Chapter 19: Where’s Page
Zanders perspective:
Lined in my scope. The Lucifer looking fuck carries on with out a clue that his life lies in my hands.
More than a dozen times I’ve had him in my sights. More than a dozen times I have had opportune moments to finish it. But the not knowing pulls at my conscious. It takes everything I have not to pull the trigger. Until I know Page is safe I am at his mercy.
There’s a commotion in the penthouse. Clive is yelling at his goons in French again. Every once in a while he says a word in English. The sound of Pages name being mentioned puts me on full alert.
One of them hands Clive a phone. I can’t hear what the person on their other line is saying but Clive is furious.
Right then my phone buzzes.
John: Zander, there’s been accident.
At the exact moment Clive repeats almost to the letter what I respond to John with.
Zander: What do you mean an accident.
John: My guys tracked Page to a gas station. Cameras show her getting into a truck. The clerk said the guy she left with was a local named Frank a good guy.
There’s a long pause.
Zander: John
I can hear the fear in his voice.
John: The truck was found flipped in a ditch a few miles down the road.
It’s hard to hear John clearly. Clive is yelling again, something about where is she and more money. I mute the mics and try to grasp what John was saying.
John: The driver was shot execution.
Zander: And Page?
John: They found a bracelet. Matching one you gave her. The one with the train charm.
I have no idea how much more of this I can take. At this point I could easily just pull the fucking trigger and go hunt this trader down myself. I take a few deep breaths trying to compose my self.
Zander: So this guy David has her again.
John: His truck was seen on the video minutes after Page and this Frank guy left the station.
Zander: So not only did you put her in the hands of a trader but a killer.
John: Are you not one your self.
Zander: I don’t kill innocent people.
John: I don’t know how things are where you come from, but here in our military we have a brother code. This organization gave a lot of vets purpose when they felt they had none. Though In a sad truth, some of us never really come back from war, and sometimes even a brother you’ve stood beside for years can go past a point of no return.
Zander: Knowing that’s even a slight possibility you chose to put her life in the hands of someone she doesn’t know. How the hell did you even get her to go? I told her specifically to stay put till I took care of this.
John: I get that you’re angry,
Zander: You have no fucking clue. How did you get her to go.
John: I told her you donated money to the organization. Now god damn it will you listen.
Zander: Why the fuck would you....
John: Now you look here you smug prick. You have known Page a week, I helped raise her since she was 9 years old. Page is like a second daughter to me. So don’t think that you can continue to berate me more than I already do my self. In the end we both want the same thing. To get Page back safely.
He was right. All I want is to have Page back.
Zander: I think Clive is on the phone with your boy now.
I hung up and turn the mics back on. Catching the tail end of his conversation.
Clive: I will wire another 100 grand now and another 100 once you have delivered her to me tomorrow.
That piece of shit. I will kill them both. I dial back John.
Zander: The trader has her, he can’t be far. He’s expected to bring her to the penthouse tomorrow.
John: I’ll have my guys head your way then.
Zander: No. have them search the area. If they find him you call me immediately.
John: But if we know where he’s taking her we could be more help to you.
Zander: She could be hurt John? What if she doesn’t make it to tomorrow. What if this guy decides to take what he’s got and run.
John: You’re right.
Zander: And John if you’re guys do find him....
He interrupts me.
John: Not if I get to him first.
The line goes dead. I am left again in the silence of not knowing. Helpless as I watch the bastard retire to his bed.
I attempt to release my fears and anger through sparing with a construction beam. After several hours there’s another call from John.
John: They found Davids truck outside a cabin about 15 miles west of the gas station.
Zander: But he’s not there?
John: No.
Zander: So he’s still bringing her here.
John: If she’s still alive.
Zander: What do you mean if she’s still alive.
John: Zander, they found some bloody discarded women’s clothes and a near empty first aid kit.
Zander: She was in an accident John, maybe he allowed her to clean up and see to her wounds.
There’s an unnerving silence.
Zander: John
John: The place was pretty tore up like there was a struggle.
Zander: How long ago?
John: 20 minutes?
Zander: How far would you say it is to here.
John: 45 minutes maybe an hour. Sam and I are in route to you now.
I hang up feeling numb.
I’m not sure how long I stand there for. It’s not until the sun begins to rise revealing the early hours of dawn.
I take a moment to sit in a meditated like state clearing my mind while watching the fucker sleep like a king thinking he’s untouchable.
Think again fucker.
Lined in my scope. The Lucifer looking fuck carries on with out a clue that his life lies in my hands.
More than a dozen times I’ve had him in my sights. More than a dozen times I have had opportune moments to finish it. But the not knowing pulls at my conscious. It takes everything I have not to pull the trigger. Until I know Page is safe I am at his mercy.
There’s a commotion in the penthouse. Clive is yelling at his goons in French again. Every once in a while he says a word in English. The sound of Pages name being mentioned puts me on full alert.
One of them hands Clive a phone. I can’t hear what the person on their other line is saying but Clive is furious.
Right then my phone buzzes.
John: Zander, there’s been accident.
At the exact moment Clive repeats almost to the letter what I respond to John with.
Zander: What do you mean an accident.
John: My guys tracked Page to a gas station. Cameras show her getting into a truck. The clerk said the guy she left with was a local named Frank a good guy.
There’s a long pause.
Zander: John
I can hear the fear in his voice.
John: The truck was found flipped in a ditch a few miles down the road.
It’s hard to hear John clearly. Clive is yelling again, something about where is she and more money. I mute the mics and try to grasp what John was saying.
John: The driver was shot execution.
Zander: And Page?
John: They found a bracelet. Matching one you gave her. The one with the train charm.
I have no idea how much more of this I can take. At this point I could easily just pull the fucking trigger and go hunt this trader down myself. I take a few deep breaths trying to compose my self.
Zander: So this guy David has her again.
John: His truck was seen on the video minutes after Page and this Frank guy left the station.
Zander: So not only did you put her in the hands of a trader but a killer.
John: Are you not one your self.
Zander: I don’t kill innocent people.
John: I don’t know how things are where you come from, but here in our military we have a brother code. This organization gave a lot of vets purpose when they felt they had none. Though In a sad truth, some of us never really come back from war, and sometimes even a brother you’ve stood beside for years can go past a point of no return.
Zander: Knowing that’s even a slight possibility you chose to put her life in the hands of someone she doesn’t know. How the hell did you even get her to go? I told her specifically to stay put till I took care of this.
John: I get that you’re angry,
Zander: You have no fucking clue. How did you get her to go.
John: I told her you donated money to the organization. Now god damn it will you listen.
Zander: Why the fuck would you....
John: Now you look here you smug prick. You have known Page a week, I helped raise her since she was 9 years old. Page is like a second daughter to me. So don’t think that you can continue to berate me more than I already do my self. In the end we both want the same thing. To get Page back safely.
He was right. All I want is to have Page back.
Zander: I think Clive is on the phone with your boy now.
I hung up and turn the mics back on. Catching the tail end of his conversation.
Clive: I will wire another 100 grand now and another 100 once you have delivered her to me tomorrow.
That piece of shit. I will kill them both. I dial back John.
Zander: The trader has her, he can’t be far. He’s expected to bring her to the penthouse tomorrow.
John: I’ll have my guys head your way then.
Zander: No. have them search the area. If they find him you call me immediately.
John: But if we know where he’s taking her we could be more help to you.
Zander: She could be hurt John? What if she doesn’t make it to tomorrow. What if this guy decides to take what he’s got and run.
John: You’re right.
Zander: And John if you’re guys do find him....
He interrupts me.
John: Not if I get to him first.
The line goes dead. I am left again in the silence of not knowing. Helpless as I watch the bastard retire to his bed.
I attempt to release my fears and anger through sparing with a construction beam. After several hours there’s another call from John.
John: They found Davids truck outside a cabin about 15 miles west of the gas station.
Zander: But he’s not there?
John: No.
Zander: So he’s still bringing her here.
John: If she’s still alive.
Zander: What do you mean if she’s still alive.
John: Zander, they found some bloody discarded women’s clothes and a near empty first aid kit.
Zander: She was in an accident John, maybe he allowed her to clean up and see to her wounds.
There’s an unnerving silence.
Zander: John
John: The place was pretty tore up like there was a struggle.
Zander: How long ago?
John: 20 minutes?
Zander: How far would you say it is to here.
John: 45 minutes maybe an hour. Sam and I are in route to you now.
I hang up feeling numb.
I’m not sure how long I stand there for. It’s not until the sun begins to rise revealing the early hours of dawn.
I take a moment to sit in a meditated like state clearing my mind while watching the fucker sleep like a king thinking he’s untouchable.
Think again fucker.
