Once inside her room, Chloe kneeled and pulled out a heavy foot-locker stored under her bed. She opened it up to reveal Robert’s personal effects: clothes, jewelry, and his passport. She took out a few folded t-shirts, a pair of khaki shorts, and some blue scrubs.
“These are Robert’s clothes; they haven’t been washed so the dogs should be able to pick up his scent.” As she had done dozens of times before, Chloe unconsciously smelled the folded clothes before handing them to David. “I suppose you will want the rest of his things.” She pointed to the remaining items in the foot-locker. David nodded. Chloe took out the pieces of jewelry, holding them each for a few seconds, knowing that she may never see them or their owner again. She quickly handed them to David. “Well, that’s that, I suppose,” she said, closing the locker in an act of feigned bravado.
“We’re going to need his passport, too.” Lily said.
“No, he’s going to need it when he comes back here.” Chloe put her head down so no one should get a glimpse of the tears she was blinking back.
Miguel saw the tears and softly said, “Sorry, ma’am, if and when we rescue Dr. Rosen, it will be helpful for him to have identification.”
“You’re right, of course.” Chloe handed the passport to Miguel. “Do you need anything else?”
Lily turned to Alain. “Can you show us Robbie’s room please?” Alain hesitated and before he could speak Chloe responded, “This was his room.”
“Oh sorry, I thought this was your room.” Lily looked around and saw women’s clothes hanging in the opened closet and strewn on a chair beside the bed. A blow dryer sat on top of the dresser, sharing space with assorted containers of face creams and make-up.
Chloe folded her arms and smiled at the actress, “This is. Robert and I spent so much time sleeping in each other’s beds that we decided to give one room up. So this was our room.”
Chloe walked over to the mirror and picked up one photo among the many that were taped to the glass and handed it to Lily.
Before she looked down at the photo, for a split second, Lily thought that it must be a mistake. The Robert about whom Chloe had been speaking must be a different person than the Robbie she knew and loved. Lily forced herself to look at the candid photo. It was of Chloe and Robbie—his arm was around her waist and he was smiling down at her. Chloe looked so different—so much softer— she was smiling as she looked up into Robbie’s eyes. Lily’s heart sank and her eyes welled up when she recognized the smile and dimples she had fallen in love with. She couldn’t tear herself away from the photograph.
David stood behind Lily and gently took the picture out of his sister’s hands. “Come on, we’d better get going.” He handed the photo back to Chloe.
Chloe saw Lily’s reaction and the tears in her eyes. She smiled at David. “You know he spoke about you and your parents all the time. He missed and loved you all so—”
“—did he ever mention me?” Lily interrupted.
Chloe deliberated for few seconds and shook her head, “No, not that I remember.” She looked back at David. “We were planning a trip to Dallas as soon as our mission here was completed—so I could meet his family—before settling down in New York City together.” She smiled innocently. Emma shot her a look and Alistair appeared even more uncomfortable than he had been a few minutes earlier.
Miguel looked at his watch. “Well, we have to hit the road; we have a meeting in an hour.”
The group piled out of the room, leaving Emma and Chloe alone.
Emma turned to her friend, “You freakin’ liar! Why the hell did you say those things?”
Chloe walked over to the mirror and taped the photo back up. “I can say whatever I damn well please.”
“What’s wrong with you? None of that was true. He never asked you to go to the States with him. And you complained to me that he talked about Lily Lockwood all the time. Don’t you remember?”
Chloe smirked. “Maybe I do and maybe I don’t. Now get the hell out.”
After Emma had left the room, Chloe reached into the drawer and pulled out Robert’s journal—the place where he poured all the feelings of love and regret that he had for Lily. Chloe now had to accept the inevitable; that whether Robert was rescued or not, he would be forever lost to her. She hugged the journal to her chest, and threw herself upon her bed—the bed she had shared with the man she still loved. Chloe covered her face with her pillow and cried.
David looked at Lily, who was seated quietly next to him in the back seat of the truck, silently staring out the window. She hadn’t spoken since leaving the compound. She leaned her head against the glass and closed her eyes. In all the scenarios she had imagined that might unfold, she never thought of the possibility that Robbie would have fallen in love with someone else. She felt stupid. She had felt so connected to him. She thought of the silver cord tied to her heart that she imagined was connected to Robbie’s heart. It seemed that he had severed it years before. She thought of the photo of Robbie and Chloe—that photo said it all, in their smiles and in the way they looked at one another. Lily had to face reality, Robbie had totally forgotten her.
David touched her shoulder and Lily turned and looked at her brother. She had gone pale in Chloe’s room and David noticed that Lily’s color had not yet returned. “Are you okay, Sis?”
Lily shook her head and tried to manage a smile. “You have to do something for me.”
“Anything. Whatever you need.” He assured her.
“When they rescue Robbie. . .” Lily put her hand to her heart “. . . and I truly have a feeling they will, you cannot tell him that I had anything to do with his rescue. Nothing. Not that I was here and nothing about the money?”
David shook his head. “No, I can’t do that Lily. Without you, none of this would be possible. Why would you want that?”
She took her brother’s hand in her own. “If he does come back to me sometime, it has to be because he wants me. I don’t want it to be because of gratitude or obligation. Can you please promise?”
“How about we wait and see how all this unfolds, huh?
Lily nodded and rested her head on David’s shoulder.
Chapter 22
Robbie stood patiently next to the only window in his stark room and waited for the orange and yellow sun, like a massive orb of fire, to gently slide down into the horizon. It would be the last sunset he would ever witness in his life.
When he decided to kill himself, he was instantly blanketed with a sense of peace like he had never before experienced. For years he had thought of suicide as an unfortunate act of weakness—a permanent solution to a temporary problem. But now it had become his shining armor of power. That one deed would remove all control his captors held over him.
After the sun vanished and the streaks of purples and reds left behind were engulfed by total blackness, Robbie turned away from the window. He wondered if life was simply a string of vibrant years consumed by an eternity of darkness. Would his life remain meaningful only in the memory of his loved ones? And when they were also gone, then what?
Robbie knew he was fortunate to have lived a rewarding life. He had been doted on by his family, had a close-knit circle of friends, a career that filled him with pride and accomplishment, had been loved by extraordinary women and finally found, in Lily, the love of his life. He would not sleep that evening, but rather stay awake all night and think of the gifts life had presented him. He would untie the ribbons that had kept those memories tightly hidden away. He would carefully take them out, one by one, and explore them in detail.
Robbie’s leg was particularly painful that evening and he massaged the area behind his knee. By this time every evening, after spending the day standing and walking, his leg felt as if it was slowly being severed. Most nights, he would request a pain killer and his guards would comply by bringing him a large syringe filled with Morphine that not only erased his pain— physically and emotionally— but also sent him soaring into a place where time and space had no m
eaning. Tonight, his final night, he did not want to be anesthetized; it was necessary that he remained sharp and lucid.
Robbie limped over to the small wooden table they had recently brought into his room. The guards proudly carried it in and presented it to him, as if it were an antique Chippendale desk. Taking advantage of their good spirits, Robbie requested paper and pens. When he later returned to his room, he was surprised to find that a notebook and two pens had been left for him.
His plan to spend the evening sifting through his remembrances included writing a letter to his parents, to his brother, and to Lily. He knew they could never be sent and the recipients would never have the opportunity to read them.
He took a drink of water and thought of his fellow doctors at M.S.F and hoped they were all safe. His mind wandered to thoughts of Chloe and a familiar wave of guilt washed over him. He had known, not long after they had gotten together, that her feelings were stronger than his. He made it a point to speak of Lily often as a gentle reminder that he was in love with another woman.
When they first got together, they were simply two good friends who used each another as an oasis against the atrocities and suffering they witnessed daily. He didn’t know exactly when it happened, but over the months together, he felt certain that Chloe had fallen in love with him. She became more open with him and her persona, once edgy and sharp, softened. Everyone noticed the change.
He closed his eyes and remembered lying on top of her athletic body—her long legs wrapped tightly around his waist. The guilt he felt now began while they were still together. The last few times they slept together, he closed his eyes and imagined she was Lily. He had never before been that guy so after they made love that last evening he decided he could no longer continue their physical relationship. He planned to tell Chloe the next morning that it was unfair to her; he cared far too much for her as a friend and could not hurt her that way. Unfortunately there was never a next morning because he was abducted a few hours later.
The lingering memory was abruptly interrupted by three sharp knocks at his door. Abdikarim walked in smiling and extended his hand.
“How are you this evening, Dr. Rosen?”
“I’m fine.”
“Excellent, excellent! I wanted to visit you this evening in order to ensure that you have everything you need for your first surgery tomorrow.”
Robbie’s legs became wobbly, so he sat down, “Yes, I’ve gone over everything with the staff and have met the first donor.”
Abdikarim smiled, sat on the corner of the table and folded his hands. “Fantastic. Everything must be perfect tomorrow. Because of the momentous occasion, we are honored to have our top officials visiting so they may observe. They will be seated in the room next to the operating room and will watch the surgeries through the glass window. You will not be able to see them, but I assure you—they will be watching you.”
“I understand.”
Abdikarim leaned in close to Robbie and his eyes narrowed. “Nothing had better go wrong. I will make this promise to you, if anything goes awry, if you pull any stunts to embarrass me, you will be escorted to a ‘special’ room that we have in the basement.” His sneer turned into a smile. “Doctor, have you ever been tied to a chair and had the skin on your arm slowly peeled away?”
Robbie did not respond; he merely stared back into his captor’s eyes.
Abdikarim walked toward the door. With his hand on the knob, he turned and again faced the doctor. “I assure you. It is something you would never forget. The first surgery will commence tomorrow morning, 7:00 a.m. sharp. I know you will do the right thing.”
“I can promise you I will,” Robbie replied.
After Abdikarim left, Robbie limped over to the far side of his room to the mirror that hung over a small sink. He did not look at his gaunt face, but rather focused on the left side of his neck. His right-hand index finger slowly traced the carotid artery from the bottom of his neck up to his ear. He imagined that it would take only a few seconds for him to pick up the scalpel and sever his artery. He glanced at the clock. If all went as planned, he would be dead in exactly twelve hours—at 7:05 a.m.
There were three more knocks at the door and Abdikarim walked in, followed by two of his armed guards.
“I am sorry to interrupt, my friend, but with all our planning and chatting away, I completely forgot one of the main reasons for my visit tonight. Have a seat.” Abdikarim sat at one side of the table and gestured for Robbie to sit across from him.
Robbie slowly limped across the room and sat opposite him.
“That leg looks like it is giving you great pain tonight.”
“I’m okay.”
“You know, I can get one of my men to give you some pain medication, so it will insure that you have a good night’s sleep, rested and ready to perform your surgeries tomorrow.
“I said I’m okay.”
“Suit yourself.” He gestured to one of the guards who immediately took out a large manila envelope and handed it to Abdikarim, who slowly turned the envelope over a few times before he attempted to open the clasp. “These things are the worst to open, aren’t they? My fingers are clumsy—not what they used to be.” He laughed and handed it to Robbie. “Would you open this for me, please?
Robbie opened the clasp and pushed the envelope back across the table.
Abdikarim opened it and took out what looked like two photographs and laid them face down on the table.
“I want you to understand just how important this enterprise is to my organization. And, since your contribution is vital to its success, we have come up with a way to insure that you remain focused.” Robbie’s eyes never left the photos on the table.
“So we have called upon our “friends” in the States. And, I assure you, there are many of us across the country. We have a rather large faction in the suburbs of Dallas.” He smiled when he saw Robbie’s jaw clench.
“We have reached out to them and they have been extremely cooperative.” Abdikarim turned over the first photo to reveal a photo of Robbie’s mother, Hannah, in the parking lot of a neighborhood supermarket, wheeling a cart full of groceries to her car.”
“I am told she is a wonderful woman.”
Robbie leapt to his feet, leaned over the table, and grabbed Abdikarim’s shirt collar with his left hand while he pulled back his tightly fisted right hand, ready to pound his adversary.
Before Robbie’s fist could connect with its intended mark, the guards came forward and pointed their guns at him. Abdikarim stood up, brushed Robbie’s hand away, straightened his collar, waved away the guards, and smiled at Robbie. “We all know the love a son has for his mother can be truly heartwarming.”
Robbie glared at him “You touch one hair on her head and…”
“…and what, tough man?” Abdikarim laughed. “All you have to do is what is required of you and your dear, sweet mother will be safe and sound.” He paused for a second. “Oh, you certainly will want to look at the next photo. Go on.”
Robbie turned the other photo over to see his mother, his brother David, and a crowd of people dressed in black standing next to a newly dug grave as a casket is being lowered into the open hole. He looked confused.
“It was a shame what happened to your father. He was a good man and well-respected.”
Robbie stared at the photo and shook his head in disbelief. His eyes filled with tears and he shouted, “You son of a bitch.”
Abdikarim stood “Yes I have been told that before.” Robbie laid his head on the table and sobbed.
Abdikarim stood up, nodded to the guards to open the door. He gestured to a third guard, who had been waiting outside the door, to enter the room. The guard, injection in hand, walked into the room.
Robbie did not fight when the sharp point pierced his vein and darkness filled his room.
Chapter 23
Lily was in the middle of a dream when a piercing noise from her computer woke her up. She glanced at the clock on her hotel nigh
tstand and saw that it was already 7:05 p.m. After returning from the MSF compound, Lily had had a raging headache and decided to lie down for what was supposed to be only a few moments—a few hours earlier.
Lily jumped out of bed when she realized there was someone requesting a video chat. She hurriedly situated herself at the computer desk and clicked the green “accept” button.
Donna appeared on screen, which at first was pixelated and fuzzy, but within seconds turned into a crystal-clear picture. Lily was thrilled to see that Daisy Rose was contently seated on Donna’s lap.
“Hi, little Munchkin.” Lily missed her daughter so much and even though they had only been separated for a couple of days, Lily ached to hold her little girl.
Daisy Rose pointed to the screen and squealed, “Mama, Mama!”
“Yes that’s right and Mama’s coming home soon to give you a big kiss.”
Lily spent the next few minutes playing peek-a-boo with her daughter. Daisy Rose giggled and demanded, “More, Mama, more.” Finally when she got bored with the game, the toddler turned her little body around so that she was facing Donna. She put her chubby little hands on either side of Donna’s cheeks and ordered “Auntie, down NOW!”
“I guess she’s over me already.” Lily laughed. “Wait, wait, Daisy Rose, give Mama a big kiss first.” Lily said
Daisy Rose put her little face close to the computer and kissed the screen.
After putting the toddler down, Donna repositioned herself and when she looked back up her expression revealed a deep concern. “How are you, honey?”
Maniadakis had made clear, more than a few times, that they were forbidden to discuss any details of the mission. He said that there were eyes and ears everywhere and to ensure Robbie’s safety, as well as their own, they had to use extreme caution not to compromise the operation. Lily understood that Donna was trying to ascertain, through any sort of body language or facial expression, how things were progressing. Lily shook her head indicating that they still had not located Robbie.
The Silver Cord: The Lily Lockwood Series: Book Two Page 16
