Taken By Choice (Taken Trilogy Book 3)

by Jessica Frances

  “Because you’re paranoid.” I walk away and give a silent sigh of relief when I hear his footsteps following behind.

  “Okay, so where do we explore then?”

  “I don’t know. What parts haven’t you seen of this place?”

  “If it’s not part of the training rooms, the meals area, my room or medical, then I don’t really care.”

  “How can you not care? Do you even know what part of America we’re in right now? Are we even still in America?”

  “It doesn’t matter where I am; it just matters that I train and keep myself prepared to do what I need to do when the time comes.”

  “You seriously think like that? What if what you’re being told is wrong? Don’t you ever question why you’re here? How about questioning the motives of the government for the missions you do?”

  “No. You sound like one of those conspiracy nuts.” He sneers at me.

  Anger spikes inside of me. “Ethan, I was taken forcibly from my home. I can’t call my mom to tell her I’m alive. Same goes for Charlie, Rose and Will. We’re being held prisoner here. You get that, right?”

  “You don’t understand.” He stares at me as if I’m stupid, making me angrier.

  “Understand what?”

  “You’re special. You can help our missions, you can make them safer for us, make them successful, save lives. Why are you fighting that?”

  “You’re just blindly trusting that Stan and Martha are good. This is a rogue organization; they make their own decisions about what missions they take and what money they take from that. Can’t you see that?”

  Ethan shakes his head, anger flaring in his own eyes. “Look, I like you, Holloway. In fact, I don’t think any of you are all that bad. You definitely don’t deserve Corby trying to hurt you, but I get why he’s angry. Reader was a good soldier and then he betrayed us. You believe these lies, but that’s all they are. Lies. And they have the potential to screw a lot of things up. You need to let whatever you’re holding onto go.”

  “You’re forgetting something, Ethan.” I take a step closer to him, pointing my finger hard in his chest at each word I say after. “We. Are. Not. Soldiers. Do you know why Blake was such a good soldier?” I sneer at saying the word solider. “He was told his family and girlfriend had been murdered, by us. That’s why he came after us. Except that was a lie; his family wasn’t killed, nor his girlfriend. He was manipulated into being here and fighting. That’s what they do, they manipulate people. You’re being manipulated.”

  “No, you’re trying to manipulate me. It’s not going to work. You’re wrong and, if you don’t hurry up and realize that, you’re going to get a lot of good people killed.”

  “I’m not the murderer here, they are.”

  “No.” Ethan throws his hands up in anger at me, stepping closer as his voice rises. “Stop doing this. Admit you’re wrong and let it go.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, and I don’t expect you to change your mind just because of me. I’m simply saying that maybe you should think a bit more about things instead of blindly following every order. I have good instincts, right? Well, I know Stan and Martha are bad people.”

  “Is that all you’re going on? Is that what has everyone blindly following you on this crusade? I think you’ve watched one too many spy movies. Grow up, Holloway,” he snaps at me.

  “No, you grow up and realize you’re being used, and if you aren’t willing to do that, then you’re just as bad as they are.”

  I storm off on him, my hatred for this place growing inside of me. I’m not mad at Ethan; well, okay, I am, but I’m more upset that they’ve taken these soldiers and are using them without their knowledge. They have no idea what they’re really doing, and they deserve better. They’re willing to give up their lives for their country, and that heroism is being exploited. It’s not fair.

  I walk down the stairs, passed the door leading to the gym and out towards medical. I consider exploring the bottom floor when I notice a camera on the ceiling corner aimed at me. There is also a guard keeping watch by the window under it. Exploring this floor isn’t exactly going to be easy.

  “Zoe?” Rose’s voice scares me and I jump when her hand touches my back. I spin around, my eyes nearly bulging out of my eye sockets when I see her. She has the beginning of what is no doubt going to be a large bruise over her eye, her nose is bleeding and she has a cloth in her hand that is covered in blood. Her shirt is ripped at her collar and I see another red mark across her neck.

  “What the hell happened to you?” I demand, looking around us, ready for another attack.

  “Martha happened to me. That bitch sure knows how to fight,” Rose complains, sounding more annoyed than scared.

  “Martha did this to you?”

  “Yeah, although, to be fair, I did start it. I didn’t think she would be so quick, or skilled. I didn’t even get a hand on her,” she complains, taking my arm and pulling me along with her into medical.

  “What happened?”

  Rose sighs heavily. “I just got really angry at her, at our situation. She pissed me off and I saw red. Next thing I know, she’s pinning me to the wall and my head is hurting.” Rose shrugs.

  “Wow.” Anger builds inside of me, hating Martha even more and wanting to hurt her like she’s hurt us, but there is something else there. I’m also happy. I’m not happy that Rose got hurt, but I’m happy she got angry. This is the Rose we need. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, this will heal. I’ll just have to remember that the next fight I get into with Martha, I need a weapon.”

  “Hopefully there won’t be a next time because we are getting out of here.”

  “Oh, about that.” She leans in closer to me and quickly glances around us to make sure no one is nearby. She has moved us over to a bed, the same one Will used last night. She sits down, letting her legs dangle over the edge. “I found where they’re keeping the security footage. Next to Martha’s office there is a surveillance room and, as I walked passed, a guard was leaving. I saw computers, monitors, and the lot. From my quick glance I made out three guards as well as the one that was leaving.”

  “That’s a lot of people to get passed,” I point out.

  “I know. I also realized another problem with your plan.”

  “What is that?” I’m not sure I want to hear more problems.

  “If we get Charlie to create a diversion, then the power will be out. I need it to work if I’m going to get in there to mess around with what they’re seeing.”

  “You’re right.” I frown, moving to sit on the bed next to Rose. “What do we do?” I’m relieved to have the old Rose back to be able to ask her this.

  “I get why we don’t need Charlie to cause a blackout, it’ll send out a message that we’re trying to escape. Maybe we can make it appear that way and use that to our advantage, though.”

  “How?”

  “Well, if we can find a power source and knock some of the power out, then they might think it’s Charlie and react. We just need to keep the feeds working. Everyone leaves to try to stop our non-existent breakout and I get myself into that room to change what I need to change. Afterwards, we play dumb so they realize it was just an overreaction.”

  “How will you get yourself into that room without anyone seeing you?”

  “I have to see Martha again, we all do. We simply need to plan it around that.”

  I feel equal amounts of relief and nerves. I don’t know if this will work, or if it’s even a good idea, but it’s the first real plan we’ve had to get out of here. It can’t fail.

  “The only problem might come from the fact that I just got the crap beaten out of me by her. I’m not sure if she’ll be in a rush to see me again.”

  “Then we’ll just have more time to plan this right,” I assure her.

  We sit in medical for a while. All the doctors appear to be elsewhere and, when we finally do get someone, it ends up being Harold.

  I still g
et a bad vibe from him, and I hate when he gives me a look of contemplation. I don’t know what he is going to do to us, but I don’t feel like it’s going to be good.

  It’s past lunchtime when Rose is able to go. Her nose has stopped bleeding and it isn’t broken. I walk her out towards the stairs where we almost bump into Ethan who is rushing down them.

  “There you are,” he sighs in relief.

  “I don’t want to talk to you,” I snap at him, trying to move passed him, but he steps in my way.

  “Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did. You were right, and you’re right to question things now. I joined up for this, but you guys were forced into it. Of course you have resentment there. I get it, and while we don’t completely agree on everything, I think for the good of our partnership we should just let it go.”

  Rose raises her eyebrow beside me, nudging my side with her elbow. “What is he talking about?”

  “He told me that we should hurry up and get over the fact that we were kidnapped and brought here against our will. To get over the fact that we can’t go home, can’t contact our families and can never live normal lives again.”

  “I didn’t exactly say—”

  “But you did,” I cut him off, still feeling angry at him, but also feeling tired.

  “I’m sorry, I was an ass.”

  “He seems genuine.” Rose crosses her arms over her chest and narrows her eyes at him. “At least this asshole can admit he’s one. You’re dating an ass right now whois delusional—”

  “Rose, you’re not helping.” I glare at her quickly and turn back to glare at Ethan instead. “Fine, apology accepted.” I feel a well of guilt start up inside of me as I think over our conversation from earlier. It’s not Ethan’s fault that he’s been brainwashed, not really. “I’m sorry, too. I guess you might say I was an ass to you as well.”

  “Before I get roped into apologizing for something, too, I’m going to go. Talk at dinner?” Rose winks at me as she turns her back to Ethan to look at me. I know she means to inform Charlie and Will of our plans. I nod my head yes and then watch her scoot passed Ethan.

  “What happened to Monty? Did that happen in training?” he asks, leaning against the wall. I then notice what he’s wearing. He’s in shorts and a t-shirt, and they’re drenched in sweat. He’s been training.

  “Rose got into a disagreement with Martha.”

  “Ah, Agent Goodings. Yeah, she kinda scares the crap out of me.”

  “Great image.” I roll my eyes at him. “So why were you rushing down this way?”

  “Nico came and found me, said he couldn’t find you and that I needed to make sure you weren’t doing anything stupid.”

  I begin walking up the stairs and this time Ethan lets me pass him. “He shouldn’t have bothered you. I was just keeping Rose company in medical.”

  “Yeah, well, he seemed worried. I doubt he was thinking all that straight anyway. They were taking him somewhere and he didn’t want you unprotected while he’s gone.”

  “They took him somewhere?” I panic, fearing that we’re finally being split up.

  “Yeah, he said to test his blackouts. They didn’t want to keep the power going off here. He told me to tell you he’d be back tonight. They did it a few times when he was at The Jail and he was always back before dinner.”

  I nod, trying to keep my worry from building inside and overwhelming me. “So you went to training after all?”

  Ethan looks down at himself and then laughs. “No, I did actually give it a miss. I just went to the gym and went for a run on the treadmills.”

  “I know I can’t leave here, but why don’t you? We must be near a town. You could go shopping, see a movie or something.”

  Ethan shrugs. “That doesn’t really interest me.”

  “Then you are officially the weirdest friend I have,” I announce, moving out of the stairwell and into the hallway.

  “You got me there.”

  “I’m going to go lie down. I promise if I feel like doing anything stupid I’ll come and find you first.”

  “Thanks. I don’t really feel like getting another lecture from Nico about your safety.”

  “Why are you two such good friends? I mean, you can’t have known him longer than a couple weeks before we broke into The Jail. How did you manage to get on his trust list?”

  “I guess I’m just that great.” Ethan smirks at me.

  “No, seriously, why?”

  “Let’s just say that I found myself in a bit of trouble and your boyfriend came through for me. I told him I owed him one, and he collected by making your safety my job.”

  “He must have really saved your ass for you to owe him that much.”

  “He did. I’ll admit, though, I didn’t realize how fulltime your protection was going to be.”

  I eye him a little while longer, wondering if I can be bothered trying to get the story out of him. My exhaustion wins out, and I leave him in the hallway, moving into my room. I lie down on the bed, missing Charlie instantly, but taking comfort that the room smells of him. Not in some gross BO kind of way, yet his scent is on his pillow, on the sheets, on the sweater he wore last night that he dumped on the floor. I crouch down and pick it up, wanting to feel closer to him. I place it on over my t-shirt and climb on top of the bed, feeling my eyes closing even before my head hits the pillow.

  ***

  I watch myself cooking a meal that is far too complicated for my skill level. If I needed another reason to believe that what I’m dreaming isn’t real, then that is further proof. She’s humming to herself and, although she’s facing away from me, I can tell she looks older than what she was in my other dreams where she was pregnant. Yet she’s not anywhere near as old as the dream I had where I got to speak to Dana on the phone.

  I turn my head and see Charlie quietly placing his briefcase down by the entrance into the kitchen before tiptoeing behind her. She is oblivious, sprinkling a seasoning into whatever it is she’s cooking.

  Charlie wraps his arms around her middle and she jumps, scared, in his arms, a pile of the seasoning dropping into the meal which neither of them appear to notice.

  “You should pay more attention,” Charlie whispers into her ear and then he kisses her neck seductively.

  She claps her hands over the pot and places the lid back on carefully before turning around to face him. It’s the first time I get a proper look at her face. I can tell she’s annoyed, maybe even angry. Is that really what I look like when I’m angry? I sort of look scary.

  “I went to the registry office today to book in for our marriage license,” She says carefully, her eyes studying him as she says the words.

  “Okay?” Charlie sounds and looks miffed at her mood. He takes a step back from her and I see his mind spinning, trying to work out what is wrong.

  “Were you aware that you’re already married?” she demands, causing both Charlie and me to do a double take and drop our jaws to the ground.

  “What?”

  “You, Charlie Logan Nichols, are freaking married!” she yells.

  “You’re messing with me.” Charlie doesn’t sound sure and I know why, I wouldn’t joke about that. Why the hell am I dreaming about this? I have enough drama going on in my real life, let alone creating more drama in a fake dream.

  “I’m not messing with you.” She glares at him.

  “Then there is some mistake. I’m pretty sure I would remember getting married.”

  “Oh, really? Does three years ago in Vegas bring back any memories?” she demands.

  “Vegas… three years ago… I was there with you. Are you saying someone stole my identity or something?”

  “I’m talking about the night where you got so completely drunk that you lost an entire day and night of your life.”

  “You’re saying I got married while drunk? To whom?” he demands.

  “To me!”

  Charlie’s mouth drops open again, but he quickly snorts and then laughs so l
oudly that she moves over and hits him in the shoulder.

  “This is not funny. We’ve been married three years and we didn’t even know! That is ridiculous.”

  “No, that is hilarious.” Charlie steps forward and catches her hands in his. “I guess you’re angry at me for missing our three-year-anniversary? It’s today, isn’t it? The twelfth of March that night happened?”

  “Charlie, stop it! This is serious. How can we have been married already? That’s insane.”

  “Well, we both did get really drunk that night.”

  “Who would marry us in that condition? And where is the bloody ring? Don’t we need a ring to get married? And shouldn’t we have gotten a certificate or something? I just don’t get how this happened.”

  “Calm down, Zoe. We can sort this out.”

  “I want a divorce,” she demands.

  “What?” He looks at her in shock.

  “That wedding wasn’t real and we have not been properly married for the past three years. Our wedding starts from August this year, which means we need to be single for it to happen.”

  “We can just renew our vows—”

  “What vows? Do you remember what vows you took?”

  “Well no, but I’m sure they’re the usual ones that—”

  “It’s not usual to marry two drunken idiots, is it? We probably had Elvis marry us and our vows were to keep on rocking or whatever.”

  “Zoe, come on—”

  “Why? Why couldn’t this have just been easy?”

  “If we get a divorce, then I’ll be your second husband and I’m not sure I’m up to outdoing your first husband, he’s pretty great, you know.”

  “Charlie…” she growls at him, but I can tell she almost smiled at that comment.

  “And just think, once you’ve remarried after a divorce, you have that stigma that you can’t decide on the right guy. Do you want that?”

  “Why are you fighting this?”

  “Why are you? This is great news. We’ve been married for three years and it’s been the best three years of my life.”

  “You only just proposed to me six months ago.” She sounds deflated.