Chap 5:

Emma couldn't move, she tried to form words but nothing would come out.

"Emma what's going on?" Lisa reached towards her pocket but the other man's hand reached out grabbing her by the wrist.

"Please don't" the man muttered under his breath "at least not until you see this" The man reached into his jacket and pulled out a picture of something but Emma was barley aware of what was going on around her. Amelia. He had called her Amelia, not even Eric knew that that was her real name.

"My name is Emma." She said carefully.

"Come on now, we both know that's not true. Amelia."

"Carson?" Emma asked shaking. She knew this day would come. Carson wouldn't let her be without revenge for what she had done to him.

"Don't get me started about that pain in the ass." Dom said rolling his eyes. His buddy didn't seem too happy about the subject either, his hand still gripping Lisa's wrist tightly, but Lisa didn't seem to notice keeping her eyes fixed on the photo on the table.

"Let her go. She has nothing to do with this. We just met and…"

"Irony of the universe. Strangers, and yet so much in common." Dom pulled out a photo laying it down on the table. Emma glanced down, as Maria stared back at her from the paper, and the message was clear. The picture had been taken recently. They were using the little girl against her again. The monsters were going after someone she loved because of what she had done.

"See this does involve her Em, It involves Lisa, you, and our mutual friend, Jackson."

"No.." Lisa let out a soft squeak as her eyes began to water drawing Emma's attention.

"Don't…Don't start that Lisa, This isn't about hurting either of you, we just have some business to take care off so we can…wrap things up."

"Fine let's do it then, here is as good a place as any." Emma tried anything to keep her in a familiar surroundings. "What do we have to do? Sign some confidentiality papers and be on our way?"

"Nice try" Dom said, but this is a bit more complicated and requires a bit more privacy. But…just do as your told and we won't have an issue." Emma wanted to scream out at the top of her lungs, but she bit her lip holding it back. She was shocked by her own control, and the way her body quickly transferred to survival mode. She could do this she thought to herself, only if she took it a step at a time, wait for her opportunity and fight. Of course, Lisa didn't seem to have the same sense of clam in her eyes. Instead, she was angry, her face fixed in a nonverbal threat. Emma could tell she was a fighter, and nothing was going to keep her from fighting back. In Emma's mind that was an issue. If Lisa pissed these men off, Maria was the one in danger and Emma wasn't going to risk it.

"Lisa," Emma said pleadingly. "Just do what they say. Help me keep her safe." Emma said, sliding the picture of Maria forward. "Please trust me." Emma pleaded.

"You just want to go with them?" Lisa asked with disbelief. "If you knew who Jackson…"

"I do. And he's not the one who scares me. In fact none of these men here frighten me as much as the one who isn't here, Carson. If he's out there she's in trouble." Emma said pointing at the photo. I have to protect her."

"See Lisa, Emma understands all of this. She knows how this works. I'd hoped you had remembered as well."

"It's hard to forget." Lisa said bitterly, her glare divided between Emma and Dom. Emma could only hope that she would get a chance to explain everything to Lisa. She knew the kind of men these people were, and they wouldn't hesitate to hurt either them, nor would they hesitate to harm whoever it was on their photos.

A tear ran down Emma's check but she looked directly at Lisa. "Whoever is on that photo, is in trouble. If you want to protect them, we have to do as they say. I learned the hard way what happens when you don't listen to them."

Lisa stared at her silently, but she stopped pulling against the man's grasp and he let go.

"Good. Thank you Amelia for handling that."

"Don't call me that." Emma bit back through gritted teeth "My name is Emma."

Dom looked at Emma as if judging her attitude, wondering if she was going to be as compliant as she said. He must have decided that she wouldn't because he nodded his head. "Alright, Emma, Lisa. I'm going to need your plane tickets." Dom held out his hand. "Hand them over."

Emma hesitated only for a moment before reaching into her bag and pulling out her ticket to New York. She stared at it quietly. Was this really happening? Her chance at freedom about to be just handed over, and she wasn't even fighting back this time. Maybe Lisa's accusing glare was more justified then Emma had thought. She inhaled deeply and slide it across the table.

"Your doing the right thing" Dom assured her, but Emma just felt sick to her stomach. She glanced up at Lisa who was basically pleading with her to help her fight back but Emma couldn't keep eye contact. If only she could make Lisa understand.

Emma's hand unconsciously went to her stomach, and her leg began to throb faintly in memory of its past pain.

"Lisa?" Dom said with a thinning patience. "Come on." Emma watched Lisa's hands as she reached into her bag and pulled out her ticket handing it over to Dom.

"Good. Now, let's go. Our ride is waiting for us." Dom slipped the photos back into pocket with the tickets and slide out from the booth. Emma started to move past him but he put his handout. "Come on sweetheart, we don't want to miss our flight." Emma looked at Lisa who was refusing to get up from the booth. The other man reached out for Lisa's hand taking it tightly in his own and pulling her out to her feet. Dom hadn't moved and the intent was clear. She offered him her hand, allowing him to entangle his fingers with her own.

"That's a good girl." Dom smiled taking Emma's bag and swinging it over his own shoulder, while the other man took Lisa's suitcase. "Just smile and keep walking you two, we'll be out of here soon enough."

The four of them walked through the airport silently, the men keeping strong grips on the girl's hands. They stopped only once, when Dom handed the girls ticket over to two women. No one would even realize they were missing for a few more hours. How far away would they be when that happened? Would they even still be alive? Emma felt her heart collapsing and she sniffled slightly earning her a tighter squeeze in her hand. You have to get through the airport she told herself. Just hang in there.