by Anna L
I stared forward. I was mad. I know that I promised Brent that I wouldn’t get mad, but how could I not? “So the only reason I ever met you was so that you could free my dad. This whole thing was just a joke?” I was so angry now. There were tears running down my cheeks.
I turned around and looked into the back seat where Sam and Thomas were sitting. They both looked as surprised as I did. The only person that knew this information was Brent.
“Cat, I’m really sorry. I’m still not going to let that happen to you! You still have to trust me!” Brent reached across and tried to wipe my tears off my cheek. I slapped his hand away and moved as far away from him at possible.
“Why would I trust you when you have been lying to me all this time?”
“I don’t know! Promise me you still trust me.”
“I don’t think so Brent,” I said, lowering my voice. “And the only reason that I am going back to the restaurant tonight, is to free my dad. Not because I trust you, and not because I love you, Brent. Not anymore, at least.”
It was a good thing that we were in the parking lot of the hotel. I got out of the car as fast as possible and made my way to the front door.
Sam caught up with me. He put his hand in mine and slowed me down. We stopped walking and he forced me to look at him. “I am so sorry Katie. I had no idea that’s what the plan was.” His hand was resting on my cheek. Sam actually looked sorrowful. I turned and looked at Thomas, who was standing to my left; he was almost in tears.
“I can’t believe he tricked all of us!” I yelled.
Chapter 28
We had all made it back into the hotel room except for Brent, he decided to stay in the car for awhile. I was so mad at him. I couldn’t believe what he did.
I stomped off to my room and I think that Thomas and Sam did the same. After a while I heard the hotel door open and someone come in. My guess was that it was Brent. He went straight to his room.
About five minutes later there was a knock at my door.
“Who is it?” I asked, hoping it wasn’t Brent.
“Sam,” Sam’s voice was low.
I went over to the door and opened it slowly. Sure enough, Sam was standing outside my door.
I opened the door wider and let Sam slip inside. I shut the door and then turned to look at him. I could tell that he was upset. Before he said anything else he gave me a big hug.
I buried my face in his shoulder and began to cry again. I squeezed him hard, never wanting to let go. Sam was the one that really cared about me. He had been right this whole time. I should have followed my heart from the beginning. I knew that this whole thing was a scam.
“I am so sorry, Kate. I had no idea.” Sam’s voice was muffled by my hair. He kept telling me how sorry he was and I hugged him back. I was crying and Sam was holding me. I don’t know how long we were standing there, but I didn’t care. I was safe and being comforted by someone who truly loved me.
When it seemed that no more tears could leak from my eyes Sam pulled me over to the bug comfy chair that was in the corner of my room. We sat down and I let him comfort me. I felt much better after those fifteen minutes.
“Thank you,” I whispered to Sam.
“You’re always welcome, Katie,” Sam responded.
I don’t know how much longer we sat there, but awhile later there was another knock at my door.
“Catherine, we have to go back to the Chinese restaurant.” It was Brent’s voice.
I looked at Sam and we both stood up. We walked to the door and Sam opened it. Brent didn’t look surprise that Sam was in the room with me.
I didn’t say anything to Brent as we walked to the hotel door. I didn’t even look at him. Thomas must have gotten the memo because he was right behind Sam and me.
I was now in the back seat, between Thomas and Sam. I didn’t want to be in the front with Brent anymore. Sam held my hand the whole way, making me feel a ton better. It was a long time before someone finally talked.
“Okay, so we are going to go in there and just listen to what they have to say,” Brent acted as if nothing ever happened. No one in the back seat responded and I surely wasn’t going to say anything.
We arrived at the restaurant and we walked in silently. The restaurant had been closed for a little bit by the time that got there. The two Chinese men were waiting in the back of the restaurant. Brent lead us to them.
“Well, it is nice to see you again,” the older man said to our group. “By the way, my name is Chang and this is my nephew Kang.” Chang smiled.
“So let’s get down to business. Where is Richard Stone?” Brent was serious.
“The only thing that I can tell you right now, it that he is still in the city. He isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.” Chang laughed and then stepped towards Brent. “I could give you more information,” Chang said to Brent, and then he looked at me. I took a step back into Sam’s arms. I felt safe there. Sam wrapped his arms around my torso and squeezed tight.
“She has nothing to do with this.” Brent said to Chang.
“Then why is she here?” Kang asked.
Brent hesitated before answering. “Well, I was told that the kidnapper wanted her, so he kidnapped her dad.”
“Oh, I see,” Chang smiled.
Brent didn’t smile back. Inside I knew Brent still cared about me, but there was no way I could forgive him for putting my life in danger and keeping his plan from me.
No one spoke for awhile. It seemed that everyone was thinking.
“You are right,” Chang told Brent. “But it’s not me that wants the girl. I was the kidnapper, but I was hired from someone else. He is the one that wants the girl, but he doesn’t really need the boy.”
“Well you don’t get either,” Brent said.
“Why not?” Chang asked.
“There is no point in having her.”
“But she is so pretty that I just want to eat her up. I also know that someone else wants her too.”
“Too bad,” Brent said smiling.
“How am I going to get my father back?” I asked.
Everyone turned and looked at me. They didn’t expect me to talk. Chang began walking towards me. Brent stepped in front of me, but Chang pulled out a knife. I gasped because Chang had put it at Brent’s throat. I was so scared I couldn’t talk.
“Move away from the girl,” Chang said. Everyone around me took a couple steps away from me except Sam. His arms were still around me.
“Please let go of the girl.” Chang asked Sam.
“No, she doesn’t deserve this.” Sam replied.
“Yes, she does. She was the one who showed up. If you don’t let go I will kill him right now,” Chang was talking about Brent.
I flinched but stayed in Sam’s arms. Sam squeezed me one more time, kissed my head and then slowly released his arms from around me. “I’ll be back. I’m not leaving without you,” Sam whispered. He took a couple steps back.
“Thank you.” Chang paused and then looked at Kang. Without talking, Kang moved towards me. I was too scared to move. He grabbed me so hard I gasped again. He had both of his hands on my shoulders and he pushed me to the back of the restaurant.
When he got there, he turned me around so that I was facing Brent, Sam, and Thomas. One of his hands was holding both of my wrists behind my back. The other hand was holding a knife which was positioned at my throat. I could barely breathe. This was the scariest thing I have ever been through.
“Don’t touch her,” Sam screamed.
“Why not?” Kang asked.
“She has nothing to do with any of this!”
“Well I can tell you that you are lying. If she has nothing to do with this then why is she here?”
“It’s my fault,” Brent gasped. Chang let go of Brent and Chang began walking towards me, smiling.
“Why?” Kang asked.
“I tricked her. I made her come without her knowing why.”
“Well that wasn’t very nice,” Kang sai
d to Brent. “Are you mad at him?” Kang asked me quietly.
I moved my head up and down as I stared at Brent
“Too bad she might die because of you,” Chang announced.
“She will not be dying anytime soon,” Sam replied.
“What makes you so sure,” Chang responded.
“I won’t let it happen,” Sam said.
“Oh, okay!” Chang replied laughing.
“Where is Richard?” Brent asked.
Kang’s grip on me tightened and Chang was standing next to him now.
“Actually, he is here, in this building,” Chang said smiling.
I fought against Kang’s grip, but he only tightened his grip and pulled me closer to him.
His head was resting on my left shoulder and I could hear him breathing. He was sending shivers down my spine.
“How do we get him?” Brent asked.
“You don’t, unless you let us keep the girl. Or, we will keep both for awhile before giving them back. That is, if they aren’t dead.” Chang said.
“That’s not fair!” Sam yelled.
“Fine! We keep the girl and you can have Richard right now!” Kang yelled back.
“How do we get her back?” Thomas asked, saying something for the first time.
“I don’t know yet. We don’t want anyone else, so maybe we will just kill her.” Chang said. “Otherwise, we could talk to our boss.”
“You can’t kill her!” Sam screamed.
“Try me,” Chang said.
Then Kang twisted me and began pushing me towards a door in the back of the room.
“We didn’t make a deal!” Brent exclaimed.
“Too late,” Chang said. “You can have Richard though.”
Brent was about to argue when Sam walked up behind him.
“Let her go. I know it is hard, but if we have Richard he can help us get her back,” Sam whispered into Brent’s ear, talking to him for the first time since Brent told us the truth about the trip.
Brent just nodded his head trying not to show any emotion.
“Fine. Bring Richard to us,” Brent said to Chang who turned around and left the room.
“Nobody say a thing,” Brent informed the group. “They might have camera or voice recorders. Just stay quiet until he comes back.”
Chapter 29
When Chang returned Richard was with him. Everyone kept quiet.
“Are you happy?” Chang asked Brent.
“Not as happy as I could be, but we will take it.” Brent replied. “Don’t be surprised if we come back before the end of the week.”
Chang just nodded his head and pushed Richard towards Brent.
Brent turned around and began walking. Sam and Richard followed. When the boys reached outside no one talked. Thomas ran to his dad and gave him a hug, but then the happiness was over and there was some explaining to do.
No one talked as the boys drove home either. It was silent.
The car finally arrived at the hotel and everyone got out. They all walked upstairs and into their room. Everyone’s minds were reeling. They had no idea what the next move was. They were scared and nervous.
“Let’s all go and sit down on the couch,” Brent told the group.
They all sat down on the couch and Brent stood, as usual. Then Brent began talking telling the whole group the story.
“Okay first of all. Richard, I am Brent Cloud. I work for the A33 or the American Spy Organization, same as you. I work in a different department in the organization. That is why I never see you. This is Sam Knight. He goes to school with Margaret and William. He knew Catherine very well.”
“How do you know my family?” Richard asked.
“Please let me finish.” Brent replied and then went on. This time he was informing the whole group. “A few months ago, my boss Evan Coore asked me to keep a close eye on Richard’s family. He said that since Richard had Nick Sayner’s dad fired that there could be some trouble later on down the road. The organization had had problems with the Sayner’s previously.” Brent paused.
Sam couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Sure enough, something happened. Nick’s dad asked Chang and Kang from the Chinese restaurant to kidnap Richard when he was on a business trip to Italy.”
“When this happened I was told to go and get Richard and bring him back no matter what. Right before I was about to leave, Evan stopped me. Chang had contacted Evan. Chang told Evan that the only way to get Richard back was to give Chang Catherine.”
“Nick’s dad was working with Chang and Nick told his dad that he wanted to get to know Catherine better. So I bet that Nick is in that building right now.”
“Are you crazy?” Sam stood up and began walking over to Brent. “She loved you Brent! She trusted you and now you are just pushing her to the side as if nothing happened?” Sam had Brent pinned up against the wall.
“Guys, stop fighting!” Thomas was up off the couch too and trying to separate the two. “We aren’t going to get Kate back if you two are fighting.”
“Can someone please explain more. I am still lost.” Richard said, still sitting on the couch.
“The rest of the story.” Brent pushed Sam off of him and began again telling the story to Richard as if Sam and Thomas weren’t there. Everyone else sat down. “Evan told me to meet with Catherine and talk to her about working with me. She accepted. We stayed together and then Sam came into the picture. His friends kidnapped Evan for the night and Sam was able to talk to Catherine. After that, Evan asked me to ask Sam to join us and he agreed. We needed one more person to go to Italy. Then we were at home talking and Sam and I decided to bring Thomas with us too. Catherine trusted him and she wanted him to come. The next day we all flew here.”
“So you basically tricked all of us into coming here,” Sam sounded bitter.
“Please! Be quiet,” Brent snapped and then finished his story. “We spent all day today looking for clues on where you would be.” Brent was talking to Richard. “When we stopped in at the Chinese restaurant we knew you were close by and the Chinese men told us to come back later. When I was talking to Catherine after that I told her the reason why she came and she got really mad at me.”
“Then about an hour ago we showed up at the restaurant, again. We negotiated and talked with the men and they took Catherine away from us and gave you to us instead. And that brings us to where we are now.”
Richard was shocked by the story.
“You’re trying to tell me that my daughter is where I have been for the past couple weeks?” Richard was appalled.
“Yes, sir,” Brent said. “I’m very sorry, sir.”
Richard had nothing else to say. He put his head between his hands. He was shaking his head, in disbelief.
“Well how are you going to get her back, Brent?” Thomas asked. He was so mad. “Because this is all your fault.”
Brent stood up and looked at everyone in the room. It was quiet and everyone was thinking. Brent left without saying another word, leaving the group in disbelief.
But about an hour later all the boys were crowded around a table sharing ideas. They had a plan forming and it would take a lot of work. But it would only work if all four of the boys worked together, and that would be the hardest part.
*
I was almost in tears by the time Kang brought me downstairs. We had walked through a lot of very small hallways and I was totally lost. The only thing that I knew, was that we were below ground. We had gone down one flight of stairs at least.
Kang finally stopped walking and unlocked a door on the right hand side of the hallway. He opened the door and pushed me through. Then shut the door and locked it.
It took me awhile to figure out what was going on. The lights were on and there was a couch and a T.V. And Nick Sayner was sitting on the couch. He was just sitting there. He was staring at me, and didn’t act surprised to see me at all.
I groaned and didn’t move.
“Why aren’t you
happy to see me?” Nick asked; jokingly.
“Why would I be happy to see you? The last time I saw you was in the woods after you kidnapped Evan.” I replied a little more sure of myself.
“I guess that makes sense. Why don’t you come and sit down next to me.”
“Why am I here?”
“Come sit next to me and I will explain everything.”
I slowly walked over to him and sat down next to him. He moved closer to me and put his arm around me. I tried to shrug it off, but he wouldn’t let go of me.
Nick sighed and then began his story. “I will start from the very beginning. Your dad and my dad worked together. One day, your dad told the company to fire my dad. My dad couldn’t get another job and we had to sell our house and move into an apartment. My family has a history. All my grandparents were murderers, and let’s just say it gets worse from there.” I grimaced, before Nick moved on. “Our family is also know for not getting caught. My dad decided that kidnapping your dad would be the best option. That way he could get whatever he wanted, by threatening to kill your dad.”
“My dad decided to call some old friends here in Italy and they drafted a plan. They decided that when your dad came into the Chinese restaurant that the managers would kidnap him. Your dad had to finish a business deal here, that was how we knew your dad would come in here.”
“Now, that is all I know. I don’t know how Brent got into the equation. My guess would be that the ASO had their eyes on my family and decided to have Brent trick you into coming here so that the ASO could get your dad back safely. I told my dad that I wanted you, so that’s basically why you are here.” Nick finished.
“Do you have any other questions?” Nick was smiling.
“I hate you.” That was all that I could get out.
“That is really unfortunate, because you are stuck with me for awhile, unless you miss behave. Then we might just kill you.”
I stayed silent and didn’t even look at Nick.
“Well, you must be tired. You can go ahead and sleep if you want. I promise I won’t hurt you if you listen to me. I will wake you up later.”