Drowned Out
Chapter Two
"And done."
Hiroaki sighed, setting down the last completed document as he looked down at his wrist watch.
1:22 A.M.
Matt's probably home and asleep by now.
"I'll call him up to let him know I'm coming home." he said, getting ready to leave.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed his apartment's number. The phone picked up but Hiroaki found himself waiting for his son to answer it, listening to the phone's constant ringing until…
"Matt, I'm-"
"Hello, you have reached the Ishida residence, I'm afraid nobody is home at the moment so, please leave a mess-"
Hiroaki hung up.
Something's not right here.
Despite the lateness of the hour, he quickly dialed T.K.'s cell phone number, hoping that Matt would be there.
After the second ring, the phone picked up.
"Hello?" asked T.K. in a half-asleep voice.
"Hey, T.K.," Hiroaki answered, trying to sound as calm as possible, "Did your brother stop by after band practice? If he did, could you wake him up for me?"
"No, he didn't." replied T.K. stifling a yawn. "Why? Is Matt not at home?"
"No, I just phoned the apartment nor has he called my phone," admitted Hiroaki, "Son, I'm afraid that something's happened to your brother."
"Y-you mean Matt's gone missing?!" T.K. cried, sounding more alert. "Are you sure, Dad?"
"I'm sure."
"Maybe he's still at the school practicing," insisted the younger boy, "or he and his band mates went out to get a late-night snack together and Matt's on his way home right now."
Though in denial, T.K. had to keep clinging onto a sense of hope that his father could be wrong about the situation but hearing the weary answer back drained the hope he had that his brother was safe.
"Do you want me to go and wake up Mom?"
Hearing that, a part of Hiroaki wanted to call his ex-wife but the other part, which he agreed with, declined his son's offer but stated.
"I'll call her if something comes up."
"Okay, Dad," T.K. answered worriedly and hung up.
Where could he have gone? If he had gone over to Tai's, he would've let me know!
Regardless, he made one last ditch effort to contact his eldest son: contacting him on his own phone. Frantically, he called Matt's cell phone number and to his relief, it picked up and Hiroaki wasted no time answering it.
"Matt! Matt! Where are you?"
No answer.
"Matt?"
"Try again."
Hiroaki's heart skipped a beat realizing that it was not Matt on the other line.
"Who are you?!"
"Oh…now I see where your little boy gets his feistiness from." And he broke into laughter.
Hiroaki felt his blood boil as he stood helplessly listening to the man's laugh.
"What have you done to Matt?!"
"Let's just say that he's sitting back and enjoying a little game."
Following the man's answer, Hiroaki heard what sounded like static which was quickly overpowered by his son screaming.
"STOP IT! STOP IT! HELP ME DAD!"
Hearing Matt's desperate cries infuriated Hiroaki, wishing that he was there to strangle whoever was holding his son captive by the throat.
"I'll let him speak to you," the kidnapper said, breaking Hiroaki's train of thought, but then he heard Matt's weak voice on the line.
"D-dad…"
"Matt! Are you alright? What has he done to you?"
"H-he…I-I…"
Hiroaki strained his ears trying to understand Matt but he soon heard the assailant instead.
"Now listen up!" the captor said, "I've got steps for you to follow if you want to see your little boy again."
"Alright," Hiroaki said, struggling to keep his voice leveled, "What do you want?"
"Like I've told your kid, I want money. But this is how I want it done."
…
T.K. lay wide awake in his bed. Following the phone conversation, he was too worried about his older brother to fall back asleep.
But he couldn't help but wonder the reason why of Matt's sudden absence.
Why would Matt just disappear like that?
Did he run away? T.K. shook his head, No, he wouldn't do that!
Still, where would he go if he did?
…
"Alright," Hiroaki answered, "I'll do it, just leave my son out of this."
"Excellent, you have one hour to collect the cash and if you fail to do it when the time is up, your kid will have to pay instead!"
Hiroaki's eyes widened.
"You said that you wouldn't-"
"Better get started." And the kidnapper hung up.
Hiroaki slumped into his chair, staring at his phone like if it were a bizarre growth in the palm of his hand.
Only one hour for the ransom?
He looked at his watch which now read 2:01 A.M.
That man's insane to think that I could come up with that amount of money in that length of time! But then there's Matt, he's completely at the mercy of his abductor and he just might be capable of murder.
Opening the phone, he dialed another number and got a response.
"Hello?"
"Nancy! It's Hiroaki! I know it's late but this is an emergency!" he said.
"Well, what is it?" Nancy asked, puzzled by her ex-husband's behavior.
"Matt's been kidnapped and his captor demands a ransom for his return in one hour!"
"What?!" she cried, her voice rising in hysterics, "How much does the kidnapper want? Where is he keeping Matt? Did you call the police?"
"I'm going to." Hiroaki responded.
"I need to go and wake up T.K." Nancy said, about to set the phone down. "He needs to know-"
"He already does."
"I'll tell him that you called back, then." she said, hanging up but not before saying to her ex.
"Please find him."
Closing the phone after reaffirming his promise with her, Hiroaki felt his heart aching from hearing the pleading tone in Nancy's voice.
Reopening the cell phone, Hiroaki phoned the police and drove to the station. There, with his cooperation, they were able to track down the location of the call on Matt's cell phone to an abandoned warehouse outside the Odaiba district and they devised a plan.
"Are you sure this will work?" Hiroaki asked a little skeptical. "What if-"
"We'll make sure that you and your son will make it out unharmed." Assured an officer. "Mr. Ishida, you are the key to putting this man behind bars for good."
"You are," added another voice.
He turned to find Nancy and T.K., their hair tangled and faces careworn as the two approached him.
"T.K. and I couldn't stand waiting anymore, knowing now that Matt's in danger," she explained, "And I worry that something will happen to you too when you try to save him!"
Nancy felt her bloodshot eyes tearing up at the thought and she swallowed hard fighting the growing lump in her throat.
T.K. was at a loss for words and could only look up into the eyes of his father, as if he was pleading with him to come back alive with his older brother.
Seeing their weary expressions ignited a spark inside of him, renewing his determination.
"I will bring him home."
…
Matt watched as his abductor paced the floor impatiently. Though he knew that his father was coming for him, the blonde feared what would conspire once he arrived with the money.
I can't think like that! I've got to remain hopeful…
Hope…
T.K.
He remembered how through his little brother that the Digidestined were able to vanquish two of the most powerful adversaries they faced in the Digital World and the happiness the younger blonde felt seeing both of his parents together again before departing once more.
A jolt of pain suddenly snapped Matt out of his memories, and he looked up to see his captor, pulling on his blonde bangs viciously.
"Time's almost up, Blondie."
"My dad will come!" Matt shot back. "And when he does, you'll regret ever kidnapping me!"
The abductor sighed, "You still don't know when to keep your big, fat mouth shut do you? So, I guess I need to get more physical!"
With a forceful yank, Matt fell forward in his chair, his face making contact with the floor. He barely had enough time to turn his head aside; saving his nose from being broken and felt his right cheek bruising on the spot.
Matt bit his lip to prevent from crying out in pain as he laid there, his face pressing uncomfortably against the cold floor while his bound arms and legs were stiffening.
"It is now, three o' clock." He heard his captor say, "Looks like you'll have to pay instead."
"DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!"
The man turned around and saw Hiroaki standing before him, carrying an old carpetbag in one hand.
He smiled, "I see that you've kept your end of the bargain, so in return I keep mine."
With that, the kidnapper gently lifted Matt from off the floor, setting the chair down easy. Hiroaki fought back a gasp when he saw the brutal injuries Matt sustained from his ordeal as well as the urge to tackle the man responsible for it as he came towards him.
Slowly, Hiroaki handed the carpetbag to him.
"Here's your money."
As the abductor greedily snatched the bag, he didn't notice Hiroaki pull something out of his pocket until he opened the bag, only to find it completely empty.
"You tricked me, you-"
Before he could finish, Hiroaki shot pepper spray directly into the man's face. The kidnapper dropped the bag and cell phone as he howled in pain, the police burst into the warehouse and successfully made an arrest.
Hiroaki and another officer untied Matt from the chair and helped support him on both sides. As they fled the warehouse, the officer managed to retrieve the stolen cell phone from the abductor after he was cuffed.
After getting into one of the police cars safely, Hiroaki gently embraced his son as he stroked the teen's blonde locks.
"I'm so sorry, Matt," he whispered.
He waited for a response from his eldest child but was answered by silence.
"Matt?"
Matt slumped against his father's chest in a limp heap.
"MATT!"
…
A sterile scent filled Matt's nostrils as he slowly awoke. Cracking his eyelids open, he saw his father, mother, and younger brother huddled by his bedside in a hospital room.
"He's awake!" exclaimed T.K.
"Oh, Honey," soothed Nancy as she held and stroked his hand, "We're so glad that you're alright!"
As the three exchanged heartfelt words, the doctor came into the room.
"Is he going to be alright?" Hiroaki asked.
The doctor looked over his notes. "Other than that concussion, I would say that your son's on his way to an easy recovery."
Hiroaki sighed in relief.
After a week of recuperating had passed, Matt was released from the hospital. Though oddly enough, he didn't speak at all to the nurses that came in and out periodically to check on him. Since he had endured a terrifying abduction and had injuries to his face, they concluded that Matt was silent due to shock from the aftermath.
Upon his return home, his e-mail was overflowing with letters ranging from his friends, fangirls, and other classmates showing their concern for what had happened to him.
Matt sighed.
They're really gonna hound me at school and definitely try and tackle me when I'm onstage.
He then heard his father calling for him from the living room.
Matt opened his mouth to answer back.
But no sound came out.
-To be continued…
