CHAPTER 6: Car Chase

As soon as he saw Candy, Neal forgot about everything. He thought by conquering as many girls as he wanted he could prove that he didn't need her. He thought by repeatedly convincing himself that he's done with her could make him forget her. He thought he could live just fine without her. No, it didn't work that way. He still wanted this woman, even more than before. Got lost in the confusion, he couldn't help to surrender to his emotion yet again, just like before, right at the point where he tried to leave it.

Beautiful Candy! How is it possible that she gets even more beautiful. William is a fool. I won't trade a hundred Beatrices for one Candy, thought Neal.

Stunt he released his grip. Candy struggled to free herself and ran to chase the gunmen. She ran to the garden direction to make a shortcut to the driveway.

"Neal, hold Candy!" screamed Archie. "It's dangerous, they might shoot her!"

Awaken, Neal hurriedly chased Candy. He held her elbow and repeated what Archie had just said. "Don't go, it's dangerous. They might shoot."

"Neal!" Candy gasped hearing how Archie addressed him. She yanked her arms, gave him a hatred glance, ignored him and kept running.

"Don't take Albert!" she screamed. "Albert!"

"Neal, don't let her go," shouted Archie worriedly.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Archie ran to chase Candy and pregnant Annie followed from the back.

"Candy, " shouted Archie.

"Archie," shouted Annie.

Neal grabbed Candy's elbow again. This time, he meant it. She couldn't move.

"Let me go," said Candy struggling to release Neal's iron grip. "Albert!"

Archie approached her. "Candy this is too dangerous!" said Archie worriedly. He looked at her lovingly.

This guy still loves her and he married Annie instead!, thought Neal in disbelief.

"Archie, watch out Annie for me," said Candy. "If anything happened, promise to take care of Annie forever. I'll chase them."

"How?"

"With a car."

But you can't drive," said Archie gently.

Candy looked around hopelessly trying to find someone who could help her. But there's no one else there. Suddenly Neal saw her eyes stopped at his, looking piercingly. Without hesitation Candy grabbed Neal's arm and pulled him with her.

"He will drive," said Candy.

"But…," said Archie looking extremely jealous.

Wow Candy…! , thought Neal. It's dangerous. But if that what it took to be with her, he didn't mind to face even death itself. Without thinking twice he agreed.

"Yes, let me do it," Neal said coolly, grinned at Archie. "Archie, call the police. We try to get their license plate number."

They both ran to the driveway to pick a car to use. After looking at a few cars, Neal still didn't enter to any one of them.

"Why it takes you so long? Just get to any car! Hurry!" said Candy impatiently.

"A correct tool is necessary for success. We pick this Bugatti, the newer model ran really fast."

He turned on the engine, held his hands firmly in a "10 and 2" position, pushed his foot on the gas pedal and ready to chase the truck that carried Albert.

"Before we start... Listen! Never ever hug me no matter what," warned Candy.

"Who wants to hug you! You hugged me first!" Neal protested.

"You're much taller. I didn't know it was you!"

"So it's not my fault, is it?"

"Concentrate on your driving. You don't drive fast enough. Our gap is not at all closing," complained Candy.

Neal changed the gear, stamped his foot lower into the floorboard. The gap was narrowing, they could almost see the license plate number, but a squirrel came crossing the street. He dangerously pressed the brake to avoid the poor animal. The car made a sharp swing to the side road dangerously. Then they're back to be losing. Candy moaned. He stamped his foot deeper to the gas pedal, their gap narrowed but then the truck unexpectedly made a turn to a narrow road. Neal made a sudden sharp turn too to follow the truck. The good road ended entering a soil bumpy road. He pressed the brake to reduce the speed drastically.

"Neal, pick the smooth surface road, avoid the bumps. You push the brakes too many times. It slows us down. See our gap is widening!" criticized Candy.

"I know what to do. Also note that I am doing you a favor now," returned Neal.

"Favor? Albert is in danger and you said this is a favor. This is a must thing to do!"

"For you! Not for me. So this is a favor."

Suddenly a big truck carrying hay approaching them from the intersection. Since Neal was busy arguing with Candy, he didn't notice until the last minute. He had to make a sudden break and swing to avoid it, the car almost got turned over.

"Watch out," said Candy.

"Now, chill out! I need to concentrate on my driving or we both die! Get a pen, write down or memorize their license plate number when you see it."

They're gaining, the gap got so closed but then they're approaching a railway crossing. They saw a train coming approaching fast.

"Oh no... Hurry hurry hurry," shouted Candy. She tried her best to read the license plate number.

The truck passed the railway crossing just before the train came, but it's too late for Neal and Candy. They had to stop. When the train finally passed, the truck had gone. They kept following the road hoping to get a glimpse of the truck that carried Albert but the hope was gone as soon as they found a V-intersection.

They went outside to examine the road to see if there's any clue, but it's not at all clear where the truck went to.

"At least we have the license plate number," said Neal. "We go back and let the police take care of the rest. It should be easy."

"Bad slow driver. I can't believe Albert is gone"

"Believe it!" Rude as always, thought Neal. "Remember, I didn't ask to be your driver!"

They went back silently. He dropped her off in the mansion. She walked away without saying anything. He called her.

"Hey, we hadn't met for three years. No greetings?" asked Neal. He grinned. "A short thank you, perhaps?"

"Thanks for nothing," said Candy rudely and walked away

The way she walked, swaying her hips, she's more enchanting than ever. He stood unmoved watching her back.

"You're back, bro." Neal felt someone hit his back. "Anything?"

He shook his head silently, eyes glued to Candy.

Seeing his dumb look and Candy in the far, right away Elisa understood. Candy! He still falls under her spell.

Candy, I thought I was over you!, Neal thought.

oooOOooo

The following morning, Candy was woken up by a bang at her door.

"Come in," Candy said sleepily.

Beatrice entered frantically, crying.

Bad news?, thought Candy. She sat on her bed right away. "What happens to Albert?" asked Candy worriedly.

"Candy, aunt Elroy doesn't want the police to look for William," Beatrice cried hopelessly.

"WHAT? Why?" asked Candy.

"I am not sure," Beatrice sobbed. "Candy, what to do?"

Beatrice was crying her soul out. She sobbed and sobbed. Candy's heart was torn to pieces, she cried together with her.

I have to find a way to save Albert, thought Candy after she cooled down.

Candy hugged Beatrice.

"I'll find out more, Beatrice. Don't worry. Think of your baby," said Candy.

Candy took Beatrice to her room to calm down. She then hurriedly dressed up and went to look for aunt Elroy, ready to fight with her. At the door, she met George.

"George, could you come to my office?" asked Candy.

George nodded respectfully and followed her to the office.

"Why doesn't aunt Elroy want the police to look for Albert?" asked Candy.

"The truck you and master Neal chased yesterday belongs to the Cornwells."

"They tried to blackmail them?" asked Candy.

"I don't know Ms. Candice, I just stated the fact. In addition, we got a note demanding no police search for Sir William or they will kill him."

"What do they want?"

"They want Sir William to resign as the head of the Ardlay enterprise and return the enterprise governance back to the council in a week or he'll be killed."

"Can someone, say, Archie investigate where he is?"

"Not master Archie, because the Cornwells is closely associated with the Ardlays. Most of all, he will follow Madame Aunt Elroy's request, I believe. "

Candy cried. "Poor Albert! Poor Beatrice."

"Ms. Candice, there's someone who perhaps could help you better."

"Who?"

"Master Neal."

"Why him?" asked Candy sharply, thinking that George was making fun of her. "The Leagans are not associated with Ardlays?"

"Not as closely as the Cornwells. But more importantly... ," George stopped briefly.

"Ms. Candice, I have been working in this family for a long time. With all due respect, for the sake of Sir William, grant me the permission to speak freely...," said George. "From what I understood, master Neal is not the kind of person who necessarily obeys what other people say," he said carefully.

"You mean, he might not listen to aunt Elroy?"

"Yes, Ms. Candice. He might not," said George without moving a single muscle on his face. Looking formal, respectful as always.

"Thanks George, that would be all," said Candy.

George nodded respectfully and left.

Neal... !, thought Candy in disbelief.

All memory related to this one man was nothing but the worst. All these years she had try to purge it. She had vowed to never enter the Leagan mansion again for the rest of her life. And George thought she had to go there to ask for Neal's help? He's kidding me, thought Candy got all agitated. Never!

Candy ignored George's opinion and went to Archie.

"Archie, we should do something to find Albert," said Candy.

Archie sighed.

"Yes, we should. What happened to him is just horrible. But, Aunt Elroy just told me not to do the investigation," Archie said.

Candy was about to say something but Archie cut her first.

"That's not the reason why I don't act," he said quickly. "While Albert is gone, aunt Elroy appoints me to do the company's daily operations. With my current position, my action is highly visible to everyone. If I searched for Albert, someone could easily know and the news would spread quickly. It's dangerous for Albert. Furthermore, for the sake of the family integration..."

Candy wasn't listening.

"You know I'd do anything for you, Candy," said Archie finally. "But, this time, ... it's not possible." Archie sighed again. "The consequence might be fatal for Albert and the entire clan. They have an access to our family car, they could breach the security to enter and disrupt the party... Who knows what else they can do."

Candy was disappointed. Archie sensed it.

"Candy, listen to aunt Elroy. Drop your plan. We can't afford the risk," said Archie gently. "Poor Albert... The best thing we can do is to not make the situation worse than it already is."

What Archie said made sense. He's totally right, but Candy didn't care. She's more determined to find Albert! For the sake of Beatrice and Albert, she decided to numb her feeling and follow George's advice to meet Neal.

- TO BE CONTINUED-

Thanks for everyone who are still here to follow the story. I really appreciate it from the deepest bottom of my heart. Hopefully we meet until the end...