Chloe
I was bundled into a small space. I had no idea where I was. The sack was removed from my head.
Oh. I’m in the trunk of a car. Great.
The door slammed shut and the space became airless. I fought against panic and claustrophobia.
An image of Axel came into my mind. I calmed myself with slow, steady breathing. Thinking of his large hands protectively at my waist, his rough skin against mine.
I felt a wave of calm wash over me.
The sound of the car’s engine chugging to life reached me in the trunk. I tried to relax and get comfortable, which was fucking difficult.
I vowed to myself that this would be the first and last time I ever travelled in the trunk of a car.
As my captors drove quickly, and none too considerately, I distracted myself with thoughts of Axel, and our activities the night before…
Axel
I left the building by the fire escape, my newly acquired gun hidden down the back of my black combat pants. I kept my left hand on the grip as I sprinted into a nearby dark alleyway, eyes left and right as I crossed the road outside the hotel.
No sign of anyone.
Guess they thought one unarmed guy couldn’t beat an armed ex-KGB assassin? Wrong. Then again, this is the first time they’ve dealt with Axel Miller.
It will also be the last.
I slowed my stride into a jog, breathing deeply as I paced myself, long strides eating up the dirty tarmac beneath my feet.
I had memorised my Prague contact’s number. I decided to jog for a few minutes before finding a payphone. I doubted that I was being followed now they had Chloe. My last advantage was their arrogance. They would pay dearly for assuming I was a dead man.
My mind focused, thoughts pushed aside. I began planning my attack, and I let my brain process the details as I ran. I formulated a rough plan as I jogged, which I would later perfect when I knew details.
Location. Numbers. Weapons at my disposal.
After a brief stop at an ATM and then a small store to get a can of coke and some chocolate, both for instant energy and to get some change, I found an old payphone.
Luckily it was still working.
I dialled the number from memory, breathing steadily. The run had cleared my mind, loosened my muscles and I felt my lungs increasing in volume. I felt good.
The phone rang for a few seconds before a click as it was answered. And then silence.
“It’s me. I need some help. I’m calling in that favour, right?”
A voice protested at the other end of the phone. Something about I didn’t know how bad these guys were.
“I don’t give a shit! Remember what Jean-Jacques said? Tell me what I need to fucking know. Now!”
I heard fear in his voice as he gave me the location. An old abandoned farmhouse out of the city. Not far. He paused, then reeled off a few details about Chloe’s captors, and Jean’s whereabouts.
I wonder what Jean had said to him? He’s more scared of him than he is the Russians.
“Right. Last favour. I need guns. And a big fucking knife.” I looked around at the blazing afternoon sun around me. “And some fucking sunglasses.”
He gave me a location not far from where I was. He said one his guys would meet me there. I warned him not to fuck with me. That the consequences would be catastrophic.
I doubted he would be so stupid.
Chloe
The car stopped about half an hour later, I guessed, though I had no idea of the time. I had bumped my head often during the undignified transit, and was slightly bruised and disheartened. The trunk opened suddenly, low afternoon sun blinding me. The bag was unceremoniously placed back into my head as I was pulled roughly out.
I could no longer hear the noise of the city, however, and guessed we were out in the suburbs. Or maybe the countryside.
I struggled to suppress rising fear. Axel was resourceful, but how would he know where I was?
What if he hadn’t made it? What if he was…
Steeling myself, I pushed the thought away angrily. I had to keep faith in him. It was the only way I could keep my strength. I didn’t want to turn into a gibbering wreck. I needed to keep my wits about me if I was to help Axel in any small way I could. Even if it was just by staying safe and unharmed.
I was half dragged, half carried hurriedly across grass. I heard a door squeak open in front of me, and I was pushed roughly from behind.
Probably Mr. Broken Nose. Hope it still fucking hurts.
I was taken up a flight of stairs, and the bag was removed. I recognised my kidnappers. The guy whose nose I’d broken stared at me viciously. He approached, turning me roughly on my feet. I was facing a mean-looking Russian or Eastern European sitting on a plush office chair. It looked out of place in the dirty room that surrounded us.
Looks like an old abandoned building. House, or farm maybe.
The guy with the broken nose raised his arm as if to give me a back handed slap. The guy in the chair rose his arm. Broken Nose froze in fear.
“Do not fucking touch her, you fucking idiot.” He rose to his feet. He was massive, well over six foot. Lean, not as muscled as Axel.
He walked forward, and poked the guy hard on his broken nose.
I laughed, amazed at myself. I was no longer afraid. It wasn’t in their interest to harm me. Not yet, anyway.
Plus they’re all dead men walking.
The leader turned to face me, amused. Then he looked back at his bleeding henchman.
“You have already been fucking stupid once today. You let a little girl break your nose.” He laughed. The other guys in the room joined in.
His face went dark.
“If you are stupid once more today, I will feed you to the fucking dogs. And I will let her kill you.” He jerked a thumb my way.
“Now, Miss. Please excuse my men. They are stupid. They know how to fight, and that’s it. I, however, will be civilized. If you are respectful, you will not be in danger. I have food, water, and a bed for you. You will not be touched. I will not allow any harm to come to you… as long as your father and I can… come to an arrangement.”
He raised his eyebrows, smiling.
“OK?”
I looked up at his menacing face. He tried to put on a soft expression, but didn’t look much less scary. I nodded.
He gently removed the tape from my mouth.
I smiled. “That would be nice, thank you. I promise to be good, sir.”
I looked down at my hands and feet. “If we are to trust each other, can I be untied, please? My arms and legs hurt.”
He snapped a finger at his men. They complied, cutting the tape gently, taking great care not to cause me any discomfort.
“Now, Miss. Please do not get used to making demands. I am fair, but my patience is short. This request I grant as a sign that we can be respectful to each other.”
He gestured at a large mattress in the corner of the room. A handcuff was attached to a radiator behind the bed.
“Please, make yourself comfortable. But please, do not try anything. I do not want to have to chain you up like a dog. You are too beautiful for that.”
I felt sick at his gaze as he unashamedly ogled my breasts through my thin blouse.
I walked over to the bed and sat down. I took a long mouthful from a sealed bottle of mineral water that was next to the pillow.
The leader pointed to one of his men. “Vladimir. You are not to leave this room unless I am here. You are to keep this girl safe. If any of the idiots so much as goes near her, you are to kill them. Understand?”
The man named Vladimir nodded, and dragged a plastic chair over towards me, facing outwards from the wall behind him. He sat down, arms crossed.
The leader approached me.
“Vladimir is my voice when I am not here. He is not stupid like the others, and understands the importance of our… negotiation. He is my most trusted man, and he will not allow the other idiots near you.”
He paused, thoughtfully. “Please, if Vladimir tells you to do something, please do it. Thank you.”
He turned on his heel. “I have business to attend to. I will leave you for a while. Please try and relax.”
He pointed to one of his men, shouting in Russian. The guy shook his head. The leader screamed angrily, his hand reaching for a mobile phone. He dialled a number and waited. No answer. He threw the phone at his men, who flinched. They looked down at their feet, mumbling something I couldn’t understand.
Well I guess their assassin didn’t get on very well. I fucking hope that’s what they’re talking about. Come on Axel, stay focused.
The leader left the room with one of his henchmen in tow, following along like a trained dog.
The other two stood at the door. Hands down by their sides.
I imagined Axel sneaking up to the building, a gun in each hand as he crawled silently through the grass. I smiled.
Axel
I’d met the contact not long after finishing the telephone conversation, following the directions I’d been given. True to his word, a hard-looking guy wearing dark aviator sunglasses was standing on the corner of the street, nonchalant. I was amused to see he was holding an ex-army issue duffel bag.
He didn’t look up as I approached. He passed me the sunglasses and I put them on. I swung the bag over my shoulder in one deft movement. I hadn’t stopped walking, and the exchange was smooth.
I continued on my way down the street. The weight of the bag on my shoulder was comforting.
If these guys betray me, or the guns don’t fire, they’ll be next.
I’d done some work for my contact many years ago, had found a target for him who had fled to the USA. Turned out this guy was planning a counter attack, and I had stopped it dead in it its tracks. I had waited to call this favour in, never forgetting. You never knew when it would come in handy.
My contact knew how mean I could be. How good I was. He wouldn’t dare fuck with me.
I pondered the dilemma of how to get near Chloe’s captors without detection. The hotel was a no-go, the place was too hot. And the car was recognisable.
I could go back to the airport and hire a car, but that was too risky. They probably had eyes there, and would be sending people out soon to look for me, when they realised their comrade was leaking his brains out on the floor of the hotel.
Settling on a plan, I found a large department store. I walked around the block a few times, doubling back on myself. Still no tail. But I needed to hurry. The store was large enough for anonymity, and I entered the front door in a hurry. I quickly grabbed some clothes to change into, heading to the changing room to try them out.
Once inside, I opened the duffel bag to check the contents.
There was a .44 magnum revolver, big, reliable and heavy. A smaller 9mm pistol sat next to it. A couple boxes of ammo sat at the bottom of the bag. I was pleased to see a bolt action rifle, partially disassembled to fit in the bag. A simple, medium ranged hair sight scope was attached. All three guns were fully loaded.
I checked the safeties were all on, pleased to find they had been clicked in place on the pistols. The rifle didn’t have a bullet in the chamber.
The rifle only had one clip, with no spare ammo. Five .308 bullets, accurate and with plenty of stopping power. Only five, but enough to take down a few targets that were stupid enough to show their heads at any windows.
Finally, a wickedly sharp combat knife nestled next to the revolver, in a tough rubber sheath.
I purchased the change of clothes, and left the store quickly. Now, for Stage 2.
A quick walk took me on a winding route. I still wasn’t being followed. I found a quiet-looking bar end entered, quickly ordering a whiskey. The effects of the few drinks I’d had earlier were faded, and I needed focus. One large whiskey would do the job.
I downed it as quickly as it arrived, nodding at the bartender and passing him some money. I quickly changed in the grimy bathroom, throwing my old clothes into the trash can. I neatly tore a few strips off of my old t-shirt with my combat knife before discarding the shredded debris.
Makeshift bandages. Just in case.
I stuffed the strips of cloth into the side pocket of my recently purchased camouflage-style combat pants. A plain, tight, grey green t shirt adorned my torso, my massive muscles bulging through the thin fabric.
At least camouflage is still cool, sorta. Should help me approach unnoticed.
I quickly washed my face and slicked my hair back. With my change of clothes and glasses, I hoped I would be a little harder to recognise during my escape from the city. I took a deep breath and left the bathroom, exiting the bar quickly.
I jumped in a taxi, the driver looking at me eagerly as I entered.
I gave him a location near where I needed to be, a couple miles down the road from the farmhouse. I had decided on jogging the last few miles. It would be easy to sneak up on the house from there. The generously donated sniper scope would help, too.
I sat back in the rear of the taxi as we sped off. I quickly ate the chocolate bar and downed the coke as we neared our destination. I closed my eyes, breathing methodically. In my mind's eye I visualised Chloe, scared, alone. I allowed myself a brief moment of weakness as I remembered the intense emotion I’d felt as we’d spent the evening together. The memories were distant already, faded by rage and adrenaline.
Ain’t gonna let the girl go when she’s safe. She’s mine now. I need her.