Until Nico

by Aurora Rose Reynolds

  I jerk up my chin and start pulling on the baggie scrubs over my clothes and then slip the shoe covers over my boots before taking a seat. I don’t know how long I’m in that room alone, but I know I pray more in that time than I have in my whole life.

  “Sir, you can come with me.” I look up to see the nurse standing in the doorway. I get to my feet and follow her out of the room, down a well-lit corridor. “Now, when we get in there, you need to stay near her head unless instructed differently.”

  I nod and follow her the rest of the way in silence. Once we reach the end of the hall, she grabs my arm and leads me into the room. Everyone is moving around quickly while people yell back and forth to each other around her. When my eyes land on Sophie, my stomach drops. She’s lying on her back, her head the only thing I can see. Her hair is covered, and they are getting ready to put an oxygen mask over her face. I pull my arm free from the nurse and go to her.

  “Hey, baby.” I bend down, breathing her in.

  “You’re here,” she croaks out.

  “Nowhere else I would want to be.”

  “All right, Mr. and Mrs. Mayson. Are you guys ready to have some babies?”

  I look across the blanket at the doctor, whose cheerfulness relieves a little bit of the claustrophobic tension that’s been building inside me since I heard Goose barking.

  “You ready, baby?” I run a finger down her cheek. She nods and closes her eyes. “We’re ready when you are,” I tell the doctor.

  “Then let’s get started,” he says before disappearing behind the curtain.

  The nurse comes back over, bringing a rolling chair for me to sit on. I thank her and put my face near Sophie’s.

  “All right, you’re gonna feel some pressure, Sophie,” I hear the doctor say above the beeping of the monitors.

  “You okay, baby?”

  “Yeah.” She nods, squeezing her eyes closed.

  “There we are! We’ve got baby number one,” the doctor says happily.

  I want to stand and look over the curtain when a loud cry fills the room, but instead, I sit there, not breathing, holding Sophie’s hand.

  “Okay, Mom and Dad, baby number one is a girl.” I smile down into Sophie’s face, quickly drying the tears starting to fall from her eyes.

  “Just a quick hi so I can get her cleaned up,” the nurse says, bringing our daughter over to us.

  “She’s perfect,” I whisper to Sophie, looking at our little girl, seeing her cute little face and headful of dark hair.

  “Let’s go get you cleaned up,” the nurse coos before taking her away.

  “You’re doing great, baby.” I smile down at Sophie, so fucking proud of her.

  “Okay, Mom and Dad, we’ve got baby number two, and she is a pretty girl as well! I’ll let you see her after I have her checked over,” the doctor says.

  “Two girls.” I laugh, looking down at Sophie, who looks worried. “You did great, baby.”

  “Rr-ee.”

  “What?” I ask before pulling the mask away from her face so I can hear what she’s saying.

  “I’m worried.”

  “Everything’s okay, baby. You and the girls are okay.” I kiss her before putting her mask back in place and smoothing her hair away from her face.

  “Two girls… Can you believe that?” I ask her, shaking my head. I certainly can’t.

  I smile when I see a small one forming on Sophie’s face, and I’m so happy to see that smile again. At that moment, a second cry fills the room, forcing me to let out a long breath. All three of my girls are alive and healthy; nothing would ever matter as much as that.

  “See, baby? They’re already showing off. Listen to those lungs.”

  “Okay, girl number one is four pounds and seven ounces and seventeen inches long. Girl number two is four pounds and three ounces and sixteen inches long,” one of the nurses yells from across the room.

  “They’re so small,” I whisper and watch across the room as a nurse puts one of the babies in an incubator.

  “Why are they putting her in that?” I ask, my heart starting to pound.

  “Her O2 level’s a little low, but that machine will help bring it up.”

  “Are they both okay?”

  “Twin number one is doing great, and twin number two needs oxygen but looks great otherwise,” the doctor says, calming me.

  “Baby”—I look down at Sophie—“we really need to give them names. I think they may get upset with us if we refer to them as twin numbers one and two for the rest of their lives,” I tell her, trying to change the look of worry I see in her eyes.

  I move the mask away from her face again, and she answers, “Willow and Harmony.”

  “Those are perfect.” I kiss her forehead.

  “Are you mad you didn’t get a boy?” she asks with genuine concern.

  “How could I be mad when I have two beautiful girls?”

  “I can’t wait to hold them,” she says softly.

  “Me either.”

  *~*~*

  I look down at my daughter, Harmony, who’s been sleeping quietly in my arms for the last hour. Her sister, Willow, is still in ICU being monitored. They said that it’s just a precaution; they were worried about her oxygen levels. I’m willing to do whatever is necessary for her to get healthy so I can take all my girls home. Sophie is still out of it from the drugs they gave her for the C-section. She’s been asleep since they brought her into this room.

  I look over at Sophie and can’t believe that it was just a few hours ago I was worried out of my mind, not knowing if she or the babies were going to be okay. After Sophie was brought into the room, I went out and saw my family to let them all know that she and the babies were doing great and I would call them the next day when they could come by for a visit. They were all worried, and as much as I wanted them to meet my girls, I didn’t want anyone near them yet.

  “How is she?” I look up from Harmony’s sleeping face to her mom’s beautiful eyes.

  “Perfect.”

  “And Willow?” Her voice cracks, and I hate that she’s upset.

  “She’s fine, baby. The doctor said she should be in here with us by tomorrow morning. They just want to monitor her for now.”

  “Can I hold her?”

  “Of course you can. Let me lay her down so I can help you.” I carry Harmony over to her bed before going to Sophie to help her sit up, adjusting the bed and pillows around her. Once she’s comfortable, I bring her Harmony and watch as tears fill her eyes.

  “She is perfect.” Her eyes meet mine, and this time, they’re smiling.

  “She is, and so is her sister.”

  “I can’t wait to have both of them with us,” she whispers.

  “Soon, baby.”

  “I can’t believe how much I love them already.” She traces a line down the center of the baby’s tiny nose. I nod; I can’t talk with the tears clogging my throat.

  We stay close the rest of the night, and the next morning, when they bring Willow in, I lose it completely. Seeing my wife holding each of my girls to her breast while they feed is a moment I will never forget. I can’t believe how perfect my family is. My girls are both gorgeous. Harmony has dark-brown hair like her mother, and Willow’s hair is dark blond like mine. We won’t know what color their eyes are for a while, but I pray they’re brown with golden flecks like Sophie’s.

  “I want you to sleep for a while, baby. I’m gonna have a nurse help me take the girls out to meet everyone while you rest.”

  “They can come in here,” she says quietly, looking down at the girls, who are both sleeping.

  “No way, baby-mama. You need your rest, and I know if we stay in here, you won’t sleep.”

  “I don’t want to miss anything,” she complains with a pout.

  I smile then bend forward, kissing her. “I won’t let you miss anything. They’ll probably sleep the whole time anyways.”

  “Okay, but if they smile or do anything cute, you need to take a picture.�
�

  “Promise.” I press the call button for the nurse so she can help me take the girls to see my family.

  I carry Harmony while the nurse carries Willow into the waiting room. Everyone is excited to see both of our girls, but with the babies being so small and Sophie being out of my sight, I want to get them back to the room as fast as possible. I don’t know how I’m going to stand going back to work. I don’t even like to think about not seeing them for any length of time.

  “Where’s your wife?” the nurse asks when we walk into the room.

  I look at the bed expecting to see Sophie there, and it takes a second to realize that she’s not in bed. The blankets are half on the floor, and the bed they brought in for the girls is pushed to the side. My heart starts slamming into my ribcage when I see that the bathroom door is open, letting me know that Sophie isn’t in there either. I walk to the bed, pressing the call button before pulling out my cell phone and calling Kenton.

  “We’re just getting in my car. You need me to bring you something?” he asks as soon as he picks up.

  “Sophie’s not in the room. I need you back in here. Now,” I tell him, trying to stay calm. Something isn’t right.

  “What do you mean she’s not in the room?”

  “Exactly what I just said. Get back in here now.” I hang up.

  “Did you need something?” a second nurse wearing bright pink scrubs asks, stepping into the room.

  “Do you know where my wife is?” I ask, not wanting to hear the word ‘no’ come out of her mouth.

  “She’s not here?” she asks, looking at the nurse holding Willow then around the room before walking into the bathroom and turning on the light.

  “Get security for me,” I growl impatiently.

  “Yes, of course,” she mumbles, looking worried. She leaves the room, and I look down at Harmony then over at Willow.

  “Anything?” Kenton asks, coming into the room.

  “I’m waiting for security to get here before I go look for her myself. Do me a favor and take Willow.” I motion for him to take my daughter from the nurse, and he does immediately. “Go check and see what’s going on with security,” I tell the nurse, and she nods, leaving the room quickly.

  “We’ll find her,” Kenton says with conviction, looking down at Willow.

  “I know.” There isn’t any other option.

  I know that, wherever Sophie is, she’s scared, and it’s fucking with my head. I’ve made sure since we got together that she always felt safe. Knowing that she just had emergency surgery to have our daughters and is still recovering is only making my anxiety heighten.

  It takes about five minutes for security to show up, and once there, they tell me that the nurse explained what’s going on. They’ve put the hospital on lockdown and are searching for Sophie.

  I take a second to call my mom to let her know that I need her here and to bring Dad. As soon as they arrive, I give her Harmony and Willow and a strict instruction to not leave the room for any reason. I leave her and Dad in the room, along with a guard at the door, and follow the head of security down the hall to the security office. Once there, we go into a small room holding the CCTVs. An older gentleman with short white hair is sitting in front of the screens, playing back a video from the camera in front of the room Sophie was in.

  “You find anything yet, Charlie?”

  “Not yet. Still looking,” the guy mumbles.

  I watch the screen as well, trying to catch a glimpse of anything out of the ordinary. Five minutes into the video, I’m ready to start breaking shit. I need to be out looking, but I know this is the first step in the process. I watch the video of me leaving the room with the nurse and heading to the waiting area, taking my girls to meet our family. About two minutes after we leave the room, a guy wearing a long doctor’s coat and pushing a wheelchair enters Sophie’s room. He’s facing away from the camera, so I can’t see what he looks like, but I feel bile in the back of my throat as I watch him enter the room. I don’t know what happens when he is in there alone with her, but I do know I will find and kill him. About four minutes after he enters her room, I watch as he leaves, pushing a passed-out Sophie in the wheelchair, and I finally see who the fuck it is.

  Rage fills me when I see that the man pushing the chair is the same man who’s had a hard-on for Sophie since she started working at the school. David goes out of camera-view before reappearing in the next shot. He pushes Sophie casually down three halls before wheeling her out of the front door of the hospital. My body is literally shaking with adrenalin. I cannot imagine what he wants with her or how he even found out she was here.

  “I know who that is. I’m gonna call Justin and tell him what I know about this guy to see if he can lead us to where he lives or where he might have her.”

  “Who is it?” Kenton asks.

  “He worked with her.”

  “Why would he take her?”

  “He wants her. He’s had a thing for her since she started working at the school,” I growl.

  “Call Justin,” Kenton says as I pull my phone out of my pocket, putting it to my ear.

  “Hidee-ho, Ranger Joe,” Justin answers in his usual chipper voice.

  “Cut the shit,” I snap, running a hand through my hair. “I need everything you can get on a guy named David who works at the same school Sophie did.”

  “You got a last name?” Justin asks, his voice now all business. I guess he must hear the seriousness in my tone.

  “I think it’s Rasmussen, but I’m not sure,” I mumble, hating that I didn’t dig into the fucker when I should have.

  “Give me five and I’ll call you back with everything I find.”

  “Thanks,” I say, hanging up. “Justin’s on it. He said five, so let’s be ready to roll when he gets back to me.” Kenton nods, and we head outside just as the cops start to show up. “Look, I’m gonna call Leo and fill him in on what’s going on. I don’t what the local PD in on this right now.”

  “Agreed. Too much red tape,” Kenton mumbles, typing something into his cell.

  I dial Leo’s number once I reach to the truck, and he answers on the second ring.

  “Nico?” He sounds tired.

  “Yeah, man. Look, I don’t have a lot of time because I’ve got a call coming in, but I’m going to need backup from your boys.”

  “What’s going on?” I can tell my words have woken him up and piqued his interest.

  “Sophie went missing from the hospital”—I pull my phone away from my ear, looking at the time—“twenty minutes ago. I got footage of the guy that took her. I need you to be ready to roll when I text you the info my man sends me.”

  “Shit,” he growls, and I can tell he’s up and moving. “Hit me back when you got something. Do you know who we’re looking for?”

  “Yeah, man. A guy Sophie worked with at the school. His name is David, and I think his last name is Rasmussen. He must have been watching her for a while.”

  “Fuck. All right. I’ll get the guys rounded up. As soon as you know where you want us, text me.”

  “Thanks.” I hang up with him just as Justin calls.

  “Go,” I say, opening the door to my car.

  “His address is 382 Donner Street in Springhill. It says he has another house over on Commerce in the same area. His background is pulling up all kinds of fucked-up shit, man. He was married twice, and both times, his wives went missing. The first one was when he was nineteen and his wife was eighteen, and they had dated throughout high school. The second wife was when he was twenty-eight and she was twenty-three. She went missing a year after they got married. He was suspect number one in each case, but the police couldn’t find any evidence.”

  “Jesus.”

  “That’s not all,” he says, and my gut goes fucking tight. I can’t imagine anything worse than what he just told me.

  “What?”

  “Seems he moves around a lot.”

  “And?” I prompt.

  “Each pla
ce he has lived, there have been women who come up missing, and not long after they go missing does he move from the area.”

  “Fuck,” I roar. That sick fuck has my woman. She’s still recovering from the C-section she just had, and he fucking has her when she’s in no state to fight back.

  “Go get her, man,” Justin, says before hanging up.

  I look at Kenton, giving him a silent signal to get into the car.

  “Talk to me,” he says as soon as I hit the gas.

  I don’t know what to say; I don’t want to say out loud the fucked-up shit I just heard.

  “We’re going to get her back,” he says, filling the silence. I pray he’s right; I can’t imagine having a life where there’s no Sophie in it.

  “The guy who took her has a history of women disappearing,” I choke out, feeling bile crawl up the back of my throat.

  “Fuck,” Kenton clips.

  “I need you to call Leo and have him go to the second address Justin gave me. Tell him about his history and let him know I want that fucker dead.”

  “If he doesn’t get taken out by one of us tonight, the second he’s in jail, he’s dead,” Kenton mutters.

  I know he has that kind of power, has people everywhere who owe him. I want that. Either way, the motherfucker’s gonna die for even looking at Sophie.

  *~*~*

  I stoop, making my way in front of one window then another until I’m at the back of the house. I can hear arguing from inside, and I signal for Kenton to follow. I take three steps, my back hitting the wall near the back door before I turn the handle. It clicks open, and I lift my Glock, pressing the door open with it. I search both ways while stepping into the kitchen. I hear Kenton behind me as we scope out the first two rooms we come to.

  “It’s all clear down here,” he whispers.

  I nod then point up the stairs. We make our way to the top, and there are two doors; one has a light penetrating from the bottom of it. I gesture to it with a tilt of my gun, and Kenton signals over his shoulder to the door behind him. He cautiously opens it to find it empty, and then I lean forward, trying to hear anything from inside the lit room. I hear two male voices and a whimper.