It was morning, and AJ had now rang Punk on his phone more than she could remember. She was worried now. He wouldn't neglect her calls like this, and he wouldn't have not returned home last night. It was worrying her, and she immediately called his boss to ask where he was, and if he had actually went to work last night like she thought.
The twins had been fed and changed, and were lying in the living room. Caleb was sleeping whilst Harleen was looking around, following her mothers voice that spoke on the phone.
"He didn't show up at all last night?" She asked Paul to confirm what he had just said.
"Not once." Paul said through the phone, "Is everything ok, April?" He asked.
"I don't know where he is. He isn't answering my calls. He left last night to go to the store, and he's not came back." She said with fear quaking in her voice.
"Well he hasn't been here." Paul said, "I'll come over and I'll get people to go out and look for him." He said as AJ nodded.
"Thank you." She nodded, hanging up whilst placing her phone on the couch, running her hands through her hair as she thought of the worst possible scenarios. He wouldn't have just left to go somewhere, without telling her anything. He wouldn't do that to her. They were always very honest with each other, and as far as she knew, he was going out to get diapers, and would be home straight away.
Punk woke up suddenly, his limbs not able to move even small inches. He was strapped to a chair, and he felt like he'd been out cold for a century. He knew he wasn't in Chicago. He could just tell. The smell in the air was different. It just felt different. He couldn't believe this was happening. He couldn't even guess at who had taken him, and what they wanted. He had made a few enemies over the years.
The black bag around his head was immediately whisked off his head.
"Nod if you'll be quiet, and I'll take the tape off your mouth." A man, suited and booted, stood across from Punk, along with several other men, all looking rather professional.
Punk nodded. He was a cop. He knew how to act calm in these type of situations. And he knew screaming and shouting was always a no.
The strong tape was ripped from his mouth, taking off the majority of the hairs on his face off, making him wince slightly whilst looking up, silencing himself to let whoever this was explain themselves.
"Just sit there, shut up, and listen to me." The main guy spoke, "I'm Sam. I work in a witness protection programme. You're in Madrid. Spain." He said as Punk looked down, shaking his head and looking back up. This was just ridiculous, "Don't shake your head. I'm saving your life here." Sam spat, "Those Albanians you set out and shot up and put in jail. Well… their friends and family aren't all that happy about it. They know it was you who took charge of the case. And they found out you managed to rescue your girl from that fire they started." Sam said, "So they're planning to come back for round two, and your boss, he's asked us to take you here. Your name is erased from the policing computing system. You're a ghost now. Phil Brooks doesn't exist." Sam explained, "You'll be given a new name to use over here. A new ID. We'll try and change your features. Maybe shorten your hair. Cover up that tattoo behind your hear." He said as Punk sighed.
"What about my girlfriend and kids?" Punk asked, "You took me to protect me, and you left her?" He asked.
"It's not her they're after." Sam said.
"Are you stupid? It's her they'll go for to get to me. It's what they do. It's what they done the last time. They tried to burn her down to the ground with my house. I want her brought here. If I'm being protected, she should be too." Punk said.
"Trust me. She isn't danger." Sam said.
"I still want to see her!" Punk yelled, "You can't just rip me away from her, and my kids. Why can't they come with me."
"It's too risky." Sam said, "It's better this way." Sam explained, shuffling his own feet with nerves at what my happen next, "She's gonna get word that you're dead." He said as Punk looked up suddenly, immediately trying to break out of the chair he was strapped to, shaking his head repeatedly.
"No way. No fucking way are you doing that." He shook his head, "I swear to God if you don't let me go home now." Punk spat, extremely angry now, not being able to stay calm.
"This is your home now." Sam said, "You've got a house. You've got everything you need."
"I need my family!" Punk yelled, "What you doing to me, man?" He shook his head.
"We're keeping you safe. If you went back, you'd be dead in a blink of the eye. If these Albanians find out you're dead, they'll just give up. Their work will already be done and everything will go back to normality." Sam said.
"How long do I need to stay out here?" Punk asked. He was completely in shock with all of this. He couldn't allow AJ to believe he was dead. She'd fall apart, and the twins needed her, and him. This just wasn't right. He hated this.
"One to two years." Sam said as Punk rolled his head back.
"C'mon man. My twins were just born a month ago. My… my girlfriend… you can't tell her I'm dead. She'll fall apart. She won't be able to cope." He shook his head.
"She will." Sam said.
"If… If I have to stay here. Just tell her I'm here. Just tell her I'm in danger, and I'm safe here. And I'll see her soon. Don't… don't tell her I'm dead." Punk shook his head.
"You're acting like we want to do this. It's our job to make sure everyone thinks you're a ghost. Including her. If the Albanians see her just getting on with her life, they'll suspect you're somewhere else." Sam said, "You're a good cop, but there's no way you could have survived these guys on your own. Once it dies down, you can return home."
"Yeah. In a year? That's too long." Punk shook his head.
He couldn't stand this. He couldn't believe AJ was going to be told he was dead. He didn't even want to imagine it. How was he going to spend a year without her. How was he going to miss the first year of his twins lives. He really couldn't believe this. He hated it. He didn't think he'd be able to do it. He wanted his family with him.
"I'm sorry. But it's our job." Sam said, "We can give you updates on your girl and kids. Paul will keep in touch with us." Sam said.
"Paul is the only one who knows about this?" Punk asked.
"Yeah." Sam nodded.
"I'm gonna go insane out here. A year?" He made sure he heard right the first time.
"Maybe two." Sam said, "It's just the way it's going to be. You're just gonna have to deal with it." Sam said, "And don't think about running off to the airport to go back home. You're being monitored by us at all times." He explained as Punk grunted under his breath.
He couldn't believe this was actually happening. He couldn't spend a year without AJ or their babies. That just seemed like some sort of punishment. Not protection. And the fact that she'd be thinking he was dead. It was completely heartbreaking. She'd think that her children didn't have a father anymore. This was all just heartbreaking. And he didn't think he could do it. He'd rather be in danger, and with his family. Than out here, protected, alone.
Later that night, AJ had been sitting at home waiting for Paul to come back with any news for. She was completely terrified. She was trying to think of reasons why Punk would be gone for so long. He wouldn't have just left with no explanation. She was terrified.
She'd put the twins upstairs into their cribs to sleep as it was going dark outside, and was sitting awaiting Paul, who she hoped would walk through the door with Punk. She knew that he was a cop, and he would know how to protect himself.
As soon as the door knocked, she bolted up from the couch, running out into the hall and opening up the door as Paul stood, holding a pack of diapers in his hands, watching as AJ looked at them, and then looked up at him.
"He went out to get diapers… you said?" Paul asked as AJ nodded, placing her hand over her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes as Paul walked into the house.
"Where did you find them?" She asked them.
"Just outside the store." Paul said, "There's also been a body found not far from where these were found. I have some guys checking it out." He said.
"A dead body?" AJ feared to ask.
"Yeah." Paul nodded, sitting the diapers down on the couch, looking on as AJ sat down, before falling over, placing her hands over her face whilst silently praying to anyone who was actually listening. She couldn't lose him. Not now. Not now that things were going right for them.
Paul stood and waited for the premeditated phone call he was going to get, waiting a bit and comforting AJ the best he could before stepping into the hall and shutting the door behind him, speaking on the phone which was really nothing but an alarm going off on his phone to make AJ believe it was someone calling.
Whilst he spoke predicted words to absolutely no one, AJ sat in the living room, shaking with fear, hoping and praying that this discovered body wasn't Punk. He knew how to protect himself. He knew how to fight off anyone who tried to arm him. She didn't know what she was going to do if it was him. She'd be lost. How would she be able to raise their children? Without him. She could only live on hope for so long as Paul walked back into the living room…
She didn't even have to ask him. It was all over his face.
"No..." She shook her head, "Tell me isn't. Please." AJ trembled.
"I'm sorry, April." Paul sunk his head down whilst AJ's sob got louder.
"No… no it can't." She cried loudly, "Please no." She shook her head as Paul made his way over to her. He hated this just as much as anyone.
He sat down beside her, giving her a shoulder to cry on, listening to her painful crying turned screaming in his ear. This was cruel to everyone. But it was keeping Punk safe. Only he knew that. Unfortunately. For AJ, it seemed like the end of the world. It was the end of the world.
10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.