by Lili Tufel
“Oh Javi, that poor kid. Good thing he hung up or you would’ve recruited him.”
“There ain’t nothing wrong with joining the army at his age,” he took a step back. “I did it and look at me now…” He looked down at himself and snickered. “Well, maybe I’m not such a great example.”
The rolling of thunder grew louder.
“You’re the perfect example. You’re an amazing man. You’re strong, you’re disciplined, you’re loyal…”
Before Jasmine could utter the next word, Javi cupped her face into his hands and brought her mouth to his. He kissed her lips then kissed her neck and paused at her ear. “I’m not feeling very disciplined right now.” He placed his hand on her breast. “I want to make love to you, Jasmine.”
He slowly lowered her body onto the sand as she gripped his back. His calloused fingers raised her soft cotton dress exposing her thigh. He paused to examine her beauty in the moonlight.
Javi’s phone rang. “There’s no way I’m interrupting this moment. It’s so perfect…you’re so perfect.”
Jasmine placed her hand on his shoulder. “We have the rest of our lives for moments like this.”
Javi rolled onto his back with his head on the sand and while facing the moon, he picked up the call, “Helloooo?”
“I’m sorry to call again. I must have the wrong number…uh…I dialed again to make sure…I apologize, sir.”
“Well, son, you must not be dialing the correct number.”
“But, I believe I am sir. I was…um…given the wrong number by a girl. I won’t call again. It’s stupid of me to believe such a gorgeous girl would actually give me her correct number anyway.”
“Listen, man, don’t beat yourself up over it.” He looked at Jasmine as she brushed sand off her skirt. “One day you’ll get the right number and you’ll find yourself still thinking how stupid you are to believe that such a stunning woman actually wants you to call. You’ll be alright, son.”
“But I’ve never had a woman like Abby wink at me before.”
“What name did you say?” Javi sat up.
“Well…the name she wrote on the receipt says Abby but who knows if that is her real name.”
“When did you meet this Abby?”
Jasmine listened with burning curiosity.
“You’ll probably think I’m just a stupid kid.”
“Try me.”
“Well, sir, I’m actually still on my shift delivering pizzas…”
“What was the address?”
“I…uh…don’t understand what you mean. You think I should try going back to the house?”
“Listen, forget about this girl. Just tell me the address. Tell me where you met Abigail.”
“I never said Abigail. Uh…this is getting a little weird. I’m gonna hang up now.”
“No, no, don’t…” Javi was left speaking to a dial tone. He grabbed Jasmine’s hand. “We need to go. We need to go check on the girls.”
“What do you think that was about?” Jasmine trotted to the car trying to keep up with Javi.
* * * * *
As they approached the house, Javi turned the car lights off, then turned the ignition off and let it coast to the curb. He lifted his right arm placing his hand inside the map-pocket of the passenger seat and leaned towards Jasmine. Out of the pocket, he drew out his semi-automatic Desert Eagle. He cocked the gun assuring a chambered round. “Wait here.”
He quietly exited the vehicle sprinting on the balls of his feet. Jasmine watched Javi as he examined the window outside Samantha’s bedroom. She wiped the sweat from her brow and listened to her accelerating heartbeat. Her panting escalated as she observed Javi climbing into Samantha’s bedroom with his gun pointed.
Javi whispered, “Psst…Sam, are you in here? Sam?”
A little hand emerged from behind the closet door and slid it open. “Javi! I knew you would come for me.” She ran and jumped into his arms.
“Are you alright? Did anybody hurt you?”
“I’m okay.” She clutched his neck and wouldn’t let go.
“I’m taking you back to your mom. Everything’s going to be alright.”
“Are you going to stay with us?”
“Keep holding on tight while we climb over this window…uh…not that tight, sweetie, I can’t…breathe.”
Jasmine spotted the two coming out of the hedges and flung open the car door. She made a mad dash towards her little girl. Falling to her knees, she embraced Samantha and began to sob. “I shouldn’t have left you, I shouldn’t have left.”
“Momma, I’m fine.”
She grabbed Samantha by the shoulders and with her bloodshot eyes looked at her little girl’s face. Then with knitted eyebrows, she stood and faced Javi. “I can’t do this. I can’t risk our lives this way. I’m not as strong as you.”
Javi grabbed Jasmine’s arm but she waved her elbow and loosened his grip. “This is not the time for you to panic, Jasmine. We can talk about this later.”
“No.” She clenched her jaw. “No…no.” Her hair was bristling and her pupils dilated. “I can’t live this way, Javi. If any harm had come to Samantha…” She gasped and placed her hand over her mouth.
Javi frowned and placed a hand behind his head. “I understand. You think I brought this unto you. You can place the blame on me. It’s my fault.” He beat his chest. “You don’t have to ever see me again. But please get it together right now. I need to find out if Abigail is okay. Did you forget that your sister may be in trouble?”
“That isn’t fair.” Her voice was toneless.
Javi sighed and made no eye contact. “Take Samantha over to your mothers. You need to go someplace safe…please.”
“Come on Sammy.” Jasmine held her daughter’s hand.
“Momma, I heard that bad man tell Abby that he was only looking for her. He doesn’t care about anybody else. I heard him say it.”
Javi placed his gun in the back of his pants and got on one knee. “What else did you hear?”
“Leave her alone Javi.”
Javi rested his arm over his knee and hung his head low. Tears trickled down his face. “I’m sorry Samantha.”
“I love you Javi.” Samantha wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I love you…and your mom so much. I want you guys to be safe. That may not happen if I continue to be around.”
“But you’re the one that protects us. You can’t leave. You can’t, Javi. Besides, Abby is already gone. The bad men took her. She kept fighting with them and then I didn’t hear them anymore. There’s nobody in there.”
Javi stood up and was close enough to Jasmine that she could feel his breath on her face. “I will never let any harm come to you or Samantha.”
She sniffled. “You’re not God, Javi.”
“You’re right.” He whispered. “But God gives me the strength and the ability.”
“Well I’m not as strong as you think I am, Javi.”
“Yes you are.” He caressed her face. “But I’ll understand if you don’t want to marry me.”
Without a word, she leaned into his caress.
“You don’t need to answer right now. Just go.”
“I’m not leaving you. We’re not going anywhere. You heard Sam, they’re not here anymore.”
“You’re not safe here, Jasmine!” He shouted with his arms flailing in the air. “I don’t get you. One minute you’re falling apart on me, and now you don’t wanna leave.”
“I thought I was going to lose my daughter…again. Can you blame me for being just a little irrational?”
Samantha placed both hands over her face and began to sob.
Javi’s phone rang. He looked at the caller id and answered.
“Hey, Dallas? What’s up man?”
“We got the wrong Shahrivar.”
“What do you mean you got the wrong guy?”
“He was an imposter bro.”
“Does the Colonel know?”
“Yeah, he knows
.”
“Listen man…uh…there’s something I gotta tell you.”
“I can’t talk much longer, Javi. Take care of Abby for me, alright?”
“Listen, Dallas…they got Abby. I’m sorry, man.”
“That son—of—a—bitch!”
The phone went silent. Javi looked at Jasmine. “We got disconnected. He’ll call back and hopefully I’ll have more information by then.”
Jasmine flung her arms around Javi and kissed his face. “I’m sorry for panicking the way I did. Of course, I still want to marry you. I’m just scared, Javi.”
The sky grew brighter then dimmed. Sporadic raindrops fell to the ground.
“Listen to me, take the car to your mom’s and stay there until you hear from me. Do you understand? You need to do this, Jasmine.”
Rain poured heavily as Jasmine raced for cover holding her daughter’s hand. She held the car door open while Samantha jumped inside then looked at Javi who stood soaked waiting for her response. “I’ll wait for your call, Javi.”
She slid into the driver’s seat, pulled down the visor, and looked at her face in the mirror. She wiped the running mascara from her cheeks.
“Seat belt, Samantha.”
“Momma, what’s a stunt double?”
“A what? That was random.”
“The bad guy said it momma.”
“Are you sure that’s what he said?”
“Yes, he said the people in Hollywood movies have stunt doubles. Doesn’t he know that they are just actors? Some bad guys are dumb.”
Jasmine grabbed her purse from the back seat and took out her cell phone. “Javi, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Javi held the cell phone to his ear while scanning the inside of the apartment. “What’s up?” He noticed blood smeared on the ground near an overturned chair.
“It’s something that Samantha just said. She heard one of the men saying that Hollywood movies have stunt doubles. I don’t know if it means anything.”
“Maybe going to your mom’s isn’t such a good idea. I have a wallet underneath the driver’s seat with some cash. Go over to that hotel by the bay. And let me know if she mentions anything else, alright?” He paused. “I love you Jasmine.”
“I love you too.”
Javi, in a crouched position with knees bent got a closer look at the bloodstains. Why would you struggle, Abby? They’re just going to hurt you even more, he thought.
He dialed a number and brought the cell phone to his ear.
A woman with an exaggerated nasality came on the line. “You’ve reached General Brown’s office, what can I do for you?”
“This is Captain Santos. I need to speak to General Brown.”
“I’m sorry Captain the General is in a meeting right now. I’ll give him the message and he will call you back as soon as possible.”
Javi put a hand on his forehead. “If I wanted him to receive a message, I would’ve sent him a post card priority overnight. You tell him this is an emergency.”
“Yes sir.”
General Brown’s voice came on the line. “Javi Santos…how’s civilian life treating you? Have you proposed to that lovely woman of yours yet?”
“Yes sir I have. I need to tell you something sir…”
“Well congratulations, boy.”
“Thank you, sir. I have to tell you about Shahrivar…”
“I already know son. If you are still at the apartment, and I assume you still are, then my men are five klicks east of your position. We received the Intel from Dallas.”
“Sir, I know I can get information from Shahrivar’s son. If you give me clearance to Maurice, I can get him to talk.”
“It’s too late. He’s was extradited.”
“Extradited? But we had him detained here for criminal acts in the United States. We have him on camera at the hospital. He committed a criminal act.”
“He was transferred on extraordinary rendition. It’s a highly classified prisoner transfer.”
“You better sure as hell have sent him to a nation that will torture that son-of-a-bitch.”
“That kind of talk can get you in a lot of trouble son.”
“With all due respect, General, that piece of garbage snatched an innocent little girl without hesitation. Where’d they transfer him to, General?”
“Now you know I’d do anything for you, Javi. Why don’t you let my men take care of it from here? Go be with that new fiancé of yours.”
“They took my fiancé’s sister…I can’t just sit around and do nothing. Does the Colonel know?”
“The Colonel was sent to intensive care earlier this evening. He didn’t want anyone to know. I’m telling you now only because I don’t think he’s doing too well.”
Javi pressed the phone against his chest and hung his head.
* * * * *
Chapter Eight
Abby lay on the back seat of a black limousine with her hands and feet tied together. She had a black hood over her head and was unaware that it approached the runway of a Learjet.
A young man entered the limo and removed her black hood. In a daze, her eyes examined his long thin legs.
“Hello Abby.”
She immediately recognized the voice, “Maurice.” She sighed.
“You look as beautiful as ever.”
“I thought they had you locked up.”
“My father has many connections.”
“The US Military abhors you. Who could possibly want to help your father?”
“The orders for my transfer came from a lot higher than your military. And of course I was immediately released by the High Court in my country.”
“I’m gonna be sick.”
“Abby, my darling, I asked father to let me take care of you. He wanted to keep you in…well, let’s just say that my father’s prisons are not made for ladies such as yourself. You are meant to be treated like a princess, as my bride to be.”
“Are you insane? What makes you think I would accept your proposal?”
“You don’t have a choice my darling.”
“I really wish you would stop calling me your darling.”
“Our jet is ready to take us back to the palace, your new home. I am going to untie you, Abby. I know you are a feisty woman but I warn you don’t put up a fight. I don’t want to hurt you Abby.”
Maurice untied her ankles and she immediately swung her foot hitting his chin and sending him backwards onto the rear seat of the limo. Maurice rubbed his chin and laughed.
“Ah, how you fascinate me. You will come around you will see.”
“You reek of arrogance. You actually think your money and power will get me to like you, Maurice? Or are you going to persuade me with your charm?”
Maurice stepped out of the limo and signaled for his men to escort Abby into the jet. Abigail was untied and brought into the jet at gunpoint.
Inside the aircraft, she sat on a plush leather recliner as the gunman took his seat next to her. She looked at Maurice who had taken a seat on a leather sofa with a woman on each side. The women were extremely thin and wore heavy eye makeup. They pampered Maurice, feeding him fruit from a sterling silver tray on the mahogany table.
“Is he going to be pointing that gun at me the entire time, Maurice?”
“Only until we are in the air or until you decide to play nice.”
“Play nice?” She turned her head and looked out the small aircraft window. “You inconceivable imbecile,” she whispered under her breath.
He turned to the woman on his right and motioned to her. “Get Abigail some champagne.”
The woman had long blonde hair and wore a silk pantsuit. She sneered at Abby as she handed her a tall glass of champagne then she strutted back to Maurice with hands in her pant pockets and thumbs out.
“I really wish you would relax Abby. I am going to take good care of you as my bride to be.”
The two women frowned and snickered, “Why her, Maurice? Why do you choose t
hat girl?”
“That’s enough.” Maurice waved his arms silencing the two women. “It’s going to be a long flight to Dubai. Leave me alone now.”
The women moved towards the rear of the aircraft where the wall mounted plasma screen had been playing a movie.
“Bring her to me.” Maurice motioned to the gunman.
“I can go there myself.”
“I knew you would come around.”
Abby took a seat on the sofa next to Maurice and folded her arms.
“I still remember the way you looked at me for the first time at the university.”
She rolled her eyes.
“I’ve already made my decision. You will become my wife. My father has no use for you now. Let’s just say you are a gift to me from my father.”
“He has no use for me? Then what was I, just bait? I’m sure he wanted my father to come looking for me.”
“You were more than just bait, my darling Abby.”
“Will you stop calling me that?”
“You were a well planned revenge. And he would have killed you if I didn’t want you so.” He pressed his mouth against her ear and whispered, “I saved your life…my darling.”
She lifted her shoulder pulling away in disgust.
“But if you cross me, you will lose your life by my hand.” He placed a hand on her throat.
“Do you talk to those girlfriends of yours this way?”
“My concubines could only wish they were loved the way I adore your beauty. They would give anything to be in your position.”
“If you love me so much, Maurice, wouldn’t you want to see me happy?”
“Of course my darling, you will see. All of this is for you to share with me.”
“I meant like calling my father and letting him know that I’m ok. Will you give me that, please Maurice.”
“I want to give you the world, Abby. But I want what I have to give you to be enough. You will see I will be the bearer of your happiness.”
“Maurice, please let me call my father, please.”
“You will surrender yourself to me first. I want to know that you are mine. Then you may call your father and you will tell him you have found happiness with me.”
