The Spy

Chapter 37

John's phone beeped with a new message from Jerry. He read it and his heart sank. The meeting place was in the middle of nowhere, and it was clear that Jerry was doing everything he could to ensure that the exchange was as remote and isolated as possible.

Max Brown, who had been lounging on a nearby sofa, sat up when he noticed John's expression.

"What's up?" he asked.

John handed him the phone. "Take a look."

Max read the message and whistled. "He's really trying to cover his tracks, isn't he?"

John nodded. "Yeah. We need to be careful."

^^^

John and Max Brown arrived at the location that Jerry had texted them. It was a deserted beach on the outskirts of the city, with no one in sight. John took a deep breath and handed over the Mona Lisa to Jerry, who was standing there with a group of thugs.

"Here it is," John said, handing over the painting.

Jerry examined the painting carefully, nodding his head in satisfaction. "Good. You kept your end of the deal."

"Where are Isabella and Sofia?" John asked, scanning the area for any signs of them.

Jerry smirked. "They're safe, don't worry. I'm a man of my word."

Just then, John heard a sound behind him and turned to see Isabella and Sofia walking towards them. He let out a sigh of relief and ran towards Isabella.

"Are you okay?" he asked, embracing her tightly

Isabella nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I'm okay, thanks to you."

Sofia's father, Max Brown, also came over to hug his daughter. "I'm so glad you're safe, Sofia," he said, tears of joy in his eyes.

^^^

John and Max brought Isabella and Sofia to the hotel room they had booked for them to rest. As they sat on the couch, John asked Sofia to explain what had happened.

Sofia took a deep breath and began,"I was walking home from work when someone grabbed me from behind and put a cloth over my mouth. When I woke up, I was tied to a chair in a dark room. I could hear Isabella crying in another room, but I couldn't see her."

Isabella nodded in agreement as Sofia continued , tears welled up in her eyes as she recounted the terrifying experience. "He drove us to a warehouse where he tied us up and left us there. We were there for what felt like days, but I don't know exactly how long. We were blindfolded and gagged most of the time."

Max put a reassuring hand on Sofia's shoulder, "It's okay, you're safe now."

Sofia wiped her tears and continued, "Then, one day, Jerry showed up. He told us that he had taken us hostage because he wanted the Mona Lisa."

 "That's pretty much all I remember. After that, Jerry kept us tied up until you arrived."

John took a deep breath and said, "Thank you for telling us, Sofia. I'm just glad that you both are safe now."

Max Brown added, "And I will make sure that Jerry pays for what he did."

^^^

John was sitting in his hotel room in Florida, staring blankly at the wall. His mind was still processing everything that had happened in the past few days. He couldn't believe that Isabella had been kidnapped and he had to go through so much just to save her.

Suddenly, his phone rang, and he saw that it was Mr. Rodriguez calling. He hesitated for a moment before answering, unsure of what to expect.

"John, my boy," Mr. Rodriguez said warmly. "I hope you're doing well."

"I'm fine," John replied, still guarded.

"I just wanted to call and congratulate you," Mr. Rodriguez said. "You passed the test with flying colors."

"The test?" John asked, confused.

"Yes, John. The kidnapping of Isabella was all part of a test. I knew it was going to happen, and I needed to see if you were the man I thought you were," Mr. Rodriguez explained.

John couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You knew Isabella was going to be kidnapped? And you put her through that just to test me?"

"It was necessary, John," Mr. Rodriguez said. "I needed to see if you were willing to do whatever it takes to protect those you care about. And you passed with flying colors."

"I don't know what to say," John said, still in shock.

"You don't have to say anything, my boy," Mr. Rodriguez said. "Just know that I'm proud of you, and you have my full support."

John sat in silence for a moment after hanging up, still trying to process everything that had happened. He couldn't believe that Mr. Rodriguez had put his own daughter  through that. He knew he had to tell Isabella what had just happened.

^^^

John sat across from Isabella at a cozy Italian restaurant. The ambiance was warm and welcoming, but John couldn't shake off the revelation he had just received from Mr. Rodriguez. He looked at Isabella, who was enjoying her pasta dish, and took a deep breath.

"Isabella, there's something I need to tell you," John said, his voice serious.

Isabella looked up at him, sensing the gravity in his tone. "What is it?" she asked, putting down her fork.

"Your father called me earlier today. He said something that took me by surprise," John said, leaning in slightly.

"What did he say?" Isabella asked, her eyes locked onto John's.

"He knew you were going to be kidnapped," John said, watching for Isabella's reaction.

Isabella's face paled as the gravity of John's words sunk in. "What do you mean, he knew?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"He said it was a test, Isabella. He wanted to see how I would handle the situation," John explained, his voice low and even.

Isabella's eyes filled with tears, and she looked down at her plate. "I can't believe he would do something like that," she whispered.

John reached across the table and took Isabella's hand.

Isabella looked up at him, her eyes still watery. "Thank you, John. For everything," she said, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Are you feeling okay?" John asked her gently.

"I just don't feel very hungry anymore," Isabella replied quietly. "Can we go back to the hotel?"

"Of course," John said, his concern for her growing.

John paid the bill and stood up, offering his hand to Isabella to help her up from her seat. She accepted it weakly, her eyes downcast.He led her out of the restaurant and hailed a taxi.

The ride back to the hotel was quiet, Isabella staring out the window and John watching her worriedly. When they arrived at the hotel, John paid the driver and helped Isabella out of the car. They walked inside and headed to the elevator.

"I can't stop thinking about what happened to me. I keep replaying it over and over in my head."

John put a comforting arm around her. "I'm here for you, Isabella. You can talk to me about anything."

"I just can't believe that my own father would do something like that to me," Isabella said, her voice shaking. "I don't even know if I can trust him anymore."

"I understand," John said, taking her hand. "But you're strong, Isabella. You'll get through this."

Isabella nodded, and John leaned over to give her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Get some rest," he said. "I'll be here if you need anything."

Isabella smiled weakly, grateful for John's comforting words. "Thank you, John. You've been so kind to me."

"Of course," John said, smiling back at her. "Now, let's get you to bed."