Anna kept her eyes closed and pointed toward the ground; but instead of focusing, she was distracted by a commotion on her left-hand side.
“Someone fell,” a stranger yelled.
Anna quickly opened her eyes and turned her head in the direction of where Benjamin had been standing, but he wasn’t there. She stuck her head further out and turned to the left, then spotted Benjamin’s legs on the floor. She could not see his whole body because civilians and police were crowding around him. Anna then saw a man in poor wardrobe move back slowly; and as he turned, Philip’s and Anna’s eyes locked. Anna pointed to him with a curious look on her face, and Philip quickly ran away.
“That’s him! Stop him. Stop him!” Anna said. As she turned, an officer heard her voice and came over.
“Officer, someone pushed this man down the stairs and when I saw him, he started to run. He is dressed like a homeless person.”
“I will alert others and check the surveillance camera,” the officer said and moved into action. Anna yanked Gloria’s hand and went downstairs towards Benjamin.
‘What happened?” Gloria asked.
“I let Benjamin get out of my sight!” Anna said, holding Gloria’s hand tighter.
“It’s not your fault. Is he all right?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Track 5 to Long Branch. Track 5 to Long Branch,” the intercom announced.
Two track doors opened, and a crowd of people came out and entered the main level area.
“I thought he was with me...,” Anna went on. As they were trying to move closer to Benjamin, the Track 3 doors opened and another large group of people came out, leaving Anna and Gloria no choice but to wait until most of them had passed by.
“Stay close, Gloria.”
“I’m right here,” Gloria said.
Anna felt pushed by people from this group, and she was forced to let go of her sister’s hand. Then Gloria suddenly felt a small metal piece being pointed against her lower back.
“Don’t say a word or you’ll be more handicapped than you already are,” Monica whispered.
Gloria heard coldness in the voice near her ear.
“Come with me, or I will shoot your sister and no one will notice in this crowded station. Come quietly,” Monica quickly stated.
Gloria still felt the metal piece against her back while moving further away from her sister. While Monica held the pistol in her coat pocket with one hand, her other hand held Gloria’s arm tightly, taking her away.
Several apologized, but the inadvertent push led Anna to call out to make sure her sister remained right next to her. When her sister did not reply back, she gave up looking at Benjamin and turned. “Gloria!” But Gloria was nowhere in sight. Anna’s anxiety quickly surged. “Gloria!” She looked all around her. “Gloria!”
“Boarding track number 5 to Long Branch. All Aboard. Boarding track number 5 to Long Branch,” the person on the intercom announced.
Special Agents Sanchez and Henderson ran towards Anna.
“Are you all right?” Special Agent Sanchez asked.
“Under the circumstances, yes,” a frantic Anna said.
“Do you have any idea about where Gloria may be?” Special Agent Henderson asked.
“Not a clue,” Anna said. “That’s why I called you directly. Oh, one moment she was here standing right next to me, and the next...”
Henderson took out his phone. “Yes, we have a missing person, a handicapped woman. More specifically, she is blind. Please alert all New York Penn Station police officers.”
“Come with us, Anna, we’re going to see Benjamin right now,” Special Agent Sanchez said. Anna and the two agents went to Benjamin, who was already surrounded by other officers. Sanchez and Henderson showed their badges, and the other officers moved aside. Special Agent Henderson took a few steps backwards with Anna and stayed with her while his colleague knelt down to see what was going on with the man on the ground. Benjamin then blinked a few times until he finally opened both eyes.
“Thank God you’re still conscious. Are you alright?” Sanchez asked.
“I think so,” Benjamin said.
The agent held several fingers up in front of Benjamin’s eyes. Then Benjamin slowly moved his eyes back and forth.
“How many fingers do you see?”
Benjamin counted each finger. “Three.”
“Good! You were probably unconscious for a moment. Were you pushed or did you mistakenly fall on your own?” Sanchez asked.
“Pushed.” Benjamin tried to move, but he clenched his teeth from pain. “My neck.”
“It may be broken,” Special Agent Sanchez said. “Whatever you do, don’t move a muscle. I guess it’s too much to ask if you got a good look at the person who did this to you.”
“I could only guess,” Benjamin responded while not moving his neck.
“Any guess will not hurt. Who do you suspect the person is?” Special Agent Sanchez asked eagerly.
“I am guessing his height to be 5’11; average height for a guy. His scent has cumin, apple, lavender, and citrus; there are other elements I cannot describe, but it’s a cologne I used to wear years ago, I can’t remember the brand. There’s also the familiar face behind his grown, untrimmed beard. And there’s the badly worn wardrobe. It may be a person I met at an IT security conference; his name is Philip Cole. I don’t know for sure, but if it is him, I now think he runs an illegal cyber underground corporation.”
Benjamin clutched his teeth when he felt more back pain, but managed to remain conscious.
“Tell me his name again so that I can contact the police department and ask them to send me a picture of him,” Sanchez said.
“Philip Cole. That is his name,” Benjamin replied.
Special Agent Sanchez dialed on his phone. Benjamin tried to get up, but the pain was unbearable.
“Don’t get up! You’re going to a hospital.”
The paramedics came within minutes and carefully laid Benjamin on a stretcher.
“We will get in touch with you,” Special Agent Sanchez informed Benjamin before the paramedics moved him away. The agent took down the hospital’s address, then hurried to join Special Agent Henderson and Anna.
“Is he okay?” Special Agent Henderson asked.
“Severe neck trauma, but I think he’ll be all right,” Special Agent Sanchez announced.
The two agents looked around the NJ Transit train station area. Then they looked at Anna’s facial expression, which remained frantic. Her eyes seemed even redder than before, watering as if they were about to burst like the Hoover Dam. The two men kept their feelings to themselves even though they knew that Gloria’s disappearance might be bad news, indeed.
CHAPTER 27—UNSTOPPABLE
Once outside New York Pennsylvania Station, Monica clenched Gloria’s arm even tighter. The Thanksgiving Day parade ended, and a large group of people were heading into the station from different directions. Gloria became a little more nervous. While she couldn’t hear any words from Monica, she heard the horns of taxis and regular cars, feeling the whiff of cold air. Gloria was accidentally shoved by a group of people walking in the opposite direction, which made her cling to her cane. Suddenly, she felt herself being pulled in yet another direction by Monica, and the noise of people was beginning to die down.
“You’re hurting me,” Gloria said.
“Don’t make a scene,” Monica said in a sharp tone.
Monica moved a little faster, but slowed a bit as she glanced left and right for any watchful faces. They walked two more blocks and then turned a corner.
A traffic police officer stood next to her car with paper and pen in hand.
“Oh, no!” Monica said in shock.
“What?” Gloria said.
Monica didn’t answer her for a moment. “Don’t say a word. Your sister isn’t here to help you, and you have no choice but to act calm.”
Monica grabbed Gloria’s arm even tighter as they continued walking.
She spoke again in a lower voice. “Think about your sister; she will have regrets for the rest of her life if anything happens to you. Do you want that?”
Gloria kept silent. As they reached Monica’s car, the police officer placed the ticket on her windshield.
“Excuse me officer, may I ask what the problem is?” Monica said with a slight smile.
“Your parking meter ran out,” the officer replied.
“Well, I was just taking care of my disabled friend here. She took a while.”
The officer stared at them, and Monica loosened her arm a little.
“Looks to me like she is trying to get away from you,” the traffic officer said.
Monica laughed nervously. “Sometimes, you try to help people and they fight for their independence. I tell her all the time to let me get her from point A to point B, and then she can be on her own,” she lied.
“It sure is a huge crowd of people out today.” The officer chuckled a little. “You both quarrel like siblings. You and your friend even look alike.”
Gloria made a puzzled face. She tried to speak, but Monica must have noticed and clutched her arm. “I’m her caregiver,” Monica said to the cop.
“That’s fine. You are off the hook. Next time, be mindful of the time you set on these meters,” the toll police officer said.
“I will. Thank you for letting me off with a warning this time,” Monica said, and the officer walked away.
“Were you trying to test my patience?” Monica said as she squeezed Gloria’s arm repeatedly.
Then she stuck her other hand inside her purse and took out her car keys. She opened the car door, got Gloria into the backseat, and picked up a rope underneath Gloria’s foot. Monica turned quickly to see if anyone was looking, then leaned in over Gloria and tied her hands. She placed Gloria’s cane next to her, then used a blanket to cover the captive’s hands.
“Never take off the blanket!” Monica said in a sharp tone.
She glanced back again to see if anyone saw her, but there was no one in sight. Monica took out the pistol from her pocket.
“I’m reminding you, just in case you start screaming for help, I will kill you! I did not put tape over your mouth because people can see through the window.”
She shut the door, went around the car, opened the door in her side, and sat down in the driver’s seat. She started the engine and drove off the parking space.
“What do you want from me?”
“Sit tight,” Monica said as she adjusted her rearview mirror.
“I’ll give you anything you want. I just want my life. Take anything and everything. Call my family and say how much money you want...”
“Shut up!” Monica said.
Gloria remained silent for a moment. “So you’re holding me hostage to kill my sister?”
“Life is full of surprises,” Monica said as she watched the road.
“What do you want from my sister? Did you know her before?” Gloria went on.
Monica did not answer her, and a dense sound of keys started ringing in her ears again. She turned the steering wheel.
“Did she do something to you that was very wrong and hard to forget?” Gloria continued.
“Stop it!” Monica yelled and held her ear with her other hand.
She reached over and took out her keys from her purse, then threw them on the floor. Gloria kept quiet and paid attention to her surroundings.
“It sounds like we are heading for a bridge. We are going to New Jersey, aren’t we?”
“Being a smartass, aren’t you,” Monica replied.
Gloria fell silent. She felt the car moving right and then, after a few minutes, left as Monica changed lanes.
“Killing me will not solve anything.”
“You believe things need to be solved in a constructive manner. I believe differently.”
“Just let me go. Like I said, anything you want. I will make the call...”
“Shut it, Gloria! Shut your mouth. Your whining is driving me crazy,” Monica said.
The sound of keys became louder. “The keys,” Monica wailed and then took one of her hands off the steering wheel. She reached for Gloria’s purse, took her keys out, and threw them on the floor.
“Take everything you want,” Gloria said in frustration.
Monica heard the keys being put into a drink holder, and she heard no other movement inside her purse.
Gloria now had a puzzled expression on her face. “Keys? All she wanted was keys?” she said under her breath.
“Did you say something?” Monica asked.
Gloria did not respond.
“Sorry – that is what she said on her death bed,” Monica said.
“Who? Who apologized?” Gloria asked calmly.
“Her last words: sorry,” Monica said, apparently in deep thought.
“Sorry? I don’t follow,” Gloria said.
“She apologized for being a good person in my life, someone who loved me and protected me.” Monica touched one of her ears again. “Ah, stop the noise, stop that sound!”
“What sound?” Gloria asked.
“Shut up!” Monica shouted back. “Ah!” she then yelled from the sound she heard. Her voice was lowered again. “We are going far away, Moni. He has another family. He loves one more than the other, I can only protect you.” Monica was stating her mother’s words.
Gloria kept thoughtfully silent.
CHAPTER 28—UNDERPIN
Anna had remained frantic during the improvised search for Gloria in and around the train station. She kept on asking rhetorically whether her sister had merely gotten lost, speculating that Gloria still had to be around, somewhere.
“She was right next to me,” Anna regularly reminded the agents, who in turn kept a close eye on her.
“Don’t panic,” FBI Special Agent Henderson said.
“She’s not going to die. She can’t. She just can’t!” Anna then wailed.
“Take a breather, Anna,” FBI Special Agent Sanchez said slowly.
“I saw the man. I saw him. He must have pushed Benjamin but disappeared in the crowds.”
“Benjamin told us the man was in disguise as a homeless person,” Special Agent Sanchez said.
“Correct,” Anna said. “It must’ve have been the same person that I saw. He got scared and ran when I confronted him.”
“What direction did he go?” Special Agent Henderson asked.
“I don’t know! I wish I knew, I wish,” Anna said, beside herself.
“He may still be around,” FBI Special Agent Sanchez said wishfully as he turned away from the two others and gazed around the increasingly crowded station. “Jesus Christ!” he continued under his breath, feeling overwhelmed for a short moment. He quickly became somewhat calm and collected. “Wait here with Anna,” he instructed Special Agent Henderson, who simply nodded.
Sanchez went over to two cops who still stood around the area where Benjamin had been lying a while ago. “We have a possible kidnap victim named Gloria Rank, and she happens to be blind. The kidnapper may be a male named Philip Cole. He wears worn-out clothes, has an untrimmed full beard, and apparently disguises himself as a homeless person. What I am going to say to you might seem silly, but please take me seriously on this. The suspect is wearing cologne with a scent of apple, citrus, lavender, cumin... and I have no idea of the rest of the elements. If you ever get a whiff of it when you catch him, the scent makes it more credible that you’ve got the right guy.”
The officer nodded. “Not sure, but it sounds like the Armani Code cologne I wear. Piece of cake.”
Another officer took out her walkie-talkie. “A suspect is on the loose dressed in a very poor outfit, possibly with a kidnapped victim. Check all surveillance cameras and watch out for a expensive cologne smelling of apple, citrus, cumin and lavender. Don’t ask, just follow my lead.”
“Copy that,” sounded an officer’s voice in the intercom.
“I will check back with you,” Special Agen
t Sanchez said and then returned to where the two others were standing.
“Special Agent Sanchez, when Benjamin was on the floor, I was in shock. I turned, and someone must have taken Gloria! They have her! Where do we go? Where would she be?” Anna asked, still confused but with growing realism.
“Where do you suggest we go from here?” Special Agent Henderson asked his colleague.
“I had a possible abduction alert put out just now,” Special Agent Sanchez replied. Quiet tears were rolling down Anna’s eyes while the two officers were trying to put together a 10-second plan for what more could be done. She moved a few inches away from them, closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. The sound of travelers faded in her ears, and the intercom took center position. “All aboard track number 12 to Dover. All aboard track 12 to Dover,” the next announcement said, and she heard it clearly. Anna then opened her eyes and again paid attention to Special Agents Henderson and Sanchez, who held his phone to his ear.
“The police here are going to check the surveillance. We have to go to the police quarters on the ground level of this building,” Sanchez informed her.
“No, I’m afraid there won’t be time for that,” Anna said.
“What do you mean?” Special Agent Henderson asked.
“The only train boarding and leaving now is on track number twelve,” she replied.
“I fail to see the significance,” Special Agent Sanchez said.
Nonetheless, they all rushed to the door and down the stairs to Track 12. They were just in time to see the door closing behind the last passenger. However, one of the conductors was boarding the train.
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