NICHOLAI
“It’s possible I’m being watched,” the man, with a heavy Greek accent tells me as I find myself falling against the wall once I exit the elevator. My hand grips the phone as if it’s a lifeline. “We should meet someplace discreet. You have any ideas?”
“There’s a café we could meet at. You sit at one table and I’ll sit at the one behind you. We can talk without anyone knowing we’re meeting at all. I’ll change my clothes and wear a hat and sunglasses so I mix in with the crowd,” I tell him. “I’ll text you the address. Is she okay?” I close my eyes as I wait for his answer.
“She is okay. She misses you more than you can comprehend, though.”
I can comprehend it. I also miss her that much. “I have to change. I’ll send you the information. And, thank you.”
We end the call and I feel a weight of emotion fall on top of me like an avalanche. Hurrying to the bathroom, I find myself crying as I open the door and lock it behind me.
She’s okay!
And she’s sent someone to me. I’ll have her in my arms again soon!
My knees are weak and I lean against the wall again to support myself. I don’t recall the last time I cried. I was a small boy, I think. Many times, I’ve felt like crying with her gone but now the tears are flowing from my eyes all on their own.
Heaving my body off the wall, I move to wash my face in the sink. Tossing water over it, I feel a bit better. Then it hits me that I’m wasting precious time and my tears halt.
Wiping my face with a paper towel to dry it, I then hurry out of the bathroom and make my way to a little clothing shop not far from the building my shrink’s office is in.
Changing inside the store is the best idea. I will emerge as a different man. If I am being followed, surely they will not think it’s me. I hope this works!
The store is on the right and I slip inside of it. The door chimes when one enters the store. As I make my way to the outdoor clothing part of the store, I listen to hear if anyone comes in directly after me. That would signal that I am being followed.
Not hearing anything, I hurry to find a set of sweat pants and a hooded shirt to go with it. I find some dark sunglasses and running shoes too. As I walk toward the counter to pay, I notice a shaving set and pick it up too.
I’ve let my beard grow out and if I shave it off, it’ll further distract from my usual appearance. The clerk rings my purchases up and I take them in the bag he placed them in and make my way to the bathroom I saw in the back of the store.
It’s a private one, so I lock myself inside and change and shave, stuffing my suit and shoes into the bag. Running my hand over my now clean-shaven face, I put on the sunglasses and pull the hood up on the sweatshirt.
I pass the clerk to see if he says anything that tells me I’m still recognizable as the man he just waited on. He watches me pass by then says, “Did you need to make a return, sir?”
“Huh?” I ask as I stop.
He points to the bag. “Did you bring in a return?”
Then I see he doesn’t recognize me and it makes me smile. “No, thanks anyway. I’ve changed my mind. I’ll keep the clothes. Bye.”
Wiping the smile off my face so I don’t draw any attention to myself, I put an emotionless expression on and head out the door. Moving swiftly, I make my way to the café to meet with the man who knows where my Natasha is.
The café comes up soon and I text the man I am to meet, ‘Are you at the café yet?’
He texts back, ‘I am. I am wearing a red baseball hat and am sitting at the back of the café. There’s an empty seat right behind me.’
Opening the door, I spot the red hat and head toward the back of the café. It’s one where you place an order up front and the person at the counter greets me, “What can I get for you today, sir?”
I stop so I don’t look so obvious that I’m here merely to meet someone. “How about a bottle of water and one cookie. Chocolate chip. Just a little snack, not very hungry.”
She nods and hands me the things and I swipe my card to pay for them. Then I head to the back of the café and take the seat behind the man. “I am Nic,” I say as I sit with my back to his back.
“And so am I,” he says. “Your woman is in need of your help to get her out of captivity.”
“She’s being held against her will?” The idea makes me furious at her father. How could he do that to his own daughter?
“She is. She is being well cared for, though. I had a very hard time making my way to get to you. It took every dime I had just to fly here. She told me you would help me in the financial department if I could get you to her. Is that so?” he asks me.
For a brief moment, I feel uneasy about the man. But then I quickly realize even if I simply lose money to the man it’s still worth the gamble to get her back.
“I will reward you greatly for this. Tell me where she is and I’ll go and get her,” I say as I tap the water bottle on the table with a nervousness I’ve never felt the likes of before.
“It won’t be that easy. She’s locked away very well. I’ve tried myself to get her out of the castle but have been blocked each time. That’s when she asked me to come to America to get you.”
“She’s in a castle in another country?” I ask as I find a rage building inside me against her father.
“She is in Greece. Thessaloniki to be exact. Her room is at the top of an abandoned castle. The window has a wooden shutter that can be opened. You just need to figure out how you will get her out of it,” he says.
“That’s the only way for her to get out?” I ask as I rack my brain as to what I can do to get her free. “And how far up are we talking?”
“I’m not good with that concept. It’s at the top of a freaking huge castle. Take a guess,” he says with an exaggerated huff.
“I need something that will allow me to get up to her without being seen. Is it hard to get on the grounds, undetected?” I ask as I’m sure it must be.
“Very,” he says, reinforcing my thought. “I might be able to sneak you in at night. To the grounds I mean. I can’t sneak you into the castle. There are people watching that entrance all the time. There is only one way in and out.”
“A commercial flight is just about the best way to get to Greece. If I take my jet, they’ll know I’m onto her and her father will move her before I can get there,” I tell him. “I’ll set up tickets for tomorrow. You can go to a small hotel, I’ll pay for, for the night. I’m going to leave a thousand dollars on the table. Pick it up, quickly. This is New York and people are quick to grab what’s not nailed down, especially cash. Stay out of sight as much as possible. I’ll call you with all of the information”
“I look forward to hearing from you. And for what it’s worth, she never let me touch her. She said she belonged only to you, Nic.”
Taking the cash from my money clip, I sigh as I hear what he’s said. It stirs me deeply. She’s waiting for me. She knows I am the man for her. Then it hits me as to why he’d say such a thing. “Why would that even come up?”
“Her doctor sent me to have sex with her. To get her over you. I had to give her ecstasy for three days straight and was locked in the room with her all that time. And she never allowed me to touch her. It was rough on the poor girl. I can promise you that. But I never laid a hand on her, other than making her take the pills. The doctor saw it wasn’t working and took me out of there. But she told me all about you and her while we were trapped in that room. It broke my heart that anyone would tear you two apart.”
“It broke mine too. But as soon as I find her, it will be healed again. Thank you, Nic. I’ll be in touch very soon. And you will get an enormous reward once I have her safely in my arms.” Placing the money on the table, I get up and leave.
My mind is racing with the great news and I find myself jogging down the sidewalk as I pull my phone out and call my driver to pick me up in a nearby alley so no one will see me getting into the car.
I will have her soon and everything will be okay again!