The Law of Motion (Law Series)

by Di'Nisha Robinson

  She took a deep breath, her chocolate eyes finding her answer carefully. “I know you Chance. No one can hurt you more than you can hurt you. You will use that pain to get my son back.”

  I locked eyes with her, nodding in understanding. “I will get him back, at any cost. Even if it kills me.”

  "That’s why I made you his godmother.” she whispered, pinning the portrait to the bulletin board, which now held the drawings of; the bus driver, the mystery guy, the man at the wedding, and a map of the area holding pins in it where the last phone call was made.

  We both jumped when Adrian’s booming voice reached a new level of pissed off. "I don't give a fuck, Tink!" Adrian barked from the other room. "There's got to be something on this guy that we're not seeing."

  "I'm sure there is, Adrian, but you've got to give me time to look at it from all sides. I'm already working on the truck, the prepaid cell, and I'm waiting for Cam’s info. You have to wait," she flat out told him, almost without apology. "When Cam gets here, he'll be able to work with me, but until then, I'm all alone here. Okay?"

  “Get it done.” He ordered as he stormed out of Tink’s computer room and into the office he shared with Dario, slamming the door for solitude.

  “Okay, well, I went ahead and secured your house Tawn, we’re setting up a second base at Chance and Adrian’s since it’s closest to the office. Mainly so that some can get sleep since we will be working around the clock. Tink helped me change the code on the gate for the time being." Macon announced walking in with Cam behind him.

  He went to Doc, hugging her, planting a kiss on her forehead. “Are you ok?” She nodded but didn’t verbalize anything, “Cameron has stationed some guys around your house, so don't panic if you see someone walking around. They've been told to keep their FBI vests on," he stated, “If you and Ross choose to go home we don’t want anyone getting to you.”

  “Thanks, but this isn’t about me, or Roslyn.” Doc sighed. Everyone looked at her, waiting for her to explain where she was coming from. I knew she was going to say the one thing that I had feared. “This is about Chance.”

  Kristen walked out of her office from putting the baby down. “What do you mean this is about Chance?”

  Doc sighed, as Ross pulled her closer. “The guy Adrian saw at the wedding complimented him on his “family” when he saw Chance carrying Juan upstairs for us.”

  Dario caught on. “And the guy that was holding the gun to Cedrick’s head called you, Mom. And on the phone Mrs. Marshall.”

  “So they’re trying to get to Chance thru Juan because they think he’s her son?” Kristen scoffed shaking her head. “How would they get that impression?”

  Ross sighed, “Who is Juan around the most next to us?”

  “Chance. But we all are.” She disagreed.

  Macon shook his head, “Not as much as Chance, baby. If anyone had been watching, they would assume”

  I leaned against the wall, hearing what I already knew in my head broadcasted out loud. “I know, it’s my fault.”

  Jackson adjusted what they were trying to say, “Well no.. not directly.”

  “Directly or indirectly, it is my fault Juan is in this situation.” I countered.

  Cam cut in, knowing how bad things could get if we started arguing amongst ourselves. “I think the question is more, why would they target Chance? What made her worth the trouble?”

  “Cheating husband?” Ross suggested.

  Dario added another reason, “An old assignment catching up with her from when she was in Special Forces?”

  Kristen shook her head. “No, they would have done their research enough to know that Juan Carlos wasn’t her son. They would have been cleaner. From what Chance said, these guys weren’t even concerned with safety.”

  “Which leads us to believe that they aren’t Mercs by any means.” Cam concluded.

  “This wasn’t just a random kidnapping either.” Jackson added. “They have to have ties to her in some way.”

  “Maybe not her exactly…” Tink thought aloud tapping on her computer. “What if these people have to use Juan, to get to Chance, but why? It could be retaliation from the Morgan case… or not about Chance at all. ”

  I listened to the speculation around me, trying to follow Tink’s logic. Jackson, who was usually always on the same wave length with her wasn’t following either. “So you mean like one of us? Her circle isn’t very large, Sugar.”

  “No, no, no.” She whined, bringing up a video clip of Paul Neil’s press conference. “He just publicly handed her a multi-billion dollar corporation. I mean, if I were looking to score, why not?”

  I responded through clenched teeth, “Paul is the reason this shit is happening?”

  “It a possibility.” Dario admitted. “We need to look into it.”

  Ross muttered a few words in Italian before pulling out her gun, checking the clip and putting it back “What we need to do is pay a little visit to Daddy.”

  “I’ll drive.” I nodded grabbing my gun and my keys. Someone was going to pay, and since I couldn’t get to the guys that took Juan at the moment. I would start with the reason him and his friend were taken.

  Chapter 5- Falling Apart

  “You can’t go in there Miss” Paul Neil’s assistant tried to halt Alyssa as she lead the way straight into the conference room that was adjoined to Paul’s office. “He’s in a meeting.”

  I'd never seen the light, the fire, extinguished out of my Alyssa's eyes, like I did when she came back from that chase. When I looked at her, there was just...nothing. She looked haunted and defeated and about five seconds from breaking something. She was a wreck, with her shirt torn, her shoes muddy, and her hair sticking wild in every direction.

  But as I watched her now, she was beyond words with anger. She was cleaned up now, wearing the spare clothes that she kept at work. Opting to take a shower at the office last night, not wanting to come home. Though I can’t say that I was any help with a that. I fucked up, and the kid we all loved was gone. And though no one said it, they all blamed me. I should have checked that fucking bathroom, if I did, those boys would have been home. And Chance wouldn’t be storming Neil Tower like it was Viñales, Cuba. The part that made me mad was that I knew she hated me for it.

  “Like hell I can’t.” She responded to the lady, for the first time since she stormed out of the elevators. This was definitely a team affair because every single member of Gravity was behind her, with me at her side. The men in suits didn’t know what to make of us, let alone Alyssa when she announced her presence with a direct. “Your meeting is over Paul.”

  One of the lower level execs offered to get security, but Mr. Neil just shook his head. A mixture of embarrassment, stress, curiosity, impatience, and a dash of amusement crossing his features all at once. “That’s alright son, just tell Patricia to hold all of my calls.” The guy nodded and left looking a bit hesitant.

  Paul Neil directed his attention to his daughter one hundred percent. “You know Alyssa, if you are going to take over when I am gone, you should get use to making appointments.”

  “I’m not taking” She let out a quick exhale before starting again. “ I’m pressed for time Paul, and this is way more important than anything you are doing here.”

  Paul was offended by that statement, sighing with strained patience, “Contrary to what you believe, this was a very important meeting. You should know your impromptu announcement last week has caused quite a stir with our shareholders. They were already uneasy about your future appointment without you threatening to dismantle Neil Industries. Luckily I was able to pass it off as a joke.”

  She completely ignored the last part of his statement focusing on the beginning. She was beyond mad, because the first words to leave her mouth were in Spanish, and way too fast for me to pick up even the slightest hint. She slammed her hand down on the conference table struggling to change back to English. “I don’t care, because your impromptu press conference has go
tten my godson and a little boy kidnapped.”

  His forehead creased in confusion. “Boys?”

  Doc cut in, “Yes, my little boy, Paul. Alyssa’s godson. He was taken a few hours ago.”

  A normal person, would have immediately gone into sympathy and apologies, but not Paul. His response was a more confused. “You have a son?”

  “Yes, we have a son.” Ross countered crossing her arms in front of her. “One that I would like to get back, if you are done asking asinine questions.” Her medium skin though normally rosy, was now paling, her expression hard. Her posture was line straight, military breeding making her no one to be messed with. After knowing her for almost a decade, I’d seen her knock dozens of men twice her size on their asses. So this look I was more than familiar with.

  I put my hand on the small of her back whispering in her ear. “Easy Wild Child… You being in jail won’t get Juan-Carlos back.”

  “I know,” She whispered back through a clenched jaw, not bothering to look at me. She kept her chin angled towards Paul.

  Paul didn’t notice, his attention was already back on his daughter. “I just don’t see how…”

  “Some guys are looking for a payday and got the public announcement that ChAlyssa hit the lottery.” Macon explained, stopped mid sentence and cut his eyes to Alyssa. Knowing she saw this as no prize. “So to speak, that is.”

  Kristen continued. “They thought that with Juan being around her as much as he is that she was his mother. ”

  “Have you called the police Tawny?” Paul asked, a hint of concern in his question.

  Doc answered her question the best way that she could, “Law Enforcement is involved.”

  “Sir, we need to know if you have had any recent threats? Any one suspicious around the office…any thing out of ordinary at all?” Jackson asked.

  Paul shook his head. “No nothing odd here in any way, do you think that I’m in danger?”

  Alyssa scoffed in disbelief, “This isn’t about you Paul. This is about saving Juan Carlos De Luca. A four year old boy, who was taken by men who want God knows what! Because of you!”

  “Me? Alyssa, I’m guilty of nothing but wanting to give my daughter everything.” He argued back.

  “For the last time, I am not your daughter. You don’t belong in my life and I want nothing from you, but I swear, if something happens to him, I will kill you.”

  Everyone was silent, and I wasn’t sure if it was because she had just threatened to murder her “sperm donor” as she called himwithout hesitation. Or the fact that she was one hundred percent serious when she said it.

  Paul, though shocked in silence at first, managed to respond. “Alyssa Giselle Marshall. I know that my absence all of these years, has hurt you to the point that you resent me. I know that I missed a lot of your life, and am still on the outside now. But I do know that you don’t have a bad bone in your body. Yeah, you own a gun, but you aren’t a killer.”

  If I had questions before, they were all answered then. Paul Neil knew nothing of Alyssa Marshall. Though I knew that she would never tell him about Cuba, I didn’t think he was oblivious to her career in the Air Force as well.

  If it weren’t an already tense situation, I am sure that someone would have scoffed, or corrected him with some joke, but instead Alyssa just shook her head. “Deje que algo le pasara a él, Paul. Y verás lo que soy capaz de hacer.” She replied, her voice steady and even. She turned to us with a “Let’s go,” before walking out the door.

  I couldn’t even understand what she said and I could feel chill in her threat. Walking out of the office we were greeted by security, and before any of them could approach us I heard Paul call from behind us. “It’s alright, they’re leaving.”

  Getting to the car, I couldn’t hold my question anymore. “What did she say?” I asked after closing Alyssa’s door walking around to my own.

  Tink looked nervous about the exchange upstairs, but she answered my question with a sigh. “She said ‘Let something happen to him Paul. Then you will see what I can do.’” She fidgeted with her hands. “She means business.”

  “No shit.” I muttered getting inside. I brushed the hair out of Alyssa’s face, and she tilted away from me. She was still angry, but the rejection stung all the same. “You ok?”

  “Let’s get back to Gravity.” She answered, ignoring my question. Yeah, she blamed me, that’s for sure.

  “What you got for me, Cam?” I requested as soon as we were back in the office. He was just getting off the phone.

  He cleaned his glasses as he spoke. “I just got some info from the pictures. Bus driver, David Grubbs, kidnappers Myles Thompson, and Terry Windsor.”

  Tink started going to work on the names immediately pulling them up on the screen. Already knowing Myles she started with someone else. “David Grubbs, is a welder for C&K Inc. Well was, he was laid off eight months ago. Terry Windsor was custodian for the same company. Myles too.

  Alyssa, who had been pacing back and forth finally took a seat on the sofa in the lobby of the Gravity office. “Tink, we need to look into C&K, if we can find out why they lost their jobs maybe we can figure out the rest..”

  “On it, on it, on it.” She promised.

  Alyssa’s phone rang again and she pulled it out, this time looking at the caller ID. “It’s unavailable.” She jumped up putting it in the center of the table we were all surrounding.

  “Tink set up the trace.” I ordered.

  She ran over with her laptop, her flipped hair bouncing. Taking the phone and attaching a USB cord to it, connecting the other end to her laptop. “I can trace faster with a hard line.”

  “Answer it,” Cam encouraged before she missed the call.

  Ross halted her, putting her hand on it. “I don’t want them to know that you aren’t Juan’s mother. They might think that the kids are useless and do something crazy.”

  “That’s a good idea.” Doc nodded.

  Chance nodded and pressed the button to answer and put it on speaker.

  "Sooo, have you figured it out yet?" the distorted voice questioned, taking a deep breath and chuckling slightly. "Well Alllysssa," they called out, still cackling. "I know you're there, Alyssa. And I know you're not alone, so any of your Gravity bitches, that Ken doll you have for a husband, or even Daddy himself can answer for you... Are you listening?"

  I sneered, looking to Cam, who motioned for her to talk, but the way that the voice spoke, you couldn’t help but walk away.

  "What do you want, Myles?” She asked, picking the phone up.

  A crazed, cackling laugh exploded from my phone, only to end with, "Wrongggg!!! I thought you were supposed to be a private eye." The voice paused, like they needed a breath. “Though I should give you some credit, you aren’t far off.”

  “Whoever you are, what do you want?” She asked closing her eyes as she spoke.

  "Oh… not much.. Let’s say…" The voice taunted on, "Fifty thousand dollars? What do you think, Alyssa? Fifty for both?"

  "Tell me who to make my check out to?" Alyssa growled, practically shaking with hatred.

  "Not so fast there, senorita," the voice teased "I'm not done yet," they taunted.

  I could tell she was losing patience. “Then tell me what you want”

  Squeals and cries of more than one child echoed in the background, and we all froze. "Don't interrupt me again!"

  "I want him back," She said through gritted teeth.

  I looked over at Doc, and she was wiping her eyes scribbling on a piece of paper. She held it up to Chance. It read only one word, ‘Inhaler’

  She nodded asking, “How is he? Is his breathing alright?”

  "Yes, yes," she sighed dramatically. "Quite the healthy little thing you have. And I know which one is yours, because he's got just the same amount of attitude the guys say you had. The other one...he's a little...milder. A mistake, but a surprisingly fantastic bargaining chip."

  There was a part of me that couldn't help b
ut be proud of Juan, but the other part of me knew that attitude, while admirable in some state of affairs, could prove deadly in hostage situations.

  I could tell Chance was thinking about her time with Alberto Garcia all of those years ago, because panic crossed her face. "Don't hurt him," She begged, shaking her head.

  "I won't...if you follow the next steps, Alyssa," The distorted voice replied, sounding almost normal. "I've got a plan, and we're going to stick to it. Stay tuned..."

  With that, the call ended, and Tink bolted to her computer room to see what her system made of that call.

  She came back out with a remote, bringing it up on the main screen. "It was another throwaway phone, but this time, there was something interesting. Look," she stated, pointing to a phone number. "The first one had a Virginia area code. And this new one?" she asked, waiting for everyone to catch up to him. "This one was Maryland, and that's exactly where the signal ended. They moved out of state, but haven't gone far, okay?"

  We all were, hanging on Tink’s every word.

  “That’s good.” Cam sighed. He explained when everyone looked at him. “He has technically been taken from one state to another, which makes this a federal case.”

  “Which gives you the ability to legally help us…” Dario caught on.

  Cam nodded. “I can assign agents as needed now.”

  That was new news, “You have that ability?”

  Cam smiled smug, “Since the work you guys did in Cuba got me promoted.”

  “Nice.” Macon complimented before everything got back serious.

  Cam sighed, his face looking forlorn. "I won't lie to you two. The fact that their, taunting Alyssa doesn't sound good, its personal for them. Whoever that was isn’t stable, because their speech pattern, and mood during your conversation, was all over the place. This might not end with just the money."

  “Who was that?” I asked remembering the very loud ‘wrong’ when Alyssa assumed it was Myles.

  “Myles gone crazy?” Mack pondered.