Okay, so I finally got a reply from FFN, and the reason why my story isn't listed is because I rated it as 'M' because of the naughty bits towards the beginning – to stop underage readers from accessing it. Hmm… think I might be changing that lol also this isn't a very long chapter so I'm going to double it up with the next one. Enjoy!
10. Details
There stood Elena, poised over a figure – her hand transformed with her foot wedged into a stranger's neck as he laid spread eagled on the gravelled path.
Clay signalled her to release the hostage, and in the blink of an eye caught him by his shirt collar and hit him aside the head, knocking him out with a yelp.
"What are you doing here? Are the babies okay?" Clay asked giving his wife a hug and a kiss.
"Don't worry – I called Paige as back-up." Elena replied with a smile. "Do you know him?" She asked Belle as she approached, nodding at the unconscious man.
"No, no I don't think so." She said, stunned.
"You don't need to see this. Nick, take her back inside." Antonio ordered. "Clay – the shed at the bottom of the back yard, take him down there."
The boys took control of tying up the hostage and questioning him when he awoke, Belle settled down with Elena in her living room.
"When did you get here?" Belle asked handing her a mug of hot chocolate.
"About an hour ago – I caught a scent at the end of your drive and left the rental car down there. I found that guy skulking by your back yard." She explained getting to her feet and walking to the French doors. "How many miles is it until the next house?" She asked statistically.
"At least… ten miles, it's pretty secluded round here - as you can tell." Belle explained.
"Good." Was the reply.
After a couple moments silence Belle plucked up her courage. "Are they going to kill him?" She asked innocently.
"Probably, I wouldn't worry about it though – they'll clean up once they're done." Elena stated, not intending to sound so cold. She took a breath pinching the bridge of her nose, turning to Belle who sat motionless and a few shades paler. "Sorry – it comes part of the package I'm afraid. It's not nice to think about it, but it's the only option." Elena sympathised, snapping her attention back to the window wincing. Belle could only imagine what she could be hearing from the shed she had at the back of her garden. "Unfortunately it's something you become accustomed too – you grow almost cold to it…" She said distractedly. "We can't let their world find out about ours."
*********
With having to dispose of the body, the boys didn't return until half past five in the morning. "Did you have any problems?" Elena asked as Clay made his way through the door first.
"Fine." He stated as light hearted as if he'd just spent the day looking after his children. He gave Elena a quick peck on the lips and headed to the sink to wash up.
Belle had fallen asleep on the sofa, nestled up in a blanket, and was just rousing herself as Nick sat down beside her.
"Hey." She smiled cracking her eyes open as he brushed a hand through her hair. "Did everything go okay?" She asked.
Nick nodded his head. "We know where Matthew is." He smiled as she jolted awake. "He's not far, about an hours drive away."
"When can we go?" Belle asked throwing the blanket from her and getting to her feet.
"Calm down. We need to speak to Jeremy first and see what he suggests." Antonio soothed as he caught her arm. "And Clay and Elena need some rest – as do you." He ordered, passing her over to his son.
"But we need to get him back – I need my son! Where are they keeping him?" She wailed punching at Nick's arm as he restrained her. "Tell me!"
"It's safer for Matthew if we go at night – it'll confuse his captors, which is where we have the advantage." Antonio told her sternly.
A scowl passed her face, but she was too polite to say anything, and settled for biting the inside of her cheek instead.
Taking the advice given, Nick left Belle to sleep a few more hours upstairs in her room whilst he discussed the plans for the rescue mission. Did she sleep? Did she fuck.
In the end she settled for taking a shower, if not to keep her mind from the possibility of getting her son back – but to actually do something. As she left the en suite she found Nick perched on the end of her bed.
"I told you to get some sleep." He scolded her.
"You can talk - You've had less than me." She sighed sitting beside him. "So, what's the plan?" She asked leaning her head against his shoulder.
He took a breath and leaned back into her. "We've got a strategy sorted, and spoken to Jeremy. We'll leave at dusk." He explained. "I'm not telling you anything else. Right now I need you to just chill out, okay? Let us do what we came here to do." He said stroking back a wet strand of hair from her shoulder, and wiping away some of the water droplets adorning her skin before laying down on the bed to get a few hours of sleep for himself.