Fanfiction.net was down for a looooooong time and I was getting very deprived of higher ground so I actually WROTE this next chapter......it's a miracle

The Absence of Fear

Chapter 8

The pair arrived finally at the destination Shelby dreaded so much. After getting their bags, Brad took Shelby to his home. It was dimly lit and needed a cleaning. Shelby was expecting a lot less than he gave her. He showed her a nice room and told her it was hers. Of course she had no intention of staying there; she WAS going to leave.

"Well, I'll leave you alone..let you get changed." He said to her.

"Changed?" She asked meekly.

"If you look in the dresser." He pointed to the mahogany piece of furniture "You'll see what you're expected to wear here." And he shut the door abruptly. She didn't give a second thought to the clothes. She searched frantically around the room for a telephone and was exasperated when she found nothing. She walked slowly over to the dresser and pulled one of the drawers open. Everything inside was black, including the shrouds she was to wear over her face and hair. She threw the garments back in the drawer and left the room. She went downstairs. Brad was sitting in a chair reading.

"I won't do it." She said, her spirit returning. He didn't look up from his book.

"You will. Or you'll never leave this house. It's your choice." He said. She stood there looking at him for a moment. He made no move. There was no evidence that he was going to use force on her. She went back up the stairs and into the room. If she wore the clothes she could leave the house. Maybe then she could get to a phone or get some kind of help. She rested her hands on her stomach and she felt a small kick. She thought of Scott.

~*Flashback*~

"Are you sure they're even in there?"

"It's early yet. You'll feel them kick eventually. I promise."

"Yeah after they're born."

~*End Flashback*~

"You will feel them kick, Scott." She said. She jerked the drawer open violently and started pulling clothes out. She was going to get out of this. Her children were not going to be born citizens of Iran.

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Scott picked up the phone and dialed a set of numbers he'd dialed only once before. And if he didn't come through this time, this would be the last time Scott ever called him. The phone rang several times before anyone picked up.

"Mr. Merrick, this is Scott Barringer. Before you say anything just hear me out. Before, I was just tip-toeing around the idea of asking you for help, but now I really need it. I told you the situation. The police aren't doing anything and I'm not about to sit back and wait for something to happen. I'm taking the next flight to Iran. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do when I get there, but I'm not leaving till I have Shelby. If you can find it in your heart to help your daughter.....now would be the best time of all...you haven't been there before. Be there now."

"This is his wife." A female's voice said. Scott was stunned. He felt like an idiot. He had just given that speech that took him so much time to work up the guts to give, and he had given it to the wrong person. "But I'll give him the message...Scott Barringer, right?"

"Yeah." Scott said quietly and hung up. He could forget about getting help from him now. But he didn't have time to worry about that. Right now he was going to buy his round trip plane ticket and Shelby's one way. He was going to get her home.

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Shelby put on the dreadful clothes and started to walk down the hallway. She happened to glance into one of the rooms and saw a phone sitting on the bedside table. She bolted to the phone, grabbed it off the receiver and punched in the numbers frantically. She had to get out before Brad got the phone bill that showed an international call. It took a minute to connect, but then, much to Shelby's dismay, there was a busy signal. She slammed the phone down. She picked it back up a minute later and hit redial. It started to ring. She looked skyward praying someone would pick up. Please pick up, Please pick up, Scott. Please be there. Scott, please pick up. Please pick up. She chanted over and over in her head.

"Hello?" Scott's voice said.

"Scott?!" she whispered.

"Shelby?! Is that you?!"

"Yes!" she whispered frantically. "Scott help me!" she said. "I'm so glad you're there."

"Where are you? I'll come get you."

"I don't know what city I'm in. Scott, go to the phone company. Have them trace the call, okay?"

"Okay. Are you hurt, did he hurt you?"

"I'm fine. The babies are fine. Are you and Chelsea okay?"

"Worried." He said.

"Scott, how will you find me once you're in the city?"

"I'll ask around. Don't worry. I've already thought about all this. I'll be there within the next day. I'm taking the next flight I can get. Shelby...are you sure you are okay? I can bring someone with me. Daisy maybe?"

"No. I don't want to get more people involved than I have to...it's dangerous. Thank you for doing this."

"It was never a question of whether I would or wouldn't. It was just a question of when and how."

"Thank you just the same. I love you Scott....but I have to go before he catches me. Hurry and get here."

"I love you, too. Bye."

"Bye." She whispered and hung the phone up. For the first time in a while she felt like she had things under control.

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