Killing Him Softly: The Ambush Kiss
by tarskeewee08
"Where the hell is she!" Laredo screamed to the top of his lungs at Jake and his men.
"Sir we're trying to locate her now." Jake said weakly fighting back the panic in him at his dear Christina being snatched from his arms. The guilt of failing her has him near tears. And he is never near tears.
Laredo comes around his massive cherry wood desk and gets in Jake face. He screams to him in Greek of the ways he will kill him slowly and painfully if his Christina isn't returned by sunset tomorrow. Jake hears the threats but they have no impact. His only concern is for his cousin. He vowed to take care of her. He would find her and kill the bastard who dared to lay his hands on his precious Christina.
"Sir I have over 20 men coming the villages of Lakki, Alinda, Partheni. I will be leaving to join them. We will have her and I swear those bastards will pay for coming in here! I know it's the rebels!" he says with his head bowed and hands clasped in front of him.
Laredo
looks at him and smirks "It's not the rebels!"
Jake looks
up confused "What?"
"Remember the photo I showed you! I
warned you that man was here and you did nothing!"
"That's
not true…."
Laredo slaps Jake across the face hard causing his curly long hair to fly into his face. The only movement on Jake was his head from the blow, he remained standing still. Slowly he brings his face back up to glare at Laredo. He resists the urge to snap his neck. Laredo sees the murderous intent in his eyes and smiles.
"Good now you're angry enough to handle business. Take that hate you have for me and direct it at that fucking cop who dared come to my island and steal my princess!" he growled.
Jake nodded his head and through his hand up in the air twirling his index finger. The hired foot soldiers who reported to him turned and started to file out. He lowered his hand and stared at Laredo. "When this is over sir, me and you we need to deal with some things." He said slowly.
Laredo laughs. "Do as you're told! Dismissed!"
Grinding his teeth he nodded and turned. He would save Christina but he would not bring her back to this prison. His memories were clearer now. They weren't in a boating accident. They were tortured. Why he didn't know. But when he woke up from that blow to his head he knew by who. It was by him. He would have to get them both off the island and work to uncover what happened to them.
Partheni
John comes into the room and sits on the bed. Evangeline scoots away and continues to tremble. "Christina, I can help….you have to talk to me."
She says nothing and his heart breaks. Getting up from the bed he goes to the bathroom and checks the cabinets. He sees rubbing alcohol and grabs it with a roll of a tissue and comes back in. She's still in the same position.
"Christina, let me help you, please those scratches look bad." He says gently rolling her over. She allows it and looks up at him, he sees the terror in her eyes. Swallowing he takes off the cap to the alcohol and soaks a wad of tissue. Rubbing it on her arms she winces but remains silent. He looks in her eyes and he can see her relaxing. He hopes that something is coming back to her.
"Your name is John?"
He smiles at her. "Yes"
"I
have dreams of screaming your name."
John stops rubbing her
down with the alcohol and looks at her shocked. "You have
what?"
"Nightmares really from my boating accident."
"Boating
accident?"
"Yes me and my cousin Jake were in Monaco when our
boat capsized and we were both knocked unconscious. Laredo's people
found us. The doctors told us that we suffered trauma from the water
and blows to our head. We have nightmares."
John stares at
her in disbelief at the incredible story she's telling. "Do you
mind if I ask you some questions?"
"Will you let me go? Will
you call my husband and tell him I'm okay?"
"I might…"
he lies.
She stares at him and he sees that she is making an
attempt to win his trust. She's scheming against him and he allows
it.
"Okay…"
"What do you remember of your
life?"
"My life?"
"Yes your parents your
childhood?"
She looks at him confused. "I'm an orphan it's
just me and my cousin."
John shakes his head. "You said you
had an accident in Monaco."
"Yes"
"Did you live
there?"
She smiles "Yes"
"Where did you love to eat?
What was your favorite boutique in Monaco?"
She frowned.
"I…"
"Christina these details have been fed to
you.."
"No…I lived in Monaco we had a villa outside of Monte
Carlo!"
John looks at her and says nothing. He's dealt with amnesiacs before and ones that have suffered some kind of brainwashing. You can always unravel it by drawing their attention to the details their captors forgot to plant. The small details.
"Your
villa when did you buy it?"
"I don't want to talk anymore!"
"How many bedrooms did it have? Did it have a veranda?"
"Stop!"
she said backing up against the headboard.
John nods and puts down the alcohol. "Listen to me. I know you're confused and it's understandable but you saw that article. There are some things you have to question. You have to ask questions baby….its the only way."
She shakes her head "I don't ask questions. I'm
not supposed too!"
"One more question from me then…" John
says patiently
"What?"
"The nightmares. What were they
about?"
She remains silent for several minutes and then slowly pulls her legs back up under her. "I'm some place and I'm hurt. My head hurts and I think there is blood on my face. I scream your name and I'm crying. I don't want to die. I don't want to go through this again. I want someone to care about me. I want John to care about me. Then the door opens…."
John looks at her
he fights the pain in heart and swallows the urge to cry. "Then
what?"
"That's it…I don't remember."
"You
sure?"
"I said that was it!"
John puts the alcohol
down. "Can I tell you more about who you really are?"
"No! I
told you I am not this Evangeline….I don't know why we look alike
and I'm sorry you lost her, but I'm not her!"
"How do
you explain the memory you had earlier of a fight with me?"
"I'm
tired I want to go to sleep."
"Dammit Evangeline fight! Ask
questions! Stop this shit and fight back!"
John sees her flinch and look at him frightened and he regrets yelling at her. "I'm sorry baby….."
(Evangeline's POV)
Why is he doing this? Why is he trying to confuse me? Now he is yelling at me. Oh god help me. I'm trying to play along. Trying to be his friend so I can escape but he won't stop pushing me and forcing this Evangeline stuff at me. I know something is wrong with me. I know that I know him, but I can't allow myself to think about it. Laredo will explain to me who this man is. He will tell me what to do. I'm not to ask questions.
I saw him in the shower. I remembered him earlier. Something is wrong. I look into his blue eyes and I see his desperation. God I feel it too. I am desperate to escape this nightmare; I just want to go back to not knowing him. My head hurts so badly.
I know he can hurt me if I let him so I keep my guard up. Oh god I'm confused. He asks trick questions. I can't think it must be the drugs they gave me. That's what it is. That's what they are doing they are drugging me and making me think this is real.
"I'm sorry John, but I am not Evangeline." I say trying to gain control.
His eyes are tearing and I can see he's really upset. He must cared a great deal for Evangeline. He wants me to replace her. He starts to cry and my heart aches. I look at him confused by my need to comfort him. Reaching I touch his hand I remember….
"Well I'm um really feeling it
now…" I said running my hands through my hair. Wearing a red
cocktail dress he's sitting across from me in a black and white tux
sipping a drink.
"First time for everything…" he says smiling putting his glass down.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I ask clearly irritated.
He smirks at me and looks at me smiling, "I'm thinking….you never done a really spontaneous thing in your life." he says swirling his whiskey in the glass and taking a swig.
"You're wrong!"
"Name it…" he
says putting his glass down.
"What?"
"The spontaneous
thing…"
I watch him and his blue eyes sparkle with his
challenge. He looks at me so smug and confident and I want to let him
know who he's dealing with. Damn he's sexy. "Why should I tell
you?"
"I don't think you can because it doesn't
exist."
"Really" I say smiling at him baiting
me.
"Really.."
I gesture with my manicured index finger for
him to come closer. He raises an eyebrow and looks at me amused.
"Here it is…" I say turning in my chair to position myself
better.
He slides down chuckling. "I got to hear this"
pointing at his ear he says "Right here…"
But I have other
plans. Using the same finger I beckoned for him to come closer with I
lift his chin and bring his face to mine for a kiss. His tongue is
enticing and rolls into my mouth taking my breath away. I taste the
sour whiskey on his breath and feel his mustache tickle at my upper
lip as we kissed the most wonderful kiss I had experienced in my
life. He pulls away shocked….
John sees Evangeline's eyes get wide with what looks like shock. She looks at him and he knows instantly she is remembering something. "Christina…you okay?"
Quickly she moves her hand and
stares at him. "Christina what is it?"
"I kissed you…"
she says look at him stunned
"Yes, we've kissed many times."
He says moving closer to her.
She shakes her head "You said I
couldn't be spontaneous and I kissed you."
John realizes
she is remembering their first kiss. He smiles and his heart heals
some. God is smiling down on him, he's helping him get her back.
"That was our first kiss." He says collecting himself and wiping
away his tears.
"How can this be?" she asked confused.
"You
were kidnapped by Laredo, he brainwashed you."
"Laredo
wouldn't do that….he loves me" she says tears falling down her
face.
"Baby I am so sorry…" he says reaching for her. She
moves away.
"Oh god I am going crazy. I am so confused. My head
hurts. I don't know what's real anymore."
John sighs deeply. "Evangeline this is real…you and me that's real."
She looks at him angrily. "You kidnapped me! You drugged me! You did the same things you are accusing my husband of! And if I am to believe these visions then I must believe the one that says you are not to be trusted…that you are a LIAR!"
John blinks at her in shock. "A lot happened, but you can't begin to understand it all based on those two visions which are at least a year apart."
"What do you want from me!" she asked shaking her head.
John rose from the bed. "This is enough for tonight. I wanted to have this conversation to show you most importantly that you shouldn't run from me. I am trying to save your life. Go to sleep and we will talk in the morning."
She looked at him taking a blanket from the end of the bed and putting it on the floor to lie on. Lying back she closed her eyes. She just wanted to sleep her head hurt and she didn't want to think anymore. She just wanted to sleep.
Alinda
Jake walked into the cottage followed by the owner. It was 1 am in the morning but he could careless. No one would sleep on this island while she was missing. The owner spoke quickly in Greek telling him that he rented the cottage to an American and then two days ago he showed up with a second American with a beard.
Jake stopped looking around and zeroed in on the description of the man. The beard. He remembered the boutique and the man that kept staring at her with a beard. That asshole was casing her back then. Then from nowhere a name came to him. "John"
The villager stopped and looks at Jake. He frowned. Jake looked at his men and said it again. "John!" This American's name was John and he knew him. He hated him. But why?
Turning on the little villager he grabbed him by the throat lifting him from the ground. Screaming at him in Greek he demanded he tell him where they went. The man gagging could barely speak. One of Jake's henchmen came over grabbing his arm knowing that soon he would kill the poor villager with the choke hold.
Jake lets go of the man and watch him gag and wheeze holding his throat. He looks up with tears in his eyes and says that he heard the American mention Partheni, and that was all he knew.
Jake pushed the little man to the side and stormed out his blood boiling. John whoever he was, was his enemy. Laredo wasn't lying he should have made this man his complete focus. He just hoped he hadn't touched Christina. If he did he would kill him after he made him explain why they knew each other. Jumping the jeep he barked off orders to driver and radioed to all his men to focus all search efforts on the village of Partheni, he had a good feeling about this. He would save her and find out the truth.
