Chapter 7.
Jill blinked a few times, her head throbbing painfully. The pain in the shoulder was excruciating, and she looked down at it. Her hands were tied behind her back, and she noticed blood seeping out through her thin pajamas sweater. She guessed her stitches had been ripped up. But she guessed her shoulder was out of place too, because that pain could not be caused just by the stitched hole. Jill tried to move the arm, wanting to put it forward, but it was stuck behind her back, and every slightest movement sent so much pain through her. She closed her eyes hard, and bit on the rag she had in her mouth, keeping her from crying out in pain. She sat like that for a few minutes, trying to keep as still as possible. She tried to take a deep breath, as she looked around in the room. She was sitting in one of the corner, her feet tied together too. It was a completely empty room, and it was very moist in there, with water on the floor. Venice water in April is not that worm either, and Jill noticed her goose bumps on her skin. She was only wearing her thin pajamas; it did not help much to keep the heat. There was a small window, and she could see the water outside it. She carefully leaned her head against the wall, closing her eyes.
She did remember being kidnapped. Three men wearing masks had come into their room. When she woke up, one of them were all ready leaning over Kris, holding a rag in his hands, covering her mouth with it. She had rushed out of bed, but in the same second, someone grabbed her from behind, and she felt the smell of chloroform before everything turned black. And now she was here.
Jill couldn't help but to think about her sister. She hoped they only had used a little chloroform, which would make Kris unconscious for a while. If they used too much, Kris could get chloroform poisoning, and even die. No. Jill shook that thought out of her head. No. Kris was fine. And by this time, the others should have arrived, and together, they would find out who was holding her hostage and find her before it was too late. At least she could hope so.
Jill looked around in the room. Well, even if she would be able to get out of the ropes that tied her hands and feet, she would never get out of the window. It was way too small, and besides, it was water outside. With only one arm, Jill knew she would not be able to swim, at least not far. Jill didn't know if it was the Grand Canal outside, but even if it was or wasn't, the canals in Venice are not meant for swimming.
No. She would have to wait, and see where this was going.
Sitting alone in darkness, being kidnapped by people you don't know who they are, in a country you don't belong in, there's not much to do than to think. Jill had managed to lean back, getting a little more comfortable. She closed her eyes, and as the world of darkness closed in on her, images of her sister came back to her mind.
Kris was wearing a blue sweater, and Jill herself was wearing a white turtleneck with a worm jacket draped over her. Her clothes were dirty from fighting in the sand. Harley had let go of his father, and the sheriff was taking care of them. Kris came down the hill, following the sheriff. Jill remembered that she thought Kris looked like an angel when she came down the hill. Jill then thought of tossing herself into Kris' arms. Just holding her, and never letting go. Then she remembered that she's the older one, she's supposed to be strong. And as she saw the worry in Kris' face, she couldn't help but to say "what took you so long?" instead. They had shared a hug, and then watched the sheriff handcuff Sam Mason. Jill then jumped in between when he wanted to cuff Harley. No. He's harmless. You just have to understand his mind. He's harmless. The sheriff believed Jill, and while they waited for the helicopter they moved Harley and Sam into the sheriff's car. Jill hugged Harley, thanked him, and promised that she would make sure that he would get to the place they had talked about, and he asked if she would bring a cake.
"Of course. A chocolate one." Jill had answered.
"Just like mother's." Harley had answered, before they closed the doors, and Jill and Kris jumped into the helicopter.
"Where are we supposed to take you?"
"Hospital." Kris answered quickly.
"What? No, Kris, I'm fine. Really."
"I want you to be looked over."
"Hey. Look at me. I'm fine. A shower, a good night's sleep and making sure Harley gets to that home, and I'll be as good as new."
"What was up with him? I mean, I thought he was dangerous."
"No, Kris, he saved my life. He's just a little behind, he's just been treated wrong. He just misses his mother. All he wants is to go somewhere calm, where he can fish, feed deers and just breathe."
"You're taking him to that home Kelly told you about down the coast?"
"I'll call them when I get home and see if they have any place for him."
Kris nodded slowly. She couldn't understand that Jill was back and safe, and not only that - she wanted the best for one of the men that had held her hostage.
"Did I get an answer to where we were going?"
"Go back to the station." Kris sighed, knowing Jill would not let herself get checked over. And she did look fine. She just needed a shower badly. And if Kris knew her sister right, maybe something to eat too.
Not too long after, they landed outside the police station. Bosley, Kelly and Tiffany where standing by the house, waving towards them as they stepped out of the helicopter. Jill hugged them all close, before they all walked into the station.
"You sure you're okay?" Kelly asked, putting a hand on Jill's shoulder as Jill sat down in a chair at the station.
"Yes, I promise. I'm fine. How did you guys find me?"
"Well, since Kris is so stubborn, she managed to convince the sheriff and his people to search north. And Tiffany managed to find an old Mormon trail, and thanks to that, you're here." Kelly smiled, in the same time as Kris handed her sister a glass of water.
"Good job." Jill smiled, sipping the water.
As Jill drank, she could feel her sister's eyes pierce through her. She looked up and met the eyes, noticing tears were filling up. Jill put her head to her side.
"What do I have to say to make you believe that I'm fine?"
Kris bit her lower lip, Kelly putting a hand on her arm.
"I… I don't know… I… I can see that you're alright, but… I thought you were dead. Charlie said that you didn't have a chance."
"He did?"
"You were held hostage by a very dangerous criminal and his two sons, heading for either Canada or Mexico through the wilderness. No one had seen any trace of you. Charlie said it would take a miracle to get you back alive."
"You heard that?" Kelly asked.
Charlie had not intended for Kris to hear that, he had said it after she'd left the room, when just Kelly and Bosley were left by the speaker. Kris looked up at Kelly and nodded.
"Yes, I did. I waited for you in the hall, remember?"
Kelly nodded slowly. Right.
"But Kris, listen to me. I'm here, and I'm okay. I was scared too, but I'm alright." Jill said, putting her glass away as she pulled Kris into a hug. Kris embraced the hug, holding her close for a long time. Finally her sister was back, and she never wanted to lose her again.
After making sure that Harley and Sam got back with the sheriff, they made their way back to Los Angeles. Harley would have to spend his time in the jail until Jill managed to move him. She had talked to Charlie all ready at the station, and he would call to make the arrangements as soon as possible. Jill, Kelly and Kris got into Jill's car, which had been taken to the station earlier, just after it was found. Jill drove, even though Kris protested. Tiffany and Bosley got into their own cars, and the parade of the three cars, and the sheriff's car, and an extra police car went down to Los Angeles. In the car, Kris and Kelly were asking a lot of questions, wanting to know everything. Jill asked them to back off, she wanted to tell them, but she had something else in her mind right now. She grabbed the phone, interrupting Kris in a sentence.
"Hi, Bosley, it's me. We're gonna make a right up the road here, we're just gonna make a stop on the way. We'll meet you tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure, I'll call and inform the sheriff so he doesn't get confused."
Jill hung up the phone, and then drove off the road when it turned.
"Where are we going?"
"To Emma."
"Who is Emma?" Kelly asked.
When Kris noticed her sister's sad look, she remembered why Jill had been out here in the first place.
"The girl with leukemia?" Kris asked, and Jill slowly nodded.
"Yeah. She lives just a few miles up this road. There's a diner on the way there too, I can borrow the restroom." Jill said, smiling slightly.
About half an hour later, the trio got out of the car, walking up to a cottage in the middle of nowhere. Jill had used the bathroom already at the diner they passed, and now Jill knocked the door. An older woman, quite short and chubby opened the door with a confused look in her face.
"May I help you?"
"My name is Jill Munroe. I was supposed to stop by with the other drivers the other day to see Emma."
"Oh! We read about the kidnapping in the paper, are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"Please, come on in." The woman said, welcoming all of them into the hall. "Are you racers too?"
Kris and Kelly smiled, shaking their heads.
"Oh, no. I'm Kris, Jill's sister, and this is Kelly, our friend and my coworker."
"Oh, okay. Please come in. Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"
"Please." Jill smiled, and Kelly and Kris giggled to each other.
They all walked into the house.
"Come on, I'll show you up to Emma, then I'll bring up something for you."
"Thank you." Jill smiled, and they all headed upstairs. The woman gently knocked a door, and popped her head in.
"I've got someone I think you want to meet here." She smiled, before opening the door.
Jill peaked in, finding the twelve-year-old lying down in her bed. Jill smiled as she took a quick look around the room. Every inch of the walls screamed formula 1. Jill found about several posters of herself, in or besides her cars. She saw friends of hers, and some of her teammates. There were also toy cars on the floor, she saw books about the sport on the desk and in the bookshelf. This girl loved formula 1.
"Jill!" She exclaimed happily, and Jill walked up to the bed. Kris and Kelly walked in to, stopping in the background. Emma looked over at them after getting a hug from Jill.
"That's my…"
"Sister." Emma smiled proudly. "And that's Kelly Garrett."
"Now how do you know that?" Jill asked with a smile on her face.
"I'm a fan." The girl smiled widely, pointing towards an album lying on a desk a few feet away. Jill grabbed it and opened it when Emma told her to. The entire book was filled with pictures, interviews and news paper clips of Jill. Jill smiled as she looked through it. Not even Kris' scrapbook was this perfect.
"Well, okay then, you're a fan."
They sat with the girl for almost three hours before her mother came and told them that she needed to take her medications, and those would make her fall asleep. Before she took them, her mother took a picture of all of them, and Jill shower her the present she had brought. The young girl was thrilled to get Jill's blue helmet, the one with white stripes, and the name "Jill" written under the glass.
In the car back to Los Angeles, Charlie called. He said that he had already been able to move Harley, so he didn't need to spend the night together with his father in jail. Jill quickly decided that she would go and meet him up the following morning.
"We're going there sometime after noon." Jill said as she hangs up the phone.
"Jill… I know you're gonna get mad by this. But…"
"But what?" Jill asked as she looked at Kris, who was driving the car now.
"I don't want to go."
"What?"
"I know he saved your life, at least from the very little I've heard from you. But I don't think I can stand being with him Jill. He was one of those who held you hostage, and no matter what you say about him, I wouldn't feel comfortable with him."
"You don't have to go Kris, if you're not up to it. I can bring Bosley with me, or you Kelly if you're up to it."
"I have to witness against Kingsbrook in the morning."
Jill nodded understandingly.
"Then I'll bring Bosley. He said he could. I don't want you to come Kris if you feel uncomfortable, and I fully respect that. I would probably feel the same if it were the other way around." Jill smiled, putting her hand on Kris' shoulder.
"I'm glad to have you back." Kris smiled, taking Jill's hand in hers.
"It's nice to be back too."
For you who didn't connect - that was some missing parts from An Angel's Trail. What do you think? Should I put in more of these "memories" into the story?
Come on! Let me know what you think guys! Re-view-re-viev-revieeeew! :D
