heard the seat next to me scrape across the tile floor. The large man sat in the chair next to mine and rested his hand on the table with a gun still being held in it. I heard him sigh and then he was silent again. I closed my eyes and lowered my head in silent prayer, that's all I could do in this moment. The image of Mrs. Kapelput in that cell caused me to cry quietly again. I prayed for her, I prayed for Ozzie, I prayed that whatever Mr. Galavan was planning that he would change his mind. But, as usual, I heard no response. Boyd cleared his throat next to me and got up from his chair. I heard his soft footsteps walk toward the desk in the room, then return. He cleared his throat again, this time to get my attention. I looked up and saw a tissue in front of my face. I looked up at him and he gestured with his face for me to take it. I thanked him softly and took his offering.