CHAPTER 2. PHONE HOME
The Colombian thugs held the phone out for John, untying his tightly bound hands.
"You call, you call and tell your family or solicitor we want money for your safe return."
John rubbed his wrists and sighed heavily glancing at the throw away phone, it wasn't anything close to new but it probably served it's purpose. The other hostages watched with terrified eyes he winced hearing the muffled sobs of the younger missionaries. Just kids really, this place was relatively safe, he wouldn't have been relocated here after the incident in Kunduz.
Mycroft really was a high class meddler, the man had made it damn near difficult to be stationed anywhere with the charity organization remotely close to a war zone.
So here Doctor John H. Watson was, in a rural part of Colombia helping educate young mothers on prenatal care, and fixing the breaks and cuts of farmers. Not exactly challenging, he knew this was Mycroft's way of starving John out. The bastard was probably hoping the lack of adventure would have the ex soldier begging to be on the first flight home.
However John wasn't going out without a fight and he was a man of his word, he volunteered his time and this past year had been exactly what he needed. A distraction, London was too painful right now. Here, he had no memories of coffee with Mary, or walking down the streets holding her hand and broken traffic lights.
"You call." The young man with AK growled pressing the phone into John's chest.
"You really don't want me to make that phone call. Once I do I cant guarantee your safety or that of your colleagues here. I think you really should just go."
The young man frowned wondering if he misheard the doctor some how, he shifted from one foot to the other, glancing to their leader for instructions. They spoke in rapid Spanish and then the boy pointed the AK directly at John holding the phone out.
The others in the room gasped and one of the missionaries whimpered.
"Can you not wave that thing around idiot; it's likely to go off. And stop frightening the volunteers. Can you not point a weapon at these people they aren't being paid to be here."
The thug was confused once more, "I have gun, you make call."
John rubbed his stubbly chin making a show of considering doing just that when he replied. "No, probably not."
"For Christ sake Doctor Watson! Make that phone call! " Doctor Kakkar barked. "Are you mad?"
"Puneet-" John sighed "It's going to all be fine."
Doctor Morgan sat in the corner his hands resting on his knees, John wondered why their hostage takers hadn't tied up the older man's wrists like everyone else's. Those sharp blue eyes watched John with a familiar glint of amusement.
Just then the phone in thug number one's hand rang, "Oh, great. It's too late. And I had warned you." John shook his head leaning back into the wall.
The other rebels were confused by the fact their phone was ringing, according to John's translation no one had that number. So thug number two told thug one to answer it.
"Si, un momento." The young man glanced down at Doctor Watson in confusion. "It's for you."
The leader of the group didn't seem happy about that and instead he snatched the mobile from his friend and smashed it. This caused the mobiles belonging to everyone else in the room to ring all at once. Idiots hadn't event taken the phones off the hostages, definitely amateurs.
"I'd answer it if I were you. " John threw his hands up in surrender "From my experience it makes it worse if you make him wait."
"Hello." The leader answered his mobile, John watched the poor kid's face pale as he shakily stated "It is for you." The kid with the red bandana handed his phone off and then went to the window where the blinds had been drawn. He quickly opened the blinds and peered out, to his horror several red dots lined up on his body as well as his friends.
"I'm fine. No harm done, just a bunch of wayward kids looking to make a pound or two. They cant be older than twenty three, boy's really. Are snipers really necessary?" John growled into the phone, several members of staff watched in shock as he started to argue with whoever it was on the other line.
"Yes, yes, I'll come home. I was already planning on it. Well-" Doctor Kakkar watched as the usually soft spoken Doctor Watson argued irritably with possibly a family member? A brother? Yes, Puneet had that same exasperated look on his face when dealing with his own older brother.
"No, don't tell him about this it'll only make him worry needlessly. Besides no one has been hurt. Who? Oh god, how long has he been missing? Sure, of course I'll be packed right away. How's Sherlock taking it? " John moved to the window and waved, the red dots disappearing from their targets. "Yes well, I didn't think he was close to any family members." John chuckled shaking his head hearing Mycroft's irritated reply. "Yes, I forgot. Of course he's more excited about the puzzle. I'm sure he's been driving everyone crazy, I can only wonder at the state of the walls in the flat. Yes, I'll be ready in fifteen minutes. And Mycroft can you please not kill anyone. These kids just need a firm talking to and perhaps jail time. Ta."
John stood up and handed the mobile over to the young man with a red bandana, the red dots reappearing. His friends were nervously staring at the blond doctor.
"He wishes a word." And with that John Watson stepped around the three young men with guns blocking the door. "Excuse me, apparently I have to pack."
Doctor Morgan stood up as well careful not to be near the window, his blue eyes following the short blond Doctor out the door.