Chapter 24

1 day left

1:00 pm

Tuesday

No one's POV

Charlotte was chipping off her black nail polish, yesterday they discussed the plan of what they were going to do tomorrow. When they get to the location that Jasper wants them to be at the location, they will both have a bulletproof vest on to ensure that they don't die from a gunshot. And the police will be watching from the outside of the building, but she still felt unsure of how Jasper was going to do.

Charlotte hoped it would go as planned but she knows like everything else in her life it probably won't go as planned but she had hope in Henry and detective Warren, but time was running out for her and she had to make a choice and it could have a different outcome but all she could do was wait…

"Hey, Charlotte." She looked up from her nails and formed a small smile on her lips.

"Hey Hen." She muttered as he walked closer to her.

"What are you doing?" He asked as stood behind the chair she's sitting in, looking at the computers.

"I'm supposed to be rearranging the archives but I keep getting distracted."

"What's bothering you?" He asked turning the chair around so he can face her.

"Tomorrow. I don't know what will happen, what if you get hurt? That would be my fault and I wouldn't know what to do if you got hurt because of me." He grabbed her hand and held them in his.

"Hey listen I told you that it didn't matter if I got hurt, all I'm worried about is you not getting hurt by Jasper again because that's the last thing I would want to happen. Not while I'm alive." Charlotte nodded and cleared her throat.

"Thank you, Henry." He pulled her up out of the chair by her hands and sat down in the chair pulling her on his lap.

"Have you spoken to Bruce recently?"

"Not today. But Saturday we talked and ate food, And then when I saw him in the parking lot, I was so scared. I shouldn't have left the shop, I just thought I was safe from him being almost an hour outside of the city."

"Yeah, when you told me that night I was so scared. And you didn't know that Jasper was going to find you, he did that to purposely keep you in one place."

"Yeah I know what you mean, I'm fine for now." She said kissing his cheek, he squeezed her abdomen tighter hugging her.

"That's good." He muttered in her shoulder pecking her up her neck until he met her lips. Charlotte squeezed his shoulder as their kiss deepens, they both pulled away to breathe.

"I can be your distraction." He muttered before pulling her on another kiss Charlotte hummed in response. She felt like this was a goodbye and she was fine with it.

Wednesday

7:00 am

16 hours left

Charlotte was asleep when Henry and Ray had to go on a mission. She woke up at 7:00 am to find herself in an empty bed she turned on her phone and saw a text from him she read it:

Hen: Good Morning Char. I'm sorry I'm not there, me and Ray were called in at 5:30 this morning, we are in Las Vegas I promise I will be there before you have to go meet him. If you text me I won't be able to respond, but if it's a major emergency you can just call Ray. Baby, I'm so sorry. I'll be back soon promise. I love you.

Charlotte felt a little let down she sighed sadly and rolled back over to fall asleep. A few hours later she was awoken to use the bathroom, she finished her business and went back into her room to put some clothes on. Charlotte glanced at her phone, hoping it was Ray or Henry but no notifications had come since he texted. She had no clout if you count threatening messages from Jasper but she blocked him ever since she left him. The rest of the day she finished organizing the archives and stayed alert until she got a sign that they were safe and breathing.

9:00pm

They did come back Ray was alive, but when Henry arrives stumbling out of the elevator behind Ray. Relief flooded through her body, but when she saw his condition she was concerned. Henry looked at her and smiled,

"Hey, Char." He said losing his breath about to pass out, she caught him before he fell.

"Henry! Are you okay?" She asked as she sat him on the couch carefully, looking at him concerned making Henry feel bad because he didn't want to put more stress on her.

"Baby I'm fine. I'm sorry I didn't call or something, we were just so busy trying to control the poisonous snakes."

"Well did you get bit?" She asked him as her hands roamed his body searching for and bite marks on him when she reached for his arm he flinched making her pull her hand back.

"No, I'm not bitten." He said holding his arm to his chest.

"Is your arm broken?" He stared at her debating if he wants to tell her.

"Yeah, I think so. I was trying to catch one of the snakes and it went under one of the shelves and I went to catch it and the bookcase fell on me crushing my arm. But I promise I'm fine." Charlotte didn't believe him by the pained look on his face.

"I'll be right back, I have to get the brace and medicine." She quickly got up rushing to find a brace and first aid kit.

Henry sat in the tub full of warm water as charlotte cleaned the dirt off of him.

"This is kinda embarrassing," Henry said splashing the water on his bruised knee.

"What do you mean?" She muttered as she rinsed off the soap on his back,

"You bathed me. I should be the one bathing you, not the other way around. I can clean my self I have a working arm."

"It doesn't matter Hen I wanted to give you a bath, plus you know your arm hurts like a bitch so I know you can move it." She said as she wiped behind his ears, he brushed his wet hair out his face. Flicking water in Charlotte's eye.

"Ow! That went straight into my eye!" She exclaimed as she wiped her face with her shirt.

"I'm sorry I didn't do it on purpose!"

"It's fine Henry. C'mon, let's get you dressed." Charlotte said, wringing out the rag, and pecking him on the lips. He stood up slowly trying not to slip as he stepped out of the bathtub, Charlotte wrapped a towel around his waist guiding him to her room sitting him on her bed.

"Oh god I'm sore, I'm going to need some more ibuprofen. Maybe you can take my pain away.." Henry said, pulling her on his lap, cupping her face, kissing her slowly. Charlotte chuckled as they kissed.

"You're hilarious Henry. We can't do this now you're sore right? We have to be there in an hour."

"Nah I'm serious baby you are my rock. I know we have to go to the station but let's not think about that now. I can feel sore later but this is not about me." He said rubbing her sides pulling her in another kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck trying to mask her pain. Not physical pain but emotional she knew that she wasn't going to survive.

10:30 pm

The trio walked into the police station, it was populated with people walking around, phone ringing, the smell of coffee roamed in the air. Officer Garcia led them to the big conference room filled with officers including Warren and Tompson. They sat down in the empty chairs, as the officers and they're focused on Charlotte.

"Good evening Charlotte, Henry, Ray. I hate that we have to meet like this but we knew that this day would come. We already have surveillance at the abandoned building for 24 hours so they will notify us when he arrives there."

"Okay." She said, nodding her head, taking a deep breath.

"We don't know what time Dunlop will be there but you will need to go over what you need to do when you do meet him. Henry, I assume you are going in there with her too?" Henry nodded.

"Yes, I am."

"Alright. We will need to set you guys up with bulletproof vests and a wire, we will be recording everything that is being said. Tompson, can you take me to the room next door? We are going to talk to you about what's going to happen." Ray nodded and looked at Charlotte with concern.

"I will be right back guys." He said, patting her shoulder as he walked out of the room.

Charlotte and Henry were wired up and both had on bulletproof vests they both put on bulky jackets to make sure they kept the bulletproof vest hidden. They waited for another 26 minutes when they heard the words that Charlotte was dreading.

"He's at the location…" Jasmin Warren said with an unreadable tone of voice. Charlotte felt her heart drop to her stomach and she looked at Henry terrified of what was going to happen next.

End of chapter 24...