Shattered Dreams

by Linde Lean

  Jenny pulled on a pair of jogging pants, under Ryan’s shirt, and threw, pants, tops, underwear as well as a warm sweater into a small bag. Grabbing her toothbrush, toothpaste and hairbrush, she was man handled to Andy’s room where she packed the same for him, grabbing Andy’s Teddy for him as he started to fret but trying to put on a brave little face. Jenny was so proud of him and she felt her heart swell with love for this child.

  None of the other staff were anywhere in sight. Coming at dawn, just after the evening and morning shift take over on a Sunday, was stroke of genius, Jenny heard Derrick boast to the other two.

  Jenny and Andy were bundled into a black van. Jenny tightly held onto Andy as they sped away. She was quite disorientated and confused, when after only about fifteen minutes they stopped.

  Andy cried in panic, as a large black plastic garbage bag was pulled over their heads. She and Andy were forced from the van. Jenny gave her full co-operation, as Andy would also have difficulty breathing. Her own breathing was already becoming labored. They were pushed up some steps. Why did these steps look so familiar?

  With her eyes straining downwards at her feet, in an attempt to make sense of what she was seeing they were hauled roughly into the house interior and shoved into a room and the door locked.

  Quickly removing the bags from their heads, Jenny bent down to hold Andy, and tried to calm him. Once he was settled she had time to survey the room. There was a video camera mounted on the wall and she assumed they were under surveillance.

  Another room led from this one, and there was a bathroom between the two bedrooms. Jenny fought her tears, for Andy’s sake she must be strong.

  Ryan was unsuccessfully trying to get free, his efforts thus far, just causing him pain as he pulled and tugged at the tape. Suddenly he felt the pressure on his one ankle let up, he had succeeded in loosening the tape, whilst chaffing it against the deeply engrained, carved, bedpost. Putting in a renew effort, he chaffed away at his other legs tape. At last he felt the tape come loose, his ankles were bleeding from his efforts, ignoring the discomfort, he tried to get his hands free, but the tape had been tied to tightly, his efforts proved futile.

  Bringing his legs up, he angled his hips and threw his legs over. He knocked the telephone earpiece off with his toe and he was able to press the emergency panic button on the keypad. The emergency call would be relayed to his Security Company and the local Police.

  It felt like a lifetime before he heard the police arriving. Their reaction time was excellent, but this did not help him. Derrick had a good head start. Where to begin?

  Once Ryan was freed, he phoned Paul and Mike and briefly told them what had happened. He then quickly dressed. He surveyed his badly battered face in the mirror, his ribs were not feeling any better.

  When Paul and Mike arrived he’d just completed giving his statement to the police.

  Ryan, Mike and Paul went into his study and after some discussion Paul made some calls, putting the word out on the street that there was a reward out of ten million in hard cash, for any information on where Ryan could find his son. Nothing official went out to the media. This was street information, which was leaked to the players of the underworld.

  Then came the waiting and the frustration when information that was given, did not pan out. Three days later, and Ryan looked like hell. He’d hardly slept and his hair showed signs of his habit of raking his hand through his hair.

  He shuddered just thinking in what hell, Andy and Jenny were finding themselves. The police as well as Paul, were frank with him, the fact that Derrick and the two men did not try to hide their identity, did not bode well.

  Ryan sat on the brown leather couch, in his study the telephone-tap was set up on the table in front of him. Resting his elbows on his thighs, with his head in his hands, he though he was going to go mad if the phone did not ring, why were they taking so long to call with their demands?

  On his request, his father, mother and Mary were staying away. He needed to be strong and he did not want them seeing him in this state either, nor did he want the distraction of having them with him and having to answer to their concerns as well. Ryan was thankful though to have Mike and Paul’s support.

  Coming into the study, Mike came and sat next to Ryan, he put a consoling arm around him for a few seconds.

  When Ryan lifted up his face his lashes were wet.

  “Nothing yet?” Mike enquired.

  “No, they should’ve made their demands by now.”

  Mike leaned back against the couch. “Dad wants to come too,”

  Seeing Ryan’s body reject the statement, he carried on. “But I asked him to keep an eye on Mary and Mother for us, but I think that by this weekend he will be here come what may. They are just as worried about you, Ryan.”

  ‘Mike I told you, I will not be able to handle them and what I’m going through now, I must put all my energies into finding Andy and Jenny.”

  “I understand believe me but they love you and you will not be able to keep them away for much longer.”

  Nodding Ryan knew his brother was right. Oh dear heaven how was he going to live if he did not see his son or Jenny ever again?

  Mike saw the pain etched on his brother’s face for his child and the woman he loved.

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  Chapter Ten

  For three days Jenny watched their routine. Two slept in the room adjacent to theirs, while one stayed in the kitchen and kept watch.

  Jenny from day one immediately, doing what she was so good at doing; taking orders and not asking any questions. Her life at the orphanage taught her not to fight authority, it was futile. The more you fought the harder they meted out punishment. Best to be quiet, compliant and let them believe they had your complete co-operation, then they would give you rewards. Not ones that you asked for, but unknowingly giving you rewards that you wanted, because they thought you were so malleable and easy to control.

  This is what Jenny did, and slowly but surely she could see them dropping their guard, even allowing her out of the room for a few minutes to get some water for Andy from the kitchen when they were too lazy and complacent to do so.

  It was then, that she realized that they were on the property directly next to their home. Andy’s friends, the twins lived here, but their neighbours were currently away on holiday. That is why the entrance steps looked so familiar to Jenny. She’d been here a few times, either dropping Andy off or picking the girls up.

  Those first few months, when she went out jogging she’d looked at each property on her route, admiring their grand entrances, each one different, over the years she almost knew them as well as she knew their own.

  Three days, Derrick and the other two were getting edgy and they were becoming irritated with her and Andy as well. If she wanted to do something she would have to do it now.

  Derrick often touched her and made sexual advances to her. She felt nauseated by his attention and she was not sure how long she was going to keep him off her. The other two were also starting to look at her in the same way. Boredom was also getting to them.

  Taking Andy in her arms she whispered that he needed to go “wee-wee.”

  She then told Derrick, who was seated at the kitchen table that Andy wanted to make use of the toilet. Derrick indicated they could go to the bathroom. They had all become so compliant that they no longer locked the door of the room in which Jenny and Andy were kept which was the staff quarters that lead off the kitchen.

  In the bathroom Jenny urgently explained to Andy what he had to do. She dressed him in his dark navy blue sweatpants and top. She again, checked with him, that he understood her and knew where they were, and that he was sure he knew what to do.

  She sent him back into their room. Standing at the kitchen door, she watched the men, if this failed, it could cost Andy’s life; she did not even want to contemplate that happening. Her heart beat so fast and loud that her ears were ringing. The men were still watching the sport channel
, giving scant attention to the monitor that reflected the images of the room in which Andy and she were kept.

  Two smaller screens showed the bathroom and the bedroom annexed thereto. She had to put a towel around her whenever she went to the bathroom, hating the idea of them watching her while she used the toilet. Bathing was out of the question, thus she just topped and tailed herself and Andy.

  She was feeling dirty, not just physically. but because of what she was planning. With one more look in Andy’s direction, she gave him a tender smile, winked at him and softly said, “I love you.”

  He softly answered, “I love you too, Jenna.”

  He was very close to tears, and this was almost her undoing, but for his sake, and her promise to Ryan, she would have to take the chance. She was sure the men could hear the nervousness in her voice as she spoke.

  “Guys, don’t you think a little fun with a girl, would be less boring than the game…?” Jenny saw as their bodies still, as her words sank in, slowly they all turned to her.

  Leaning against the doorpost, trying to imitate the girls in the club, Jenny suggestively moved her hips.

  “Come on, Derrick, you must know I worked in a joint up town, before I became a nanny, a threesome with three handsome guys, what do you say?” Jenny hoped her smile and suggestive movements would entice them all away from the kitchen. If one stayed behind the plan would not work.

  “Come on boys, surely you’re not scared of little old me, I’ve been a good girl for you, haven’t I?” She saw them look at Andy laying on the bed, his eyes closed.

  “Oh, him, out for the count, won’t be any bother, we can go into the other room…”

  Heart racing, she moved off into the room, she heard the chairs shuffle and turned anxious eyes to the door, glad to see all three following her, but scared witless, knowing what she had offered and what was going to happen to her. She stood at the bed and Derrick loomed over her, he roughly pushed her back on the bed, his hands immediately going to pull her sweatpants and panties off. She tried to stall him, and looking over his shoulder she asked, if the other guys did not want in on the action? She needed to get them away from the door so that Andy could make his escape.

  As they drew nearer, she pouted and lifted her hips, then closed her eyes for a second sending up a prayer that Andy would be okay.

  When she opened them she saw herself reflected in Derrick’s lustful eyes. Dear heaven, she couldn’t do this! Yes, you must she berated herself!

  Three, determined, demented men, started pulling and tugging at her clothes, her signal for Andy to run, was laughter, so mustering all her reserves she started laughing and cajoling the men on, to finished the job, so that she could get at it. While they ripped at her clothes they also tried to shed their pants.

  She felt relief when she heard the kitchen door close, if one was not straining and listening for the sound, it was inaudible.

  All three men were struggling and snarled with their underwear around their knees; Jenny felt that this would give Andy a good head start. If by chance they found out that he was not in the room next door, they’d have to dress first, and would, she hoped, then first searched the house for him.. They should not immediately deduce that a toddler would have the sense, to sneak out while the grown up’s ‘played.’

  As the bed sagged under their weight, their shafts hard and erect, Jenny found her fear overwhelm her and all her bravado left her. Her fear was no longer for Andy, but for herself. Oh God, not again, will she be able to endure this, for a second time?

  Jenny, felt Derrick’s shaft press against her abdomen, his, unpleasant hot urgent breath blew against her face. She just knew, at that moment, she could not play the game, she was going to fight them! Jenny also knew that it was futile, that it was a fight she could not win. That she did not stand a chance against them, but she could not be compliant, not even for Andy. Remembered terror and pain re-surfacing, she would not be a victim again!

  Jenny reared up, taking Derrick by surprise, for a moment dislodging him, surprise turned into scornful laughter at her pathetic attempts, as he realized that she’d changed her mind. But as Jenny fought Derrick, his amusement changed to anger.

  He had her arms in a vice grip above her head, his full weight bared down on her, so heavy that Jenny found it hard to breath.

  Derrick pushed his feet and ankles hard between hers, his knees driving in between her thighs, giving him access. The other two men jeered him on, enjoying their struggle.

  She felt revolted by the tip of Derrick’s hard shaft that jabbed at her opening. Using the last bit of strength she had, Jenny made one last attempt to hurt Derrick, biting down onto his mouth, as he tried to force her mouth open with his lips and teeth.

  He became enraged and gave her a hard slap across the face, and punched her in quick successive bursts, in her ribs.

  Jenny felt the edges of darkness. She fought the blackout, and raised her head and hit with all her might, the way she’d seen Ryan doing. She heard something crack, as her skull connected with his. Feeling nauseas, dizzy and disorientated, she heard banging and screaming, and the sound of a door breaking. She felt herself slipping into oblivion, but she did not allow herself to give in, trying desperately to shake the oncoming black void from her, she opened her eyes.

  The first face she saw was Ryan’s! The incredulous look on his face, in other circumstances, would almost have been funny! Instead hysteria rose up in her. Before she could gauge his further reaction, he was pushed aside, from his frozen stance, as the police came in.

  From there everything became a blur, a blanket was placed around her and she was led outside, but not to Ryan.

  He was standing with his brother, who from the look of it, was gesturing for Ryan to go to her. But he stood his ground.

  As Mike made to come to her, Ryan said something to him that had him stopping in his tracks and he turned to Ryan as if questioning what he had said.

  She watched as Derrick passed them, and then almost as if what was taking place had nothing to do with her, she watched disconnected to everything as Derrick engaged in some sort of argument. However, she could not hear what Derrick was saying to them.

  Offering no resistance, she allowed the police officer to guide her head down as she was placed in a police vehicle. As the door slammed shut, and the police vehicle pulled off, she turned around and watched the group though the rear window.

  Derrick was spitting mad, and resisted the police Officers. As he was shoved past Ryan and Mike he dug his feet in, and spat out shouting at Ryan, what fun the guys had with Jenny the past three days.

  “She’s a wild one. She likes pain, it drives her sexual pleasure.”

  Indicating his swollen lip, “Hence the ‘love’ bite she gave me! She likes it when we get rough with her!”

  Ryan leaped forward to smash his face, it took two Officers to retrain him, but Derrick, taunted, “Ask her man! Asked her if she offered herself to us, in exchange for a threesome, go mate asked her!” He shouted for all to hear.

  At this point Mike intervened and told Ryan, Jenny was not like that, and that he should go to her. But Ryan stood his ground, his features hard and set.

  Mike turned to go to her, not understanding his brothers reaction at all, he could see she was distraught, and totally disorientated. But Ryan called him back, and told him to stay out of his personal life. Surprised he turned to Ryan, just then, the police vehicle pulled away with Jenny, her shocked face looking back at them through the rear window!

  “Ryan, are you out of your mind?”

  Looking at the detective, Mike demanded. “Why are you taking her to the station, she should be in an ambulance on her way to the hospital!”

  At this stage Ryan looked deflated; Mike had never seen his brother look at such a loss. Looking at the Inspector again he demanded an answer.

  “I asked the lady whether she’d asked for their attentions. She nodded her head. Based on that we must take her in for questioning, she
may be an accomplice.”

  Mike was upset and he looked at his brother, “Ryan you cannot believe this, you’ve been courting her, notwithstanding our advice to take her for your wife, when you said you loved her. Even Dad told you for a mature man to be celibate in this day and age were putting unnecessary stress on you and your relationship. But did you listen? No! You wanted to court her and court her you did! Now you want to tell me you believe this, excuse my French, bullshit?”

  “For you information, Brother, I did not wait in celibacy for her initially. At first I did much what I did before I met her. It was not my intention to be celibate, but her anguished and accusing eyes had me scaling it down, but then, I found that I had no taste for sex without love and thus, dear Brother, it became easy for me to be celibate.”

  Swinging away from his brother, he muttered, what an insane topic! But anything to postponed the inevitable confrontation with Jenny.

  Turning back to Mike, Ryan continued. “Do I believe Derrick? Hell I don’t know, you know what a fool I made of myself that last year at Varsity with Natalie! I was not an uncouth youth, I should’ve known better! What makes you think that my judgment of women has improved?”

  “Well I know her too, and what that thug implied, I’m not buying. But until we do know for sure, I think we should keep the circumstances in which we found Jenny, under wraps.”

  “What did you think I was going to do, place an ad in the papers!” Ryan growled out, then left his brother as he headed for his car.

  No one, but no one will know how he felt when he saw his five year old son, standing in the dark, ringing the intercom to come into his own home! His son’s look of sheer terror will never, ever leave him.

  Once he had Andy in his arms all he could make out was that Jenna was at Millie and Magi’s house. Leaving Andy in Anna’s care they and the police had scaled the estate boundary wall, and gone in, and from the little information Andy had given them, they’d busted down the kitchen door.

  The words his son had spoken to him, now rang in his ears. ‘Jenna said she was going to play with the men.’ Ryan kept this and the fact that Jenny had previous sexual relationship/s, with persons yet unknown, from Mike.