Chapter Six: The Chase Is On
Hours passed when Gus Morse finally regained consciousness. His face contorted from the pain as it shot up from behind his neck. He blinked when the pain shot up again. His neck was aching and felt his arms had fallen asleep from being tied behind his back for so long. He slowly surveyed the room. There were no other furnishings, no windows. Just an overhead light and a door. He knew he had to get out and inform Sam Douglas about the change of Davenport's plans. Not only that, discovering of another underhand operation such as baby marketing would put Davenport behind bars for much longer period of time.
Gus looked around the bare room. There was nothing sharp to aid him in cutting his binds that was digging through his skin as he tried repeatedly tried to get his hands free. He began to think of something else. He wasn't even sure if it would actually work. He was tied to a wooden chair but guessed it might be made out from strong wood.
Okay. He thought. The only way for me to get out of here is to break this chair's legs to the wall as hard as I can. He glanced at the wall. Here goes nothing. He began a silent countdown and readied himself. He gave one hard swing…
CRA-AAA-KKK. The sound came from the wood smashing to the wall. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. It only broke one leg.
"Woah." He muttered under his breath as he fell to his right side. He got to his feet and gave another hard swing. This time it worked! The chair went to pieces and landed on his back. For a moment, he lay on the floor as he catching his breath. He was panting so hard from the exertion that it made it him dizzy. When he got his bearings he went to a tuck position so that his bound hands would be in front of him. He later stood up and cautiously to the door. He listened for any sounds beyond it. If there was indeed a guard outside, he should have been in the room by now preventing him from escaping. He tried the doorknob and found it to be unlock. This made him wonder and a little bit nervous. Davenport didn't strike him as a careless man. He looked onto the corridor and found it to be empty. Now, if he could just find a knife or any sharp edged object that would cut through the binds…
As he walked towards the sound of voices, he saw that the corridor opened to a huge reception area of a warehouse. There were a lot of crates stacked along the wall that made it possible for Gus to hide until he reached the side door. Unknown to Gus, he was closely monitored by two men inside a different room. Gus reached the door without trouble. Crouching he made his way to the pick-up truck parked to one side.
"Shouldn't we checked on the guy, Thornton?" Ellis remarked as he put the box behind a crate.
Thornton who was easily sitting on a chair glanced at Ellis. "It's all right. I can see clearly where he's going." He replied as he held up the device that enables him to track down Gus anywhere he goes. "The guy's now out of the warehouse." Reporting in a matter of fact voice to his companion.
"We'd better follow him before he gets out of range." Ellis in a tense voice. He was someone who didn't like to have Davenport angry.
"Oh, okay." Thornton muttered as he rose from his seat and gestured to another man to take over the operation. Both men left the warehouse and climbed into another pick-up truck and drove to the direction the tracer was leading them.
At the Davenport's mansion….
After leaving specific instructions for dinner, Katsumi went out to feed the dogs just as Julie appeared beside her.
"You are coming back for dinner, are you?" emphasizing the second word.
Startled at Katsumi's question, she turned to face her. Did she just sounded like a mother now? Julie thought, keeping the small smile away from her face and tried to have a neutral expression.
" I know I didn't come home for dinner last night, I got hang up in town. I was tired..." she tried to explain.
Katsumi gave Julie a stern look. The girl sighed.
"Okay," backing off from her. "I'll be home." She conceded. Hoping to change the subject, she asked. " Have you seen the new chauffeur?"
"Not really. Why is Gus sick?" Katsumi asked in concern.
" I knew it!" she exclaimed. "You like Gus, don't you." Julie giggled and jumped away to avoid being drenched since Katsumi was putting water in the dogs water dish.
"Julie!" Katsumi shouted as the girl sped off on her motor bike.
"I'll be just around. Probably head to the cabin I found three summers ago. Byeeee!" she called out.
"Kids." Katsumi muttered and went inside the house. When she had completed her chores, she briefly took a break and went to the house staff's quarters. She wondered why Gus didn't call the main house if something was wrong. She wouldn't have noticed his absence hadn't Julie told her. As she arrived at the building, Katsumi happened to glance at Gus' second floor room as a dark silhouette of a man ducking away from the window.
Hmmm, who could that be? Katsumi mused and hastened her steps and silently climb the stairs. Already her instincts were warning to be ready.
"Darn!" Carter cursed under his breath as he moved away from the window. He just saw a woman looked up to the room and head inside the building. He knew the moment the woman came into the room, she would be immediately alert her of his 'visit'. He tucked the folder inside his suit and positioned himself behind the door.
Reaching the second level Katsumi crept towards Gus' room and stopped. She went over the banister and steadily stood at the little ledge which had enough toe space for her and tiptoed behind a tall leafy plant that hid her from the corner. She began to wait.
Minutes went by and Carter knew it wouldn't take someone to reach the second floor landing. Maybe she went to the first floor. He told himself and started to loosen up. He opened the door a little and checked the corridor. It was empty. Dumbfounded and perhaps relieved, Carter walked out of the room. He stopped by the big leafy plant that was near the banister. Near enough for Katsumi to deliver a hard punch to his jaw. The man staggered from his where he stood.
"Ugh." The man groaned. He glanced at the woman who jumped over the rail and came towards him. Before he could do anything he felt a sharp pain shoot through his neck and darkness took over.
Katsumi took advantage of the man's disorientation to initiate a stunning blow at him. When the man reeled back, she came forward in quick steps and delivered a neck chop to the man. He instantly slumped to the floor breathing normally. Katsumi then dropped to his knees and searched for the man's identification. She had seen this man before at the house along with the other men who Gus mentioned to carrying a gun.
She frowned as she went through the man's suit. She found a folder and a sidearm, no doubt fully loaded. She took out the gun and hid it in the plant. She turned him to his right side and took out his wallet. It was fat with bill and credit cards. She saw a driver's license and was identified as Ralph Carter, a bank manager.
Katsumi looked dubious at the man before her. "Now, what would a bank manager be doing at Gus' room?" she asked herself while returning his wallet and stood up. She strode to Gus' room and was shocked.
"Good grief!" She gasped at the unexpected sight. She surveyed the thrashed room. Chairs and table were overturned. The mattress was on the floor. Papers were all over the room this led her to glance down on the folder she has on her hand. She flips the cover and read the first page. Suddenly she felt she was in a middle of something huge and Gus must be linked to it somehow. What IT may be she doesn't know yet. She concentrated on what she was reading. It was a personal history of a child named Daisy Martinez… She flipped to another page. It continued on the vital details of the baby. Katsumi turned the next page and read another baby name! "What's going on?" she said to herself and continued reading. There were all names of the four babies with their relevant documents/ Her brow furrowed in puzzlement as she tried to understand the facts presented by the folder in her keeping. What she noticed while reading the papers was, it all happened 17 yrs ago. She paused and glanced at the room. The Carter fellow was still looking for something and I disturbed him from his search. He must have seen me coming into the building and tried to make sure I didn't pass this floor. She began to piece the events that happened in the room. But she still doesn't understand the connection. All the while the man at the hallway had regained consciousness and was gingerly massaging his neck. He quickly stood up as his mind screamed of a snoop in Gus' room. He took out a stun gun and checked its pulse level. It was fully charge. He went back to the room and saw the woman with her back towards him studying the contents of the folder.
Good, keep your attention on the papers and I'll be finished. Carter thought and moved steadily forward. Readying the stun gun.
Katsumi was so engrossed in her thoughts that she forgot the man on the corridor. I got to find Gus… She hasn't finished her train of thought when she whirled around. Before she could move, she felt an electrical pulse came throughout her body. She immediately lost consciousness. Carter caught the stunned woman just she felt limp in his arms. He laid her on the bed while gathering back the fallen out papers from the folder she was holding. He folded the file and slipped it behind his back and picked the woman in a fireman's hold. He scurried out of the quarters to his car. He laid the woman at the back seat of the car and started to tie her wrists and ankles together. He went to the driver seat, gunned the engine and drove off.
Hours passed when Gus Morse finally regained consciousness. His face contorted from the pain as it shot up from behind his neck. He blinked when the pain shot up again. His neck was aching and felt his arms had fallen asleep from being tied behind his back for so long. He slowly surveyed the room. There were no other furnishings, no windows. Just an overhead light and a door. He knew he had to get out and inform Sam Douglas about the change of Davenport's plans. Not only that, discovering of another underhand operation such as baby marketing would put Davenport behind bars for much longer period of time.
Gus looked around the bare room. There was nothing sharp to aid him in cutting his binds that was digging through his skin as he tried repeatedly tried to get his hands free. He began to think of something else. He wasn't even sure if it would actually work. He was tied to a wooden chair but guessed it might be made out from strong wood.
Okay. He thought. The only way for me to get out of here is to break this chair's legs to the wall as hard as I can. He glanced at the wall. Here goes nothing. He began a silent countdown and readied himself. He gave one hard swing…
CRA-AAA-KKK. The sound came from the wood smashing to the wall. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. It only broke one leg.
"Woah." He muttered under his breath as he fell to his right side. He got to his feet and gave another hard swing. This time it worked! The chair went to pieces and landed on his back. For a moment, he lay on the floor as he catching his breath. He was panting so hard from the exertion that it made it him dizzy. When he got his bearings he went to a tuck position so that his bound hands would be in front of him. He later stood up and cautiously to the door. He listened for any sounds beyond it. If there was indeed a guard outside, he should have been in the room by now preventing him from escaping. He tried the doorknob and found it to be unlock. This made him wonder and a little bit nervous. Davenport didn't strike him as a careless man. He looked onto the corridor and found it to be empty. Now, if he could just find a knife or any sharp edged object that would cut through the binds…
As he walked towards the sound of voices, he saw that the corridor opened to a huge reception area of a warehouse. There were a lot of crates stacked along the wall that made it possible for Gus to hide until he reached the side door. Unknown to Gus, he was closely monitored by two men inside a different room. Gus reached the door without trouble. Crouching he made his way to the pick-up truck parked to one side.
"Shouldn't we checked on the guy, Thornton?" Ellis remarked as he put the box behind a crate.
Thornton who was easily sitting on a chair glanced at Ellis. "It's all right. I can see clearly where he's going." He replied as he held up the device that enables him to track down Gus anywhere he goes. "The guy's now out of the warehouse." Reporting in a matter of fact voice to his companion.
"We'd better follow him before he gets out of range." Ellis in a tense voice. He was someone who didn't like to have Davenport angry.
"Oh, okay." Thornton muttered as he rose from his seat and gestured to another man to take over the operation. Both men left the warehouse and climbed into another pick-up truck and drove to the direction the tracer was leading them.
At the Davenport's mansion….
After leaving specific instructions for dinner, Katsumi went out to feed the dogs just as Julie appeared beside her.
"You are coming back for dinner, are you?" emphasizing the second word.
Startled at Katsumi's question, she turned to face her. Did she just sounded like a mother now? Julie thought, keeping the small smile away from her face and tried to have a neutral expression.
" I know I didn't come home for dinner last night, I got hang up in town. I was tired..." she tried to explain.
Katsumi gave Julie a stern look. The girl sighed.
"Okay," backing off from her. "I'll be home." She conceded. Hoping to change the subject, she asked. " Have you seen the new chauffeur?"
"Not really. Why is Gus sick?" Katsumi asked in concern.
" I knew it!" she exclaimed. "You like Gus, don't you." Julie giggled and jumped away to avoid being drenched since Katsumi was putting water in the dogs water dish.
"Julie!" Katsumi shouted as the girl sped off on her motor bike.
"I'll be just around. Probably head to the cabin I found three summers ago. Byeeee!" she called out.
"Kids." Katsumi muttered and went inside the house. When she had completed her chores, she briefly took a break and went to the house staff's quarters. She wondered why Gus didn't call the main house if something was wrong. She wouldn't have noticed his absence hadn't Julie told her. As she arrived at the building, Katsumi happened to glance at Gus' second floor room as a dark silhouette of a man ducking away from the window.
Hmmm, who could that be? Katsumi mused and hastened her steps and silently climb the stairs. Already her instincts were warning to be ready.
"Darn!" Carter cursed under his breath as he moved away from the window. He just saw a woman looked up to the room and head inside the building. He knew the moment the woman came into the room, she would be immediately alert her of his 'visit'. He tucked the folder inside his suit and positioned himself behind the door.
Reaching the second level Katsumi crept towards Gus' room and stopped. She went over the banister and steadily stood at the little ledge which had enough toe space for her and tiptoed behind a tall leafy plant that hid her from the corner. She began to wait.
Minutes went by and Carter knew it wouldn't take someone to reach the second floor landing. Maybe she went to the first floor. He told himself and started to loosen up. He opened the door a little and checked the corridor. It was empty. Dumbfounded and perhaps relieved, Carter walked out of the room. He stopped by the big leafy plant that was near the banister. Near enough for Katsumi to deliver a hard punch to his jaw. The man staggered from his where he stood.
"Ugh." The man groaned. He glanced at the woman who jumped over the rail and came towards him. Before he could do anything he felt a sharp pain shoot through his neck and darkness took over.
Katsumi took advantage of the man's disorientation to initiate a stunning blow at him. When the man reeled back, she came forward in quick steps and delivered a neck chop to the man. He instantly slumped to the floor breathing normally. Katsumi then dropped to his knees and searched for the man's identification. She had seen this man before at the house along with the other men who Gus mentioned to carrying a gun.
She frowned as she went through the man's suit. She found a folder and a sidearm, no doubt fully loaded. She took out the gun and hid it in the plant. She turned him to his right side and took out his wallet. It was fat with bill and credit cards. She saw a driver's license and was identified as Ralph Carter, a bank manager.
Katsumi looked dubious at the man before her. "Now, what would a bank manager be doing at Gus' room?" she asked herself while returning his wallet and stood up. She strode to Gus' room and was shocked.
"Good grief!" She gasped at the unexpected sight. She surveyed the thrashed room. Chairs and table were overturned. The mattress was on the floor. Papers were all over the room this led her to glance down on the folder she has on her hand. She flips the cover and read the first page. Suddenly she felt she was in a middle of something huge and Gus must be linked to it somehow. What IT may be she doesn't know yet. She concentrated on what she was reading. It was a personal history of a child named Daisy Martinez… She flipped to another page. It continued on the vital details of the baby. Katsumi turned the next page and read another baby name! "What's going on?" she said to herself and continued reading. There were all names of the four babies with their relevant documents/ Her brow furrowed in puzzlement as she tried to understand the facts presented by the folder in her keeping. What she noticed while reading the papers was, it all happened 17 yrs ago. She paused and glanced at the room. The Carter fellow was still looking for something and I disturbed him from his search. He must have seen me coming into the building and tried to make sure I didn't pass this floor. She began to piece the events that happened in the room. But she still doesn't understand the connection. All the while the man at the hallway had regained consciousness and was gingerly massaging his neck. He quickly stood up as his mind screamed of a snoop in Gus' room. He took out a stun gun and checked its pulse level. It was fully charge. He went back to the room and saw the woman with her back towards him studying the contents of the folder.
Good, keep your attention on the papers and I'll be finished. Carter thought and moved steadily forward. Readying the stun gun.
Katsumi was so engrossed in her thoughts that she forgot the man on the corridor. I got to find Gus… She hasn't finished her train of thought when she whirled around. Before she could move, she felt an electrical pulse came throughout her body. She immediately lost consciousness. Carter caught the stunned woman just she felt limp in his arms. He laid her on the bed while gathering back the fallen out papers from the folder she was holding. He folded the file and slipped it behind his back and picked the woman in a fireman's hold. He scurried out of the quarters to his car. He laid the woman at the back seat of the car and started to tie her wrists and ankles together. He went to the driver seat, gunned the engine and drove off.