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"Can we have the room?" Conrad asked the NSA and the agents in the room.
Bess stood in the President's office, still in her running clothes. Which probably served her purpose after having pretty much ran the entire way to the White House. She couldn't think of anything but hearing what the message was.
Agents cleared out. Russell stayed where he was seated on the couch. Sterling hesitated for a minute, then, seeing the President's nod, continued to exit the room.
"Conrad, what is it?" She asked breathlessly. She had to know. Her entire body, covered in sweat, felt cold and clammy as she waited for the last person to clear out of the room.
The minute the door shut, Conrad said, "Bess, it's bad."
She could barely breathe as it was. "Is she alive?"
He nodded.
A wave of relief rushed over her. Then the tsunami of fear consumed her. If she was alive, what horrors was she living through? Who had her? And what did they want?
"Where the hell is she?" was the question she found came out the easiest.
Russell began, "The message came in encrypted to my office this morning."
"Just to your office?" Bess questioned.
Then Conrad turned the laptop towards Bess. And he said, "Bess, remember – this is… going to be hard to watch."
She nodded, moved closer and said "Play it."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Emma didn't want to look at the camera. She wanted to see what was going on around her. Felt safer. While the men twisted and turned around each other to set up the video camera in the small, windowless room, Emma tried to orient herself to seeing in the big, warm lights above her. Almost like movie lights. Heavy. Bulky. Bright.
Especially after having been in the dark and moved in the dark for what felt like eternity.
In broken English, one of the men said, "Read."
Emma's hands shook while he looked at her, and she whispered, "Read what?" Her voice shook, and the air seemed to catch in her throat – it was so desperately dry. She tried to stop the shaking by rubbing her hands along her dress.
One of the five men held up a sign in English – a cardboard sign – a few of them.
And as she mentally read it, she knew that this video was going to be sent home. Her mom and dad would see this. Maybe the entire world would see it.
Which means she'd have one chance to try and communicate with her mom. Maybe they'd come save her.
l.,
Her mother would try. But Emma felt so far away.
She clamped her hands to the side of her dress. And began to read. "My name is Emma McCord. Today is October 27th, 2015. It's been three days since I was taken from my home in Washington DC."
Each word she tried to slow down. To make the video longer. But she was so afraid. Maybe they were going to kill her. After this.
"My mother is Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord."
Her mom. Emma's eyes teared up at the thought of her mom. And her lips trembled… "I will not be…" She wouldn't be… Her eyes misted up, and she brought her hands up to her face to brush away the tears. She tried to catch her breath again… "I won't be released until…" And she couldn't see the sign because she just wanted to go home. She couldn't wait any longer. And she just whispered, "I just want to go home… Mom… I just want my…"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"I just want my mom."
Bess wrapped her arms around herself – and felt her heart jump in terror as she listened to yelling in Arabic. Something about now. Talking now. Talk now.
Of course, Emma's face showed only fear at the unknown language being screamed at her. Which only made her cry more.
Bess gasped when a hand came out of seeming nowhere and grabbed Emma's hair and made her look up – and said "Read it. Now."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Emma gasped in pain as she nodded. Through the tears. His eyes looking down at her, glaring into her own – she swallowed and tried to calm her body down enough to read the words.
"I won't be released until… until…
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Until President Dalton agrees to our conditions."
Bess looked at Conrad, who was watching her. "Oh, God, what are their conditions?"
Conrad shook his head, and motioned to the video. "Bess, it's not over."
She looked, and tried to keep her analytical mindset as she would watch any other hostage video – but all she could see was Emma. There. Dirty. Bruised a little. Her lips cracking from what was probably dehydration.
Terrified.
Because then.
A masked figure came into the camera view – holding assault weapons and speaking in broken English.
And he said, "You will never see her unless you meet our demands. You will back out of the peace talks. You will remove your nuclear inspectors. And you will release five designated prisoners."
Iran.
He continued, stepping back so that Emma was in the frame.
"If you refuse any of these – Secretary McCord's daughter will not be returned. And in case you don't take us seriously…"
Bess' eyes widened as she looked at Conrad and breathlessly said, "No…"
"You might want to look away…" Russell said cautiously.
But Bess just shook her head back and forth, "No…"
One man held the back of Emma's hand against the wall, palm up.
Emma whimpered, "Mom… No, please… no…" her cries getting louder as another man brought the butt of the rifle right up to her hand…
Bess' hand covered her mouth as she couldn't breathe… at all.
And Emma's scream as he brought the gun back, trying to pull away. Violently.
The scream of fear turned to an agonized cry of pain as the gun rammed hard against her hand, and Bess felt her stomach turning at the sound of bones cracking.
Then the men let Emma go – and she fell to the ground, cradling her hand – a trail of blood streaking down the wall.
And an ominous voice, "We'll be in contact." And the video went blank.
