by Starla Night
Her throat was dry. The wine was giving her a headache. If this would put them on friendly terms, then—
“No, thank you,” Sydney said loudly.
He shrugged and set it on the low table in front of them.
“But—”
Sydney kicked it over.
“Hey! Don’t make it worse.”
“I can’t make it worse.” She lowered her voice and pointed her pinkie finger at boxes marked with a busy triangle. “That’s the symbol of the bad guy.”
“Oh, you saw our symbol.” The surfer kid sighed, rummaged in his surf shorts pocket, and pulled a gun. “Now we have to kill you.”
Jen’s heart stopped.
So, this was the part in the movie where it skipped ahead and two bodies were found by detectives the next morning.
Calm. Think.
“We didn’t answer your ‘question’ yet,” she said. Her voice was amazingly steady.
“We don’t want anything to do with you,” the kid said. “We just want to know about the creatures.”
Sydney grabbed Jen. “We’ll tell you whatever you want. Nobody touches us.”
“Deal.”
The kid made them kneel in front of the couch. He confiscated their cell phones and purses. It was like a robbery gone comically wrong.
But it wasn’t that funny.
One of them wrapped duct tape around their ankles and wrists.
Jen kept her ankles together to keep from exposing her lacy undergarments.
“You said nobody touches us!” Sydney shouted as they yanked her arms behind her back.
“I’m not touching you,” the glasses kid said. “The duct tape is.”
Sydney huffed. “Does your mother know where you are?”
“I don’t have one.”
The kids backed off and left them in the lit office all alone.
“That I believe,” Sydney muttered.
Well, this was just great. They were probably going to die on her not-honeymoon.
“This is the last time I let you and Ian talk me into a personal day,” Jen said with a long, heavy sigh. “What’s wrong with being a workaholic? Nobody was threatening to shoot me back in Atlanta.”
Sydney snorted. “We’re about to die and that’s what you have to say?”
“Shhh. They’re saying something.”
Snatches of their conversation filtered into the office. An argument about what to do with them while waiting for “their leader” to arrive and start the interrogation.
Jen wanted to plug her ears and sing so she could tell them she hadn’t heard anything. But they didn’t seem competent enough.
“We can’t just let them go,” one of them said near the office.
She had to bite her lip.
“Yes!” Sydney called, saying exactly what she’d wanted to say. “Yes, you can! Let us go and we’ll forget everything! I swear!”
The kids swore and moved away from the window.
“This is your last warning!”
Silence.
Muffled voices resumed farther away.
“And I told Dosan I didn’t need to be protected,” Jen sighed. “Apparently when dating otherworldly creatures, otherworldly rules apply. Not that we’re dating. Because we’re not. Like I said before.”
“Jen,” Sydney said with a warning in her tone.
“I’m so sorry that I forced you to share your vacation with warriors. Ian was right. I can’t relax. And now it’s cost you big time.”
“Listen.”
“I am listening. I’m listening, and I’ve decided first thing when we get out of here, I’m going to tell Dosan no once and for—”
“Xalu proposed!”
Jen shut her mouth with a click.
“I said yes.” Sydney looked embarrassed.
“Oh. Congratulations.”
“Yeah. How could I not? Think about it. We get to shape how they run an entire undersea kingdom!”
“You don’t care about living deep in the ocean, far beneath the surface?”
“Oh, I am coming to the surface again. I am doing whatever I want. I’m going to be royalty, baby!”
“And Xalu’s okay with it?”
“Who cares? I’m his queen! But of course he’s fine with it. He wants his future wife to be happy.”
“So why’d you keep quiet all this time?” Jen demanded. “I feel like a jerk. You were so supportive and I couldn’t be trusted with knowing when my best friend was engaged?”
“No, I’m sorry. You went through so much with Gary and then you were so dead set against Dosan.”
“You agreed with Ian,” Jen argued. “You said I had to reinvent myself so I wouldn’t get hurt.”
“I did, but you know what? We were wrong. You’re just fine. The problem is them, and you don’t have to reinvent yourself because you are already fabulous.”
Jen let her skepticism show on her face.
Sydney tried to raise her hands in defense. Her shoulders lifted; her hands were still taped behind her back. “It’s like Milly said. She’d dive even if she wasn’t a mermaid. It’s who she is. Jen, you’re kind to everyone. Even the people who don’t deserve it. It’s who you are and there’s nothing wrong with it.”
She wanted that to be true. “I’m not going to be ‘kind’ to these kidnappers when we get out of here.”
“Well, you’re not an idiot.”
“Thank you.”
Sydney shook her head. “Whatever the case, you were right to demand time to work out what’s best for you. You need time to consider Dosan’s proposal. Honestly, I was afraid I’d push you in the wrong direction. How could I not get excited at the thought of ruling an undersea kingdom with my best friend?”
That made sense.
“But now,” Sydney sucked in a huge breath and wiggled on her knees, “we might not rule anything but a cemetery.”
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to get a leg free so my last act can be kicking one of these idiots in the balls.”
Despite their situation, Jen laughed. That was so like Sydney. She’d go down swinging.
And maybe there was nothing wrong with Jen. She should have run away from these kids screaming but she couldn’t have guessed they were intending to kidnap her. She should have run away from Gary screaming but she couldn’t have guessed he was intending to stomp on her heart and publicly humiliate her in her own workplace.
What if the problem wasn’t her? What if she didn’t want a relationship based on distrust or miserly doling out? What if it was okay for her to love with her whole heart?
Her self-doubts had clarified what she truly did want.
So now she needed to tell him.
Jen did a quick inventory of the warehouse office. Pens, overflowing ashtray, empty soda cans beneath the beat up couch.
Hmm.
“Pop the tab on that soda can,” Jen instructed and shuffled around to put her back to Sydney’s. “That will create a sharp edge.”
Sydney awkwardly pulled it off the table and did as she asked. Then, she backed up and dropped the tab in Jen’s fingers. “You sure about this?”
“No.” Jen positioned the tab on the sticky tape binding Sydney’s hands and sawed. “But we have to try.”
Forever passed.
Sydney wriggled with discomfort. “Any luck?”
“The sticky tape is gumming up the sharp edge. It’s still cutting. Slowly.”
“Then once I’m free, then what?”
“I’ll yell for those guys and you can kick them in the balls.”
Sydney perked up. “I like this plan.”
Jen worked the tab. It was like cutting through a phone book with a paperclip. Progress was steady but slow.
Sydney strained.
“What are you doing?”
“Something. Anything. I don’t want to sit around waiting on others anymore.”
“Well, hold tight, because this is going to take…”
Sydney’s
bonds stretched and she yanked the tape apart.
“…no time at all. Great job!”
Sydney grinned, a new gleam in her eyes. “Your turn.”
“Use the pen to puncture the aluminum. You can fashion a makeshift knife from the sharp edge.”
Sydney followed her directions, cut the tape off her ankles, and freed Jen.
“I’ll call one of the kids in here, make the call, and then, while he’s distracted, you clobber him,” Jen said.
Sydney draped the tape over her wrists as if she were still tied up and nodded.
Jen’s heart thudded in her throat.
Go time.
Jen shouted. “Hey! Give me back my cell phone and I’ll call the guys to come on down here!”
The kid with glasses poked his head into the office. “You’ll call what guys?”
“The warriors. Dosan and Xalu.”
He stared blankly.
“You want to ask us questions about them, right? We’ll call them down and they can answer you.”
The kid stared at her like he was trying to figure out why in the world he should do that.
“You don’t want to talk to them?” Jen prodded. “What’s your end goal here?”
“My knees are killing me,” Sydney said.
“Mine too. I want everyone to be happy so we can all go home.”
“We decide when you go home.” The kid puffed out his chest, belligerent. “We already tried it. Your phone’s broken.”
“You broke it!”
“I didn’t break it. It’s frozen.”
“Let me see.”
He shrugged and carried Jen’s phone to the small coffee table. Her screen glowed white. A tiny star hid in one corner.
Her Locate Phone app was running!
Jen’s throat constricted. Pounding sounded in her ears.
Help was coming.
Ian must have remembered her password from when he’d helped her install the app and now he was tracing her location.
“You’re right.” She eased back on the balls of her feet pretending to be confused and hurt. Adrenaline shivered in her veins. “It’s broken.”
“Go get mine,” Sydney said.
He stood.
“No!” Jen nudged her. “Forget it. Change of plans.”
Sydney stared. “Jen, I actually think we should wait to hear their voices before we do anything rash.”
“Why should I listen to you? You waited ten years on a guy who was never going to propose.”
Sydney’s mouth dropped. “How dare you?”
“What I’m saying is sometimes you just have to act. Whether you’re prepared or not. Just act.”
Sydney’s voice broke. She was nervous too. “Fine.”
The kid backed away from the table. “You guys are acting weird.”
“What are you going to do about it?” Sydney snapped.
He flipped her a rude gesture and turned to leave.
She jumped up and whacked him on the back of the head with the ashtray.
Ashes flew.
He stumbled and closed the door on himself. Hand to the back of his head, he complained. “Ow.”
Sydney shoved him down and lodged a knee in his back. He grunted. Sydney grabbed the makeshift knife out of the papers and held it to his throat. “Freeze or I’ll cut you.”
He froze.
This was going to work. They were going to escape.
Sydney held out her hand. “Jen, tape.”
Jen grabbed the roll of duct tape and she bound the kid the same way he’d bound them. Her voice wobbled as she scolded him. “You are in big trouble, mister.”
“You can’t do this.” He wriggled like a worm. “HEY—mph!”
Jen stuck the tape over his mouth.
He grunted.
“I warned you,” Sydney said, peering out the office door for the other kidnappers. “So, I assume the guys are on the way?”
“That’s right. And Ian has the number for the police.”
“We just have to survive.” Sydney squinted. Somewhere out there was a gun. “Ooh, there’s that surfer kid.”
Sydney backed away from the door and lifted the ashtray.
“Hey, G?” The surfer kid pushed open the door. “You oh—”
Sydney brought down the ashtray.
The surfer kid wheeled and threw up his arm. The ashtray bounced off his forearm.
Sydney whacked him again.
He kept his arm up. The ashtray hit his elbow.
“Hey!” He jumped deeper into the office, away from her, and shook out his fingers like they were tingly. He rummaged in his pocket.
Sydney came at him again. This time, with the knife.
He produced the pistol.
Sydney checked. “Uh oh.”
He glared at her. “That hurt.”
“Well, I’m not sorry.”
“You’re going to be. Drop that.”
She dropped the knife.
It fell like Jen’s heart.
“Get over against the wall. Both of you.”
Jen and Sydney hurried to comply.
“Ugh.” He rubbed his elbow and appealed to the kid still tied up. “Why did we even kidnap you? It’s obvious now we have to kill you.”
The duct taped kid made a strangled sound.
A knock echoed through the warehouse.
She and Sydney straightened.
The surfer kid started toward the doorway arrogantly, then noticed their reaction. He stopped. His eyes narrowed.
Outside, the rattle of the giant warehouse doors gave way to shouts and fighting.
He trained his gun on the door. “What did you do?”
“Nothing,” Jen said.
Wham!
The office door flew open.
One of the lanky kids suspended off the ground by the back of his shirt. He pointed at her and Sydney. “There! The women are there!”
Xalu dropped the lanky kid. He landed on the ground with an “oof” and rolled away.
Dosan’s trident gleamed with deadly intent. He and Xalu, also armed with trident and blades, advanced into the office.
The surfer kid backed against the office wall and trained his gun on two growling warriors. “Don’t come any closer.”
The warriors turned to the women, ignoring him and his threat.
Dosan stroked Jen, checking her wrists and sliding a finger along her jaw for bruising. “You are unharmed?”
“Fine.” She touched the tip of the bruise visible between the halves of his dress shirt. Her hands shook again. “You warned me to take more precautions. I’m sorry I didn’t listen.”
“You know the surface world better than I,” he said. “When Ian called, even your police did not believe our attackers intended this stupidity.”
He turned on the surfer kid with a snarl. His grip on his trident tightened. “You dared to touch my bride.”
The surfer kid held up the gun, shaky. “Stay back.”
Jen put her hand on Dosan’s forearm to stop him. “Put the gun down.”
The surfer kid shook his head.
“Now,” Jen insisted. “Your threat is stupid. They’re undersea warriors who don’t understand guns.”
“I’ll shoot!”
Dosan placed himself between her and the kid. His hackles rose as he prepared to leap.
If she didn’t intervene, Dosan would take a bullet for her.
He was a hero.
Jen told the shaking kid. “And even if you did shoot them, they’d still try to disarm you. And I mean ‘dis-arm’. Those tridents are sharp.”
The kid swallowed.
In the distance, police sirens sounded.
“It’s going to be a lot harder in prison when you’re missing an arm,” Sydney pointed out.
Xalu growled.
The kid wavered.
“You can’t shoot both,” Jen pushed. “One of them is going to slice your hand off. Unless you put the gun down now.”
He rested
the gun on the table and backed up against the wall. “Don’t hurt me.”
Xalu gestured with the trident for him to exit. “Your human justice is waiting.”
He crept out of the office.
Xalu lifted the duct-taped kid and exited.
The police took custody of the kids and searched the warehouse. An inspector collected preliminary reports and made appointments for full statements.
As soon as they were released, Jen threw her arms around Dosan. He had never looked so fierce. “You saved me.”
“Jen.” Dosan kissed her hands. “I must demonstrate my respect.”
“Take me home and I’ll share my checklist.”
He held her tight.
Ian waited outside the warehouse. He saw them and his worry changed to relief.
Her brother laughed as he helped them into his rental Ford Fiesta sedan. “You just can’t help yourself, can you Jen? You can’t relax and enjoy a little ‘me’ time without embroiling us in an international, inter-species war.”
Dosan got into the car.
Jen hesitated. “You aren’t going to scold me?”
“The other day when Dosan explained how you’re literally going to be a queen, and Sydney will be right there with you, I realized this is your life. I love and support you. So, you tell me what’s right for you. I’m butting out.”
She hugged her brother. “Thank you.”
“I will say,” he returned her hug, “that visiting you underseas is going to be a heck of a commute.”
“We’ll figure something out.”
“Maybe another vacation,” he joked and headed for the driver’s seat to take them home.
At the rental, they split off to their rooms like a shot.
Dosan laid her on the honeymoon suite bed, treating her so gently, as if she were the injured one. “How can I prove my devotion?”
She rose to her knees. “You have to treat me like your queen, rescue me if I’m in danger, and promise to love me forever.”
His mouth opened and closed. Then, he frowned. “What have I failed to do?”
“Nothing.” She threw her arms around him. “I guess you’ve proved your devotion.”
“Then you will drink the elixir and perform the marriage ceremony in my underseas city?”
“First, you have to promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“This was supposed to be my honeymoon. And you’ve made it into one after all.” She held him tight. “Now, I want my wedding night. Will you give me an unforgettable night of pleasure?”