The Revenge Scam

Train Rides, Suspicions, and Bathrooms

Charles opened his eyes to the beginning of the sun flitting through the curtains. He strung his arm across himself and searched around for his pocket watch. Once he found it, he checked the time and realized he had to get up. Grudgingly moving his feet off the bed, he walked over to Sophia and nudged her arm. She didn't wake up. He feared the worst, thinking that something had happened. His misshapen thoughts were disturbed when Sophia jerked awake and slapped his hand away. She went into a defensive position and brought her arms up, ready to fight. That's when she realized it was just Charles waking her.

She slowly brought her hands down and started muttering. It sounded something like how dare I be woken up in such a manner. She then got out of her bed and they both began to get ready for the train ride ahead of them. There were few words spoken between them and you could feel the awkwardness hanging in the air.

Charles packed the measly amount of clothes he had and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he got there, Sophia was already there. Deciding not to start another quarrel between them, especially considering her arm, he waited outside. When she finished he quickly rushed in and got ready.

By the time they had both gotten ready, they only had a few minutes left. They had to leave soon, so as to not miss the train.

Charles and Sophia were going to continue their trip to Rome by the same train which had taken them there. It would be another few hours and he wasn't sure what he was going to do on the second long trip because he had just woken up. Falling asleep again didn't seem as calming as it does in the dark of night and he felt as if all the words for writing poems had been sucked out of him, leaving him breathless and dry. He decided to leave it to the future to figure out what to do with the stretch of timeless nothing.

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He grudgingly lifted his feet up each step onto the train carrying the burden of his suitcase with him. Sophia had gotten ahead of him and had already started making her way to their seats. As he walked down the aisles he felt that familiar feeling of someone watching him. The heavy suitcase was nothing compared to the weight of the tingle on his back of his neck. He quickly turned his head around and started searching the train for anything suspicious. This was his job after all. After a few seconds, he got tired of this feeling and sat down in his seat. Sophia kept looking at him oddly and leaned over, whispering to him.

"Do you think someone is following us?" Charles shifted over and faced her. "Why would you ever think that?" I can't let her know that I think someone is following us. She'd probably freak out. Although she did see these guys before. Maybe she could help...? Charles stopped his train of thought there and looked back at her.

"Ah, so you have decided to rejoin the conversation," She said mockingly. "You were thinking for such a long time and completely missed my words. I'd say that there are people following us. Charles, I am not dumb, I ran into those people already. They won't come after us on a public train so try not to get yourself worked up." She turned around and took out a book to continue reading.

Charles rested his feet on the seat across from him and took out his book. The tingle on his neck had never left, instead, it was getting stronger. He would constantly look this way and that and his paranoia could even be felt by Sophia.

"Will you stop moving your head around like a maniac?" Sophia asked, getting clearly annoyed.

"I think those two people behind us-" Sophia turned towards only to be interrupted by Charles. "Don't look!- I think they are following us," He started to whisper at the end. The book he was holding got placed down and he brought his feet off the seat. He grabbed Sophia's arm and spoke loudly so the people could hear.

"Let's go to the bathroom," she looked over at him and gaped.

"And why are we going to the bathroom?"

"You know... to do," he looked sideways suggestively and lifted her out of the seat. Before she could say anything else he pushed her out of the train box. Following close behind her he closed the door and start to leave when suddenly she stopped him

"What exactly do you think you are doing?" she asked, almost too loudly.

"I had to get us out of there, and quick!" He said while still trying to drag her away from the door. She yanked her arm away from his grasp and stepped backwards.

"I don't care if you wanted to leave. You had no right to suggest that something like that was happening between us. I am your employer and if this continues I will have to remove you from your job position."

Charles stopped walking and he sighed as he turned around to face her. "Sophia I apologize greatly for what I said back there. I had to figure something out how to get us out of that place. Would it be that bad if you were to be with me?"

Sophias angered face turned into a smiling face. "As a matter of fact yes, it would be. No one in their right mind would ever want to be with you." She started to work her way to the other door. "I accept your apology but it mustn't ever happen again."

She quickly went into the other room and Charles was about to follow suit until he heard the door open. He turned around to see the two men who were following them, standing in the doorway.

"There is no escaping now detective." They started towards him and Charles bolted to the door Sophia went through. He swore he could hear talking before he opened the door. Once the door was open it revealed Sophia standing there. One of the men grabbed her and held a knife to her throat. "Don't move or she gets hurt," he said with a gruff voice.

All he could do was just stand there with one thought on his mind.

Wait, but I really did have to go to the bathroom.