Chapter 22 : Do not go gentle into the good night

Hello readers! I'm back for good :) Do check out Matched by Ally Condie, it was fantabulous in my opinion. I was thinking about writing my own book... Like an original one. What do you guys think?

As I checked to make sure nobody was following me, I caught a glimpse of the conflict within my eyes. I was Christian's wife, a CEO and to top it all of, I was pregnant with not one, but two children. I should not be doing this. I should have gone to Luke or Taylor and consulted them on what I should do. But deep down inside, I knew it would have been fruitless.

Whoever who was behind this meant business, having taken Ethan, Christian and Claire. This was the lightning in the cloud of darkness I was shrouded in, one of the rare moments where the bastard had decided to reach out to me. If I had let it pass, who knew how long it would take before another opportunity like this came along?

Would Ethan be dead by then? Christian and Claire too?

I could not take that risk. Not with the lives of those I love and cherish. In fact, I would gladly surrender my own in place of those three.

Three lives for three, that's fair is it? My inner goddess snapped in disbelief, she was not on board with the whole idea.

Heck, I had no idea what I was doing. A few days back, I had promised my husband I would not do this. I had promised. But things have changed, he has been taken. If I go by my oath, I may never see him again. I would become a widow with two little boys that would make sure I never forgot my decision. The decision to abandon my husband in the time of his need. He had been there for so many of mine.

I closed my eyes at the traffic light, willing myself to make a decision. But I already had. I was going to do it all takes to bring those three home, even if it meant putting myself in a vulnerable position. But... I wasn't really vulnerable. Not with what I had in my hands. There was a chance I could get out scot free, with the people I had come to break free.

Speaking of which, even if you make it out alive, Luke will skewer you over a fire. My inner goddess reprimanded.

At her words, my eyes flickered down guiltily to the gun in holster that I had taken from his office drawer. I knew Christian's abhorrence for armed conflict meant that all our men had to stow away their guns when in the vicinity. Luke was going to murder me if the bastard did not.

My dad had taught me to shoot so I knew how to use a gun. But I was beginning to wonder if I would get the opportunity to use it. What if there were many of them? I would be outnumbered, I would have no hope of coming out alive at all, not even able to see the faces of my loved ones. That was a possibility.

"Your destination is on your right." My GPS system informed me, catching me off guard momentarily.

My hear fluttered at the surprise and I slowed down the car for a moment. This place was secluded, near a wharf from what I could make out. There was nobody in sight, but I felt like I was being watched. Despite my fear and doubt, I knew I had to keep on going. I continued driving and veered right. I had to try.

The moment I pulled up, my phone started ringing. Glancing down, I groaned in frustration. It was Luke. What the hell was I going to say to him?

I sat in the car glaring at the phone and then glancing at the gym bag with all the money I had stuffed. The clock indicated that I had ten more minutes before the meeting time, it had taken me longer than expected to get here... Which made me realize it would take Luke over an hour to reach here as well.

I unlocked the phone and pressed it against my ear, "Hello?"

"ANASTASIA WHERE THE FLYING FU** ARE YOU." He screeched and I winced.

It made me shrink back in my skin, "Luke..."

"I READ YOUR BLOODY LETTER. THIS BETTER BE A SICK JOKE. WHERE ARE YOU?!" I could hear the panic in his voice and the guilt spread over me like a disease.

"I'm going to put an end to this." I told him softly.

"THE ONLY THING YOURE PUTTING AN END TO IS YOUR LIFE. STAY OUT OF THIS. WHERE ARE YOU."

"I'm here." I said, and feeling the buzz of my phone which indicated a new text message.

"GET OUT OF THERE NOW." Luke demanded.

I lifted the phone to read the text: Get off the phone, we need to talk or Ethan walks the plank.

The bastard was here. Watching me. My fingers went clammy and I hung up the phone, leaving Luke talking into the air. I would apologize when I got the chance...

If I got the chance.

My phone buzzed once more : Good girl, now take the money and walk into boat house 16.

Holy freaking hell. Mechanically, I reach for the bag and sling it over my shoulder. Subtly, I pushed the gun into my jeans. I almost fall when I put my feet on the ground. With steady feet, I make my way towards the boat house. This place had rows of them, metal sheds that kept boats when they were not in use. It dawned on me that Luke would have no idea where to look. Making sure I was subtle, I dragged my feet to leave marks in the sandy ground.

It was dark. I stood at the small entrance and peered into my bastard's lair. It was quiet.

"HELLO?" I hollered in, as if anybody would reply. This was a horror movie unfolding on its own!

"ANA!" I heard Ethan shout back. That familiar voice, I felt it's pull and broke into a sprint, letting myself go further into the boat house.

"WHERE ARE YOU!" I pleaded. He was alive!

"GET OUT OF HERE! PLEASE!"

I followed his voice into a small room, which had two tiny windows high above and way out of reach. There he was, Ethan, chained against a water pipe. He looked beaten, disheveled, his face puffy with the tears he must have shed. My broken brother. Instantly, I dropped the bag and sprinted for him.

Fear laced his eyes as I pulled him into my embrace, "Get out of here Ana, while you still can. Please."

"I'm going to get you out. I brought the money."

"Ana." Ethan whimpered, jerking his bloody hands against the pipe. "They don't want your money! You've got to go."

"What?" I felt the air leave me as I fell back onto my heels.

"Ana-stasia Gr-ey." I heard her before I could see her.

When I turned, I caught sight of another man in the corner. He was chained to another water pipe, and he was in a pressed suit. I had no idea who that was. "What the hell do you want Elena. You're the bitch behind this?"

She stood on her black heels, wearing a tight black leather dress which complimented her eyes. "Bitch? I'd say you're the definition of bitch." She laughed, throwing her head back slightly.

"Where's Christian." I spat, with gritted teeth.

Puzzlement crossed her face and she broke into a twisted smile, "You've got me confused with someone else... I don't have your husband."

"What the fu** are you playing at?" I demanded, "You took him this morning!"

She crossed her arms, challenging me. "I'd know if I did... But I didn't." Some part of me believed her, she was sincere. "Did any of you boys?"

The confusion had momentarily distracted me, and I realized she had been talking to someone behind me. I turned to find Ethan gagged and four burly men I did not recognize closing in on me. I staggered away, " I brought you the money."

"I have money." Elena chimed, kicking the bag to a side. "Your boyfriend there is right... I don't need yours."

Fu**. I grimaced. "Then what do you want?"

"Now now, there's no need to spoil the surprise yes?" She beamed at me, waving for the men to carry on. "I just want to talk. Grab her."

The men pounced and I leaped, spinning to whip out my gun and shoot. Three bullets were fired before they had me pressed down on my face, I wrapped my arms around my torso to defend the defenseless. I could hear Ethan and the other man, thrashing against their restraints at the horror of my demise. Two of the men thrust me up against the wall. The other two had been shot, one cradled his arm and the other lay on the floor soothing his bleeding leg.

"My my my, we've got a fighter." Elena scolded, strutting towards me.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!" I hollered at the men.

The two wounded men pressed down on their bullet holes, seemingly used to such a situation. Calmly, they rose and exited the room, taking the gun with them. Well, there goes my only defense. Claude's training could not help now seeing that I was pregnant. I would risk the lives of my children.

Elena shook her head at me, "There's no use fighting."

Ethan's eyes were wide with panic, staring at my abdomen as he thrashed against his restraints a little harder. I wince as he cut a fresh wound and the blood started bleeding. I've got to cooperate, he's got to feel like I was going to be alright. And so were the babies. "I won't fight."

"Spoken like a true submissive." Elena smiled sarcastically, "Except, you're not."

The rage pounded through my veins once more at the memory that Elena had abused and raped my husband when he was little. She had scarred him to a point of no return, where he had felt like he needed the heavy stuff to deal with life. She was a twisted bitch. Even after Christian cut ties with her, she still wanted him.

But where was Christian? "Do you really expect me to believe you didn't take Christian?!"

Elena rolled her eyes, "I spent years beating the boy, where would the fun be?"

I grimaced and saw red, but I fought to keep my anger in check. My blood pressure had to remain normal, it could not go too high. The twins would not stay safe if I got furious. I would deal with this bitch later. "So that's a no?"

"That is a no." Elena folded her arms, "Now stay here while I prepare for you."

Where was Christian?! Could he truly have been taken by some one else? Maybe it had all been a big mistake and Taylor had just overreacted. Oh man, what if I overreacted?

But it got you here. My inner goddess pointed out. Ethan needed you.

I glanced towards him, his eyes filled with sadness as he began to tear. "No no, Ethan." I crooned, and broke free of the men momentarily to dash to him. They tried to grab me back, fumbling at my waist as Ethan shouted behind his gag for them to stop.

"Oh just let her go." Elena sounded annoyed and irritated, waving her fingers at the situation and then taking her leave.

So they did, and stepped back to block the entrance. I pulled Ethan's gag off. "Hey there." I said, wiping the tears of his dirty face.

"I'm so sorry, Ana." Ethan whimpered. "For everything."

I knew exactly what he was referring to. "I am sorry too. I had a part to play, Ethan. I led you on-"

"I led myself on." He shook his head. "You're fully in love with Christian and I tried to take that away from you."

"I tried to give it to you, Ethan." My words held truth in them as I realized that my actions had been beyond amicable.

"I was so scared I wouldn't get to apologize, to tell you that I was wrong." The tears flowed from his face. He had been trapped here for days and night. Who knows what they have done to him.

"It's alright, I have forgiven you and myself. Christian too."

"He's a good man, Ana."

"And so are you." I remind him. "Whomever you choose to love."

He breaks into a shy smile, "Mia."

I nod at him, "The chick's missing you like crazy, she loves you."

Just then, I realized that Elena might think to move them. I could not risk losing him once again. Trying to make it look like we were best friends just relishing in each other's company, I wrapped my arms around his waist and slipped a cufflink into his back pocket.

Ethan felt it and raised his eyebrows. "I'm sorry I led you here. You should be home... Safe."

"Don't be sorry." I try to smile, "Christian's invested a small fortune to get men to find you. Mine just cost 5 million dollars."

Wait. How did they know about the 5 million?!

"I'm sorry." The man at the corner whispered.

I turned to face him. He was less beaten up but still badly beaten. "For what?"

"This." He said, resigned.

"Who are you? How are you involved?" I felt confusion spreading through me.

He looks up at the open window, as if longing for freedom. "They took me a few days ago too, to threaten Claire."

And then it clicks, and I remember chancing upon Claire's phone. "Claire's husband."

He nods, "I'm sorry she tricked you. It really isn't like Claire, she really loves you."

Claire had been blackmailed. And then it makes sense, the fear in her voice, her panic to get me into the office. But I had sent Christian into that office too. So where were the both of them?!

But in case we both do not make it out alive, I had to bring him peace. "It's alright, I understand. I would have done the same for Christian. In fact, I did do the same for him... It's partially why I'm here."

"Thank you." The husband says.

"She's missing." I break it to him, "Along with my husband. They were taken this morning."

The husband became downcast, silenced momentarily. Then he looked at me with an odd expression and mouthed the words, "Fighting back."

Maybe. Maybe. Maybe! I raised my eyebrows at him. It was indeed like Claire to be a fighter. She would try to subvert Elena's plots... But why would she take Christian? To keep him safe? This made sense. What if she had lured me to the office to keep me safe as well?

I heaved a sigh of relief. If that were true, my husband would be safe in the hands of Claire. I never once doubted her and neither did her husband. We stare at each other with a newfound understanding and I nodded at him to indicate I understood what he was implying.

"Anastasia." Elena called, stepping back into the room. She was dressed in a long black coat and high black boots with heels on them. "I hope you don't mind, the men you shot drove your car towards the border. We can't be too careful, what with all the tracking devices Christian loves to install in his cars."

Internally, I was smug. She was right, but I was ten steps ahead of her. The car would deter a few men to check it out, but Luke... I know he would follow the trail of the cufflinks. He would be smart enough to figure it out. I said a silent prayer to give him the strength to find me.

"Now, it's time to pay up." Elena crackled, bursting into laughter that reminded me of a witch.

"The money's there, genius." I point at the gym bag.

She shook her head slowly and waved her fingers at her men, "No Ana, I don't want your money..." With a sickening smile, she added, "I want you."

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