Captive Reaction

by Dawn Marsanne

  Ruth rushed off to collect her dressing gown and a black plastic sack. She left Jessica alone to strip off.

  ‘Thanks,’ shouted Jessica.

  ‘Look, before we chat, go and have a hot shower. I’ll find you some clothes of mine you can borrow. I’ll make you a hot drink and then you need to explain just what has been happening.’

  **

  Nick left the main entrance to the chemistry building and sprinted down the steps. It was still raining hard but not torrential as it had been a few minutes ago. He started to jog past the buildings in the direction of the car park, keeping hold of his baseball hat against the strong wind. Without Dan’s coat, he would have been soaked. The rain lashed against his glasses and he had trouble seeing where he was going. He heard footsteps approaching at speed behind him and he assumed it was someone else trying to avoid getting drenched. Automatically he stepped to one side to allow them to pass but the footsteps didn’t pass him. Instead, he was grasped from behind in a stranglehold. Someone had their arm around his neck and the other grabbed his wrists.

  ‘What did you think you were playing at, eh?’ shouted one assailant menacingly.

  ‘Let me go!’ screamed Nick.

  ‘That stuff you gave us was either the wrong stuff or full of shit!’

  Nick struggled but it was impossible. His stature was no match for the two brutes who had accosted him.

  ‘What stuff? What are you talking about?’

  ‘Don’t get clever with me? And where’s Jessica?’

  ‘I don’t know any Jessica! I’ve no idea what you are talking about! Help! Help someone!’

  ‘Shut up!’ and a punch landed on Nick’s stomach. He doubled over as the breath was knocked out of him. The two attackers pushed him down to the floor where he tried to curl into a ball to protect himself. They kicked his head and his ribs and Nick cried out in agony. Both men continued to rain down blows on the defenceless figure.

  ‘I’ve a good mind to teach you a proper lesson,’ hissed JB as he knelt down close to Nick’s face. He produced a knife and pulled down the coat to expose Nick’s neck. Nick struggled away from the knife and his hat fell off.

  JB stared down at his quarry. Although there were similarities, he could clearly see that this wasn’t Dan.

  ‘Shit, it’s the wrong bloke,’ he said to his colleague. ‘He must have borrowed his jacket. Dan always wears that jacket. Come on! Let’s go!’

  They stood to make their escape and RB put the knife back in his pocket.

  ‘Hey, you two!’ shouted someone in the distance. ‘Stop!’

  RB and friend looked around and saw a torch coming towards them. Two security guards were chasing down the path in pursuit. They ran as fast as they could in the opposite direction to find their car which was parked in a dark corner. The security men reached Nick who wasn’t moving.

  Mark leant down and shone his torch to look at the bloodied face of his friend.

  ‘Fuck! Phone for an ambulance, Gerry! Nick, Nick, can you hear me?’

  Mark took off his coat and placed it gently under Nick’s head. He listened to his chest and thought he could hear his heart. Placing two fingers against Nick’s neck he concentrated and could feel a slow pulse. Nick was still alive. Without disturbing him too much he put him in the recovery position. He’d seen the thugs kicking at his abdomen and was worried that Nick might vomit and choke.

  ‘How long did they say?’ he asked Gerry.

  ‘They didn’t but the ambulance is on its way. I told them it was a serious assault and which entrance to use.’

  ‘Nick, it’s Mark. I’m here for you mate, hang on in there.’ Mark held onto Nick’s hand and thought he felt a slight pressure. Perhaps it was imagination but he held on to that hope. Poor Nick, he thought to himself. How unfortunate was this to get mugged when he’d only been here at the university for a few days. It was like he was jinxed. He’d taken a serious beating before and had been lucky to survive. It was impossible to know what long-term damage was being done to his body, let alone the effect his mental state. ‘Come on, come on,’ he said, looking up for signs of the ambulance.

  They heard a faint siren which appeared to be approaching.

  ‘That’s it!’ shouted Gerry, ‘I’ll run round to the access road and direct them over here. It won’t be long now.’

  ‘The ambulance has arrived, Nick, you’re going to be OK.’ Mark was still holding Nick’s hand trying as best he could to shield him from the driving rain. However, this time he could feel no reassuring squeeze from Nick. Mark felt like crying, it did not look good at all.

  Chapter 39

  The formal dinner with Professor Zeng had reached its mid-point as they had just received their main course. The pre-dinner drinks had lasted almost an hour and Dan had found them tortuous. He was the youngest person there and the only member not on the teaching staff. The Head of Faculty had called him Dave instead of Dan so many times that he’d given up correcting him. He didn’t really care, he just wanted it to be over. He had managed to ask one chemistry question about the professor’s research and it had given the visiting speaker an opportunity to give a very lengthy answer. Dan found himself drifting off in the middle of it as he was finding it so hard to stop his mind worrying about Jessica. He was brought back to the present situation by an awkward silence.

  ‘So, does that answer your question then?’

  Dan, twitched slightly as he was aware of several pairs of eyes fixed upon him. ‘Oh, yes, that’s very er, er....comprehensive, it answers my question perfectly,’ he said.

  ‘And what do you think about the subsets of compounds I am going to try the reaction on next?’

  ‘Er, well, yes, it seems the obvious thing to do. Well, not obvious, I don’t mean that I mean, well, it’s worth a try.’ Dan was silently pleading for someone to rescue him but they seemed to be concentrating on drinking their sherry. He smiled as did the professor.

  ‘So, tell us a little about your university and the huge expansion its undergone recently,’ said Phil Sweetman.

  Dan could have kissed him. He just hoped that once they were eating it might give less time for talking. He looked at the clock, it was as if time had stood still. How could sixty minutes seem like a whole day? Finally, it was announced that dinner was to be served, so they all trooped into the dining room. Dan’s place was opposite Professor Zeng, his heart sank. He felt like he was in the hot seat. At least the food provided some diversion and at the end of the main course Dan excused himself and he left the room to find the toilets. He was in no hurry, it was such a relief to have a break from the stifling atmosphere. The problem was he would be expected back at the table for the dessert course. He really needed a little help to get through the rest of the evening. He went into a cubicle, emptied his bladder then got his plastic bag of coke out of his pocket. He put a generous pinch on the back of his hand and snorted it up his right nostril. He closed his eyes and felt the drug enter his system. That was better. He repeated the process and he was buzzing. He almost skipped out of the cubicle, washed his hands and danced along the corridor back into the dining room. He skidded to a halt on the highly polished floor, spread his arms wide as if expecting applause and sat down at the table. The academic staff stopped their conversation and stared at him. The conversation fell silent. They looked embarrassed but Dan was anything but. He was energised, flying high as a kite. He brandished his wine glass in the air and shouted, ‘A little more wine I think! Pass down the bottle, Phil, my old mate!’

  Phil’s mouth dropped open. What on earth was this idiot playing at? It was so embarrassing for everyone. Dan’s pupils were dilated and he looked hot and sweaty. It was obvious what he’d been doing when he had left the room.

  ‘Dan, I think perhaps you should call it an evening, maybe get a taxi home now,’ said Phil gently.

  ‘Nonsense, I’ve not had my dessert yet,’ said Dan loudly. ‘Where’s my dessert?’ he shouted at a passing member of the serving team.

/>   ‘Dan, I think if you aren’t feeling well you should leave us, now,’ he emphasised.

  ‘I’m absolutely fine, never felt better!’ and Dan banged the table making the cutlery vibrate against the plates. ‘A bit more wine would help,’ he shouted, waving his glass around.

  Ian French, the Head of Faculty got up and whispered in Phil’s ear. He then made some excuses and left the table. Some minutes after his return, a steward arrived to inform Dan that there was a phone call for him and asked him to leave the table.

  ‘Is it Jessica? My lovely Jessica? Is she OK?’

  ‘This way sir,’ said the steward, guiding him by the arm.

  Dan left the table and his fellow diners felt they could relax. Phil was desperately trying to start up the conversation again and bring them all back to the subject of chemistry. Professor Zeng’s mood had soured somewhat and he placed his napkin on the table.

  ‘I think I should like to go back to my hotel now, please. If you could organise my taxi. I am feeling rather tired.’

  ‘Of course, of course, Professor. Perhaps we could go back to the lounge and wait there. Perhaps a coffee or a tea for you?’

  ‘Nothing thanks. I am not in the habit of consuming stimulants, unlike some of your colleagues I might add. I think you might have a problem at your university which needs some management, do you not think?’

  Phil Sweetman accompanied their visitor from the table. He was furious. Dan would be attending a meeting with him in the morning and he would have to agree to attend drug counselling. This would go down on his record and Dan needed to have a serious think about his future in Persford.

  **

  Jed had already looked around the immediate vicinity where Jessica had been held but could find no trace of her. It seemed likely that she had made for the cover of the trees. He took out a torch and followed what he assumed to be the most direct route through the woodland looking to see whether any of the vegetation looked particularly flattened. The rain had made the ground soft and he lost his footing a couple of times. As he picked his way across the uneven landscape he had to admit he felt a certain admiration for the young girl. Her feet must have really been hurting to make this journey without shoes.

  His torch caught sight of something glinting and he stopped. The keys to the outbuilding were lying in the mud, she must have dropped them and failed to hear the sound as they fell into the wet earth. He pocketed them and continued, at least he was going in the right direction. He was now out in the open and could see the boundary wall up ahead. The open field was much easier to run across so he sprinted up to the wall. He scanned it with his torch and spotted Jessica’s raincoat snagged on the razor wire. She had eluded them. Perhaps she volunteered for the territorial army in her spare time. He smiled, she was definitely a feisty one, they had underestimated her.

  There was nothing he could do about the raincoat now but he would get one of the team to remove it. She had probably been able to flag down a passing car on the main road. If she had called the police then they would have already arrived and he would have heard them. He phoned security on the main gate to alert them and to get them to remove the raincoat.

  Next he phoned Cole to update him about Jessica. Now he had his remaining tasks to complete. Instead of retracing his steps he followed the wall along to the gate and then walked up the main driveway back towards the Brensford Manor buildings.

  **

  Matt Pearson and his wife Emma were having dinner in an Italian restaurant in the town with Brett Chandler and his fiancée Annabelle. Since Matt and Emma’s son Toby was born, eating out had been a very rare occurrence but Emma’s mother was staying with them for a few days so she had offered to babysit and Toby was quite happy to be put to bed and be read stories by his Grandma.

  Most of the conversation had been about the company PersCure and its progress to date. Brett was also enthusing about his upcoming meeting in London the following evening. They had almost finished their meal when Emma brought up the subject of Brett and Annabelle’s wedding. ‘So, have you actually fixed the date yet?’

  ‘Certainly have, April 28th, so put it in your diary!’ said Annabelle proudly and she held Brett’s hand.

  ‘Great, we’ll be there, something to look forward to,’ replied Emma enthusiastically.

  ‘There is one thing I’ve been wanting to ask,’ said Brett.

  Matt and Emma waited expectedly.

  ‘Matt, will you be my best man?’

  Matt was shocked but pleasantly surprised. ‘I’d be honoured,’ he said and shook Brett’s hand. ‘But you better be prepared for a few embarrassing stories!’

  ‘Hmm,’ replied Brett, ‘I was worried you’d say that.’

  Matt felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and looked at the display as he was worried there was a problem with Toby. ‘It’s Polly Thomas, Nick’s wife, just a minute I’d better answer this.’ He swiped at the screen and said his name.

  ‘Matt, so sorry to call you in the evening, but I’m on my own at the hospital. I didn’t know who else to call, it’s awful..’ and she started to sob.

  ‘Polly, slow down, what on earth has happened?’

  ‘It’s Nick, he’s been beaten up, badly, he was attacked when leaving the university. He’s been kicked in the face and the ribs, oh God, oh God. It’s happened again! It’s just like last time!’

  ‘Listen, Polly, I’ll come up to the hospital, I’ll be with you in about fifteen minutes, OK? Persford General I assume?’

  ‘Yes, oh thank you, Matt, I’m so worried about him.’

  The rest of the party were naturally shocked. Brett insisted on going with Matt and Annabelle said she’d give Emma a lift home. Please God, he’ll be OK, thought Matt. I recommended him for the job and if he doesn’t recover I’ll feel responsible.

  **

  Warmed and comforted by the hot shower, Jessica felt able to tell Ruth about her ordeal. They were sitting next to each other on the sofa, Jessica had her legs tucked up underneath her. She took a deep breath and started to explain. ‘I think Dan has got in with some bad types, but I can’t tell you the full story at the moment.’

  ‘Yes, maybe Dan has but what happened to you?’

  ‘I need to discuss it all with Dan first and then I promise I will tell you.’

  Ruth shrugged and looked extremely unhappy at Jessica’s reticence.

  ‘Have you noticed anyone trying to break into my flat? Or hanging around in the street?’

  ‘What? Of course not, I would have heard something I’m sure. I wasn’t here on Monday but I worked from home yesterday.’

  ‘Have you seen Dan?’

  ‘Yes, he came back on Monday evening, just as I was going out. Yes, that’s right and he went out very early on Tuesday morning. I remember I peeped through the curtains as I wondered who it was at that time.’

  ‘What about today?’

  ‘No, I’ve not seen him today, sorry. He’s not been back this evening, I’m sure.’

  ‘Oh, God, they might have got him,’ said Jessica.

  ‘Who might have got him? You’re getting me worried!’

  ‘Listen, can I wait here until bedtime? I’ve got a memory that he might have a dinner at the University. He mentioned it last week but I can’t remember what evening it was.’

  ‘Well, sure you can stay here but why don’t you phone him? Here’s my mobile.’

  ‘No, I’ll wait, if they’ve got him then they might have seized his mobile. I don’t want to phone it. They might not know I’ve escaped yet.’

  ‘Escaped? From where? Jessica, you’re not making any sense. I think we need something stronger than tea. How about some red wine?’

  ‘Oh, alright, thanks, it might help to calm me down a bit.’

  So the two women sat drinking wine and watching the clock. Jessica was listening carefully to hear Dan’s return. She desperately hoped that they would soon be reunited.

  **

  Dan felt very depressed by the time the t
axi arrived. He’d chosen to wait in the lobby of the Senate House and he felt cold in just his suit. He wished he’d brought his outer jacket with him rather than leaving it in the chemistry department. He saw the recognisable white coloured car of the main Persford taxi company approaching the building and he went outside as it came to a halt by the steps.

  ‘Mr Lythgoe?’ said the taxi driver.’

  ‘Yes, seventeen Victoria Road, please,’ said Dan as he got into the back of the taxi.

  ‘So did you have a good evening sir?’

  ‘No I did not, it was crap,’ replied Dan.

  ‘Oh, sorry to hear that sir,’ replied the driver, taking this as a cue not to continue with the chit-chat. The traffic was light at this time of night and they made good time across the town. In less than ten minutes they were turning into Dan’s road. ‘Whereabouts is number seventeen sir?’

  ‘About half-way along on the right, you can pull in behind the blue car.’

  ‘OK, sir, good night, it’s on account of course. So sleep well.’

  Dan muttered goodnight and slammed the door of the taxi. He had his key at the ready as he climbed slowly up the stairs. He was dreading another night alone in his flat. He felt utterly dejected and he now knew his behaviour had been outrageous at the meal. He couldn’t understand what had come over him. He was used to having a little help from his trusty white powder but he’d never lost control like that before. It must have been all the pent-up stress of the last few days finally bursting free with devastating effect. He knew he would be in trouble the next day.

  He dragged himself up the stairs to his flat and unlocked his door. As he put his key in the lock he heard Ruth’s flat door open. He turned and almost fainted.

  ‘Hello, Dan,’ said Jessica and she rushed to embrace him.

  Chapter 40

  Matt drove to the hospital keeping his speed just a few miles per hour above the speed limit.

  ‘Won’t this car go any faster?’ asked Brett.

  ‘Look, I’ve had one accident on this stretch of road and I don’t want another, so keep quiet, will you?’