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Full of Grace
I paced the floors of the cabin. I was worried about Nick, I was worried
about Aaron and Jane, I was worried about what would happen to any of them
if Stefanie got to them. I rubbed my lips unconsciously. If anything
happened to anyone else that was important to me.....I shook my head, I
didn't want to think about it.
Nick let out a small cheer of victory as he saw the cutoff for the airport.
Swinging his car off of the freeway, he looked at his watch. "Dammit!
They've already landed! Please just let me get to them, please!"
After another fifteen minutes of weaving in and out of lanes to get to the
terminal where they would be landing, and he finally ran into the terminal.
He looked up at the arrivals screen and saw the gate where they had come in
and took off for it, dodging luggage and people in an effort to get there as
fast as he could. He clutched the tickets he had arranged for Aaron and
Jane, he had to get them out of here and fast and then he had to get back to
Kevin. He didn't like leaving him there at the cabin by himself. He was a
sitting duck if somehow Stefanie had tracked them.
He rounded the corner and saw his mother and brother standing there. His
steps faltered. They did not look happy to see him, no they looked downright
terrified. He stopped and looked them both over very carefully. Then he
noticed the black object poking in the back of Aaron's neck. His blood ran
cold. It was a gun. There was no mistaking that. His mother shifted forward
a little and a figure slid out from behind her. He saw the blonde hair and
his breath caught in his throat.
It was Stefanie. His worst nightmare was coming true. He looked in Aaron's
eyes and saw the terror there. He wondered where their bodyguard was. His
eyes flicked around the VIP waiting room and saw what looked like a large
business man slumped asleep behind his newspaper. He knew those legs. It
was Biscuit, the bodyguard, and he knew despite appearances, he was not
sleeping. He had to swallow hard not to throw up then and there.
His eyes flicked back front and center when he saw Aaron's head bob forward
and a startled whimper leave his lips. Stefanie was moving them forward,
towards him. When the stopped, they were face to face. Stefanie smiled at
him, "Nice of you to join us, Nick. I want to thank you for letting me use
your house, without your help none of this would have been possible. You
really need to keep important addresses and phone numbers somewhere safe
where not just anyone can get ahold of them."
Nick flinched. His office. It had everything in there, the guys addresses,
phone numbers, security codes for the alarms, everything. He felt the blood
drain from his body, because of his carelessness his friends had been put in
danger. Because of his carelessness, AJ was in the hospital. Because of
his carelessness, his brother had a gun pointed at the back of his head. He
found his voice, "What will it take for you to let them go, Stefanie?"
She smiled, "Right to the point, huh? I like that. Very direct. The answer
is very simple, Kevin. He's mine and you seem to have taken him away from
me, I would like him back."
Nick had to force a shudder back, she was so calm, like she was asking for a
happy meal. He looked Stefanie in the eye, "My mother and Aaron have to be
on a plane in ten minutes, Stefanie, he is expected on Jay Leno tonight. If
he's not there, the whole nation is going to know something is wrong and so
are the police, Stefanie. You don't want the police looking for you, do
you? They'll send you back there, Stefanie, and I don't think you want
that. See that lady at the desk there? She'll remember seeing Aaron and my
mom and then she'll remember seeing you with them. She'll tell the police
about you, Stefanie and then they'll start looking for you and make you go
back there."
He was amazed his voice sounded so calm. The Jay Leno thing was a complete
lie, but she seemed to be buying it. "Stefanie, how about you let them go
get their plane and then you take me instead, ok? This way Aaron gets on
the show and no one knows where you are. You just let them take the tickets
I have in my hand and you let them get on the plane and fly out of here like
nothing is wrong. They won't say a word because they know you have me.
This way they won't be looking for you. You take me and let them go. You
won't gain anything by hurting them. They don't know where Kevin is and if
you hurt them, then I'll never tell you where he is." He held up the
tickets, "Do we have a deal or do we have them coming to look for you?"
"Would passengers for flight #7233 please make their way to gate C7 for
boarding."
Nick looked at her, "That is their flight, Stefanie. What is your
decision?"
Stefanie looked from Aaron and Jane to Nick and then back again. He watched
as she slowly lifted the muzzle of the gun off of Aaron's neck and pointed
it towards him, still keeping it hidden behind his mother. "Give them the
tickets and then get them out of here. They better not open their mouths or
you get shot, got that?"
Nick nodded, "They won't do anything I don't ask them to do, right? You
won't do anything I don't ask you to do, right Mom?"
Jane nodded, her voice wavering in fear for herself and her two sons,
"Y..yes. We won't say a word."
Nick crouched down and hugged Aaron, "It'll be ok. Just go with Momma and
Dad will be waiting at the airport for you, you're going on a trip, ok?"
Aaron nodded and squeezed his brother extra tight, "Goodbye Nick."
Nick smiled, "Not goodbye, remember, it's 'See ya later.' ok?"
Aaron nodded again, "Ok. She's a mean lady."
Nick smiled, "I know. But I'm a big boy, I'll be ok. Now go wait over by
the door for Momma, ok?"
Aaron ran towards the door and stepped in Aaron's place, feeling the muzzle
of the gun settle in the small of his back, right against his spine. He
looked over at his mother and handed her the tickets, "Go get on the plane.
I'll be fine. You don't want to keep Mr. Leno waiting."
Jane nodded and looked back at Stefanie, "Can I hug my son goodbye?"
Stefanie nodded her head quickly and Jane hugged Nick, "Why are you doing
this?"
He begged with his eyes for her to understand that this was the only way.
She nodded as if she understood what he was trying to say and kissed him on
the forehead and then walked away to meet Aaron at the door, hoping that
this was not the last time she would see Nick.
Nick watched them run to the trolley that would take them to their gate and
sighed as they left his sight. Stefanie poked the gun into his back more,
"Where is your car?"
Nick pointed towards the front of the building, "Out there."
She nodded, "Well let's go get Kevin."
Together they walked out of the airport, looking like any other loving
couple, walking closely and ignoring the rest of the world around them. If
they only knew.
Jane and Aaron ran to the plane just as final boarding was finishing and
gave their tickets to the desk clerk. The clerk looked them over and looked
up, "Mrs. Carter, you have an envelope here from a Mr. Leno." The clerk
slid the envelope over to Jane and she ripped it open.
Mom,
If you got this, it means that the worst has happened and Stefanie got to
you before I could and I had to trade myself for the two of you. I had a
feeling this would happen, so I need you to do three things for me.
First, tell no one what happened, except Dad. He knows the whole story and
will fill you in.
Second, I'm asking you to call this pager number: (912) 375-2214 and leave
this code, they will know what to do from there.
Third, Dad will be waiting at your layover in Dallas for you, plans will
have changed and you won't be going to LA, you need to get somewhere safe.
He'll bring you to where the rest of the family is.
I love you and Aaron and when this all ends I'll be able to explain it all
to you. And when you hear the whole story, just remember that none of this
is Kevin's fault. I knew what I was getting into all along.
Love you,
Nick.
P.S. call now! before you get on the plane.
Jane set the note down and asked to use the phone, that it was an emergency.
The clerk handed it over without question.
She dialed the number on the note and punched in the code that Nick had
left.
*6683*53846*
*PS* This code and the flight number actually do mean something. See if you can crack the code. Need a hint? email me.
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