Author's Note
I am so sorry that it took this long to get out the chapter. Life seems to always get in the way of writing. I hope that everyone had a great September. We're coming up on the holiday season already. Time needs to stop flying by! Anyway, thank you to everyone who has stayed with the story by reading each chapter and a special thank you to those who left a review! I appreciate the words you leave behind and sometimes, I even take advice from them (which I did in this one, so, thank you even more!). I was planning on it being a little longer but I realized it would have been too much. I hope you enjoy the new chapter and if you will, please leave a review to let me know what your thoughts on it. Or to just say hi. Have a great day and God bless!
Chapter Fourteen
Just feet from the end of the gate to enter the main terminal, the man steered Nancy into a side door that was open, revealing an empty lounge that looked as if it were closed. He threw her onto a couch, aiming his gun at her. Moments later, another man entered shaking his head.
"Where is he, Marco?" the man holding onto Nancy demanded. "You were supposed to grab him too!"
"He rushed off the plane before I could stop him, Nick!" the other cried. "He had me fingered from the start. This isn't what Mr. Bianchi wanted."
"I know that!"
"Now what?"
"Looks like you guys are in a bind," Nancy pointed out, smartly. "Just let me go and I won't say a word."
"Shut up!" he ordered, thrusting the gun in her face. Nancy leaned back, keeping her mouth shut. Nick huffed, running his fingers through his hair. He thought about the situation for a moment then smirked. Grabbing Nancy's wrist, he pulled her to a standing position then pushed her toward Marco who barely had time to catch her. "Go to where Tannen's meeting us. I'll deal with Hardy." He turned to Nancy, his eyes narrowing. "You wouldn't happen to know of a good park in Bayport?"
"N-no," she stammered. Nick pulled her hair back, causing her to squeal.
"Try again."
"Manchester Park!" Nancy blurted out. "That's the only one I can think of."
"That's good, but you better not be lying to me. I think you know what will happen." Nancy glared at him as he nodded toward Marco. "Get going. I'll meet you in twenty."
Marco nodded then roughly yanked on Nancy's arm, dragging her toward a different exit. He briefly checked the hallway before stepping out with her. As the door swung closed, she could see Nick picking up a phone.
The pair walked down the concourse, Nancy's eyes looking all around, hoping to see Frank or even Sam nearby. The travelers seemed to be oblivious to anything else going on around them as they bustled to and from their gates. Nancy wondered what would they do if she cried for help. As if in answer to her question, Marco pulled her toward him. She winced, feeling a gun, hidden under his coat, jab her side.
"You even think about opening your mouth and calling for help," he hissed in her ear, "no one will be able to save you. Understand?" Nancy nodded quickly. "Now, smile as if I just said something sweet to you."
Reluctantly, she stretched her lips into a smile that seemed more of a grimace than anything. Satisfied with her smile, Marco led Nancy toward the main terminal and front doors. She knew she had to do something before they got to whoever they were meeting but the gun hindered her options. The two stepped outside where the loading and unloading area was. Marco looked up and down the front, searching for someone.
"Where is this guy?" he mumbled.
In his distraction, Nancy felt the gun shift away from her and she took her chance. She stomped her foot into Marco's, digging her heal in. The man cried out in pain, letting go of her arm. Nancy took off running, looking back only briefly to see a large, beefy man walk up to Marco who angrily pointed in her direction. Her eyes made contact with the other man and she knew she was in trouble. Nancy quickened her pace, brushing past travelers going in and out of the airport, her blue eyes frantically searching for something, anything.
Nancy wondered where Frank and Sam were. She knew they were inside but she wasn't sure where. And with Marco and the other goon now after her, her hopes of getting away disappeared so she made a move. Darting quickly into the terminal, Nancy ran for the nearest service desk to get help but within a few feet of her reaching the desk, she saw Nick not far away. He stopped the moment he saw her, his eyes going wide in alarm. As Nick looked around searching for Marco, Nancy rushed away from the area trying to figure out where to go.
Across the way from her, a door suddenly opened and an airport employee walked out. Nancy rushed over, ducking into the room just before the door closed. Seconds later, she heard someone try the door knob though the door didn't swing open. The door was locked but it would only be a matter of time before whoever it was was able to get in. Nancy turned around to see for another way out and her heart dropped. What she had hoped was another lounge only turned out to be nothing more than a storage closet filled with chemicals and cleaning supplies.
"No," she whispered. She was trapped! Where are you, Frank?
Frank slowly placed the phone back on the receiver and looked at Sam.
"Who was it?" Sam asked, concerned.
"I don't know," he answered. Frank took a deep breath, running his fingers through his hair. "They want the jewels or they're going to kill her."
"Did they say anything about Fenton or Joe?"
"No," Frank shook his head. "How did they know what plane we were on, when we were coming in? How, Sam? How?"
"I…I don't know, Frank," Sam stammered. "It didn't come from this end. I didn't even tell Trudy you were coming and Chief Collig didn't tell anyone as far as I know. So, that leaves us where? How many were on the plane with you?"
"At least two," Frank growled angrily, walking away from the desk. "One was sitting close to me, about two rows up. The other was further up, directly across from Nancy. I noticed him trying to strike up a conversation with her just before the plane arrived at the gate. She was sitting in the aisle seat so she would have had to get up to let others out. The man followed right behind her and there was no way I could have gotten to her before she got off. She was supposed to wait for me just outside the plane. Her bag was abandoned at the spot she was supposed to wait for me. That means he took her the moment she was out of my sight."
"How long did it take for you to get off the plane?"
"Maybe a few minutes," he shrugged. "The plane was full to capacity and I had to push my way through. By the time I got off, she was already gone."
"Then they're still nearby," Sam pointed out. "That's the only logical explanation. The phone call was a ruse to make sure your stayed put while whoever has her whisked her away."
"Do you think they really want to meet at Manchester Park?"
"More than likely. It's the only way they're going to get what they want anyway. Do you know where these jewels are?"
Frank didn't answer. It was the one question he didn't want to answer but he knew he had to eventually. Not only was his father's and brother's lives were in jeopardy but now so was Nancy. It pained him to know she was gone after he promised Carson she'd be safe. Then something down the hall caught his eye.
"Frank?"
He ignored Sam, continuing to stare at the person walking away from them.
Noticing Frank's intense stare, Sam followed the gaze. "What? What is it? Do you see something?"
"Not something," Frank finally stated, glancing at Sam before he rushed off. "Someone and he's going to lead us right to Nancy."
By the time Nancy found something useful, the pounding on the door stopped. Her hearted pumped quickly as she stared at the door, waiting for something to happen. The sound of a key scraping the inside of the lock echoed in the room and the door burst open. An older man of about fifty in a janitorial jumpsuit stepped in but stopped when he saw her.
"You're not supposed to be in here," he replied harshly. "How'd you get in?"
"Please," Nancy pleaded, dropping the broom she held. "Help me, there's…"
She stopped, her eyes going wide in alarm as she watched Nick, Marco, and a third man come in behind the janitor. Nancy stepped back, knocking into the wall, knowing she was in trouble. The janitor turned around, giving the three men a stern look.
"What's going on?" the janitor demanded. "I run a tight ship here. No one's allowed in this room unless they're an employee of the airport. She with you?'
"No!" Nancy objected.
"She's with us," Nick replied soothingly. "My sister gets confused all the time. We've been looking all over for her. I was worried sick."
"That a fact." The janitor looked back at Nancy, his eyes narrowing as she shook her head. He then turned back to the others. "I think you better leave," he replied. "She can leave when she wants."
Nick laughed as Marco closed the door, sealing them all in. "I suggest you get lost, old man," Nick warned. "Cuz if not, not only do you suffer but I'll find your family and they'll suffer just as much as you, if not worse."
The color drained on the janitor's face. He turned to Nancy, giving her an apologetic look before nodding. Just before he reached the door, Marco stopped him, giving him a few bills.
"For you troubles," he replied with a smile. "And silence, of course. Tell no one of what you've seen or there won't be another warning."
"R-right," the man nodded, taking the money and leaving.
As the door closed, Nick turned to the man with him. "Now, how do we get this one out without Hardy seeing her? He almost caught up to me in the concourse. Luckily I got away but where he's at now, I don't know."
"You're not going to get away with this," Nancy spat, glaring at him.
"Nah," he waved at her dismissively, "I think we will this time around. What do you say, Jimbo?"
"That's not my name, you prick," growled the newcomer. He glanced around the room, his eyes stopping on something in the corner of the small room. "I'll clean up this mess. You two head out to the car before that Hardy kid sees you. I got this one."
"You sure you can handle her?" Marco asked, wincing slightly. "She's not exactly 'easy' to deal with."
"I got this," the man ordered, annoyed. "Go and I'll meet you at the car."
Nick smirked as he walked out of the room. "See you around, Nancy."
"Where did he go?" Frank mumbled, scanning the main terminal. He caught sight of the man who was sitting across from Nancy on the plane and followed him for a good while. Before long, he spotted Frank and Sam then took off running. He went around a corner but by the time Frank and Sam came around, the man had already disappeared.
"For someone visiting the airport," Sam pointed out in a huff, "he sure knew where to go."
"Do you see him, Sam?"
"I'm not sure, Frank," he responded, confused. "You're the one who spotted him. I don't even know what he looks like. Are you sure he went this way?"
"Where else would he go? This is the main exit. He's got to be here somewhere."
"Excuse me," a man bumped into Frank, nearly knocking him over.
"It's okay," Frank answered. He glanced at the large man who was carrying a large duffle bag that looked heavy. Frank thought it was rather strange for someone to be carrying something so large but then again, it was an airport.
"The nerve of some people," Sam muttered interrupting his thoughts. He shook his head in disbelief.
"Huh?"
"He almost barreled you down, Frank," he replied, pointing to the man now quickly walking out the door. "And his duffle bag was way overstuffed. It was stuffed to the point that something was sticking out."
Frank was barely listening though. He was watching a car waiting at the curb outside then noticed something about the bag the man was now hefting into the trunk. Without a word Frank took off running for the exit, his eyes fixed on the duffle bag…and the blue fabric sticking out. He watched helplessly as the man got into the back passenger seat. Frank rushed up just as the car peeled away from the curb.
"Damn it!" he cried through the exhaust smoke.
"What?" Sam huffed coming up behind him. "What's going on?"
"That was them, Sam!"
"The guy with the duffle? How do you know?"
"The blue fabric sticking out of the bag was the same color of Nancy's dress! And the man from the plane? He's in the backseat of that car and I let them get away!"
"That was a close one!" Nick cried, looking back at an angry Frank Hardy. They had just pulled away from the curb and were maneuvering through traffic. "Did you see the look on his face?"
"What were you thinking?" cried Walter Tannen, who sat in the front seat. "You didn't have to kidnap her!"
"It's what Mr. Biancci wanted," he replied with a smirk. "Well, he wanted Hardy too but that didn't happen the way it was planned."
"This is what he 'wanted?'" the man shrieked in anger. "I could have handled this!"
"Consider her more expendable than the two you have," Marco replied with a laugh.
"'More expendable?' What the hell do you mean by that?" Tannen blew out a breath in frustration. "When she got away from you, why didn't you just let her go instead of chasing her through the airport? You could have destroyed everything by getting caught!"
"She would have spewed the beans on us, Tannen!" Nick yelled back. "You know that! We didn't have a choice in the matter! When you get your jewels and Mr. Biancci gets his money, then you can cut her loose if you want to!"
"He will," he snapped. "I already told him that. I just need those jewels!"
"And she'll get them for you better than a Hardy will! You want that kind of pressure down on you?"
"I wasn't going to hurt them!" Tannen yelled. "I was going to let them go after I made my way out of the country! Now you brought more attention to this than I wanted!"
"You brought that on yourself, you moron! Any mooch this side of the Mississippi knows not to do what you did!"
"Why don't we just cut our losses and move on, LT?" suggested "Jimbo" from the backseat. "Sell what we got, get rid of the two we've got but keep the girl. She'll make a good hostage anyway."
"Not this dame," muttered Marco. "I think my foot is broken because of her."
"Can you still walk?"
"Well, yeah…"
"Then you're fine. She won't be giving us problems for a while anyway."
"What did you do?" Nick asked, slightly alarmed.
"I just made sure she was out for a while, that's all. I know my chemicals and that room had a lot. It won't hurt her either, don't worry. She'll just have a headache when she wakes up."
"I still say this is a mistake," Tannen pouted, turning around in his seat. He looked out the window as the city went by. Things were starting to get out of hand. He knew he needed to take the reins back and get what he wanted from Frank Hardy. The question was what was the kid going to do now that there were three hostages to rescue?