Jack dropped the phone and rushed into the kitchen where he had heard Lyla's scream coming from. She was struggling against a strange man, who was trying to grab her. Without thinking, Jack leapt into action. He pulled the large man away from Lyla using the collar of his shirt. Jack threw the man against the wall of the kitchen, and pinned him there. Ignoring the man's wincing, Jack brought his arm up to his throat.
"Stop!" Lyla cried out. Jack relented, but still kept the man against the wall.
"Are you alright, Lyla?" Jack asked, not taking his eyes off the man he had contained.
"I-I am fine," Lyla stammered. He could hear the fear in her voice.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jack growled. The man said nothing, he simply stared at Jack looking bewildered. "Look I can make this much worse for you. I'm going to ask you again, what are you doing here?" When he still didn't answer, Jack lightly applied pressure to a spot he knew would hurt.
"Vaughn sent me!" the man squeaked out. The door to Lyla's house suddenly opened. Gwen entered her weapon drawn. As soon as she saw Jack, she lowered her pistol, blushed, and looked away. It was that moment Jack realized his state of undress. He hadn't even bothered to grab underwear in his rush to get to Lyla.
"I can take it from here, Jack," Gwen replied, still not looking directly at him. Jack released his grip on the man, and went back into the bedroom to get dressed.
Sanjay was beside himself. Why hadn't he thought of putting extra security around Rachel's room? He had been foolish that is why. He had not believed a man like Will Regison would resort to abduction. He had wanted to believe that in a civilized society, men of wealth conducted themselves with dignity, but it was becoming apparent that his view was not the case.
"Are you alright?" Tina asked from behind him. He turned and looked at her.
"I'm just at a loss," Sanjay admitted. Tina smiled sympathetically. She walked up to him.
"I've called the sheriff of Flowerbud, she is going to question some of the suspects to get more info," Tina advised.
"That is not what I am at a loss about," Sanjay sighed. "Not that I am not worried about our dear Rachel, because I am. But I am just perplexed. I always believed that men of status conducted themselves better than this."
"Sanjay, I've learned that it doesn't matter how civilized people seem, anyone is capable of horrible things given the right situations. My line of work has exposed me to the seedier side of life," Tina explained. "My worry is that Rachel is evidence that Maion has conducted illegal replication."
"I never even thought of that!" Sanjay gasped. "She may be in danger!"
"Sanjay," Tina said as calmly as she could. "We have to do something, the king has vast resources."
"Yes," Sanjay agreed. He looked at Tina. "You already have something in mind don't you?" Tina nodded. "Let's hear it."
Rachel woke up with a start. She had not slept very much the night before. Will had insisted on sleeping plastered to her side. She glanced at him cautiously. He was smiling at her. She didn't know what was worse, him smiling at her, or his anger. She knew that at any point he could snap and become angry again.
"Good morning," Will greeted. He pulled Rachel into a hug. Rachel tried her best not to flinch. She wasn't sure if that would trigger his anger. For now, she decided it was best to comply. "I'm sorry about yesterday, I would like to start over. You see you look exactly like my departed wife. I mean of course you do, you are a replication of her. You call yourself Rachel, right?"
"Yes," she answered timidly.
"That was my beloved Chelsea's middle name," Will sighed. Rachel wasn't sure how to respond. "You were created to heal her!" His face started to turn angry. Rachel inched slowly away from him. Will reached out to grab her. "No! You are mine! Since your running away killed her, you are going to take her place next to me!" He gripped her arms tightly. Rachel did her best to not show the fear she felt for this man. He stared at her, then the anger dissolved from his face. "Breakfast!"
"P-pardon me?" Rachel asked.
"You must be hungry for breakfast!" Will exclaimed. "You stay here, I will go make us something to eat!" He left the room and Rachel could hear the distinct locking of the door. It was only then that she allowed the tears to fall. Will was a dangerous man. She knew that much. She needed to gain his trust enough so she could escape.
Will made his way to the mansion kitchen, when his butler came running up to him.
"Sir," the butler replied. "The prince of Tumerton is here with some police officers to see you." Will frowned.
"Yes," Will replied. "Allow them into the parlor." Will took a minute to compose himself, he would have to put on the act of his life to convince them he did not have the girl.