Kidnapping the General's Daughter

CHAPTER 20 : Because You Worth It

From the front passenger seat, Barra watched Alma through the rearview mirror. She was fast asleep in the back, her small frame cocooned in a thick blanket. He stared at her for a long moment, a heavy ache in his chest, before turning his gaze back to the darkening toll road. He took a long, shaky breath.

"What's on your mind, man?" Dominik asked, noticing Barra's hollow expression.

"I'm just thinking," Barra said quietly. "She's sacrificed everything to be in this mess with me. She left her safe life, her comfort, her studies, her parents... she's living in constant fear of her own father. I'm just terrified that everything she's fighting for won't be worth it in the end."

"You mean, you're scared she'll eventually be disappointed in you?" Dominik shot him a sharp glance.

"Yeah..." Barra turned to the window, watching the blurred silhouettes of trees rushing past.

"Well, you don't know that yet," Dom countered. "Nobody knows the future. Who's to say you won't be a massive success one day?"

Barra let out a long, heavy exhale. "The thing is, her future without me is already guaranteed. She'd never have to struggle a day in her life."

"But a life of luxury with a miserable heart is no life at all, Bar. Put yourself in her shoes. If she thought she could be happy with the guy her father picked, why would she risk everything to run with you? Defying a General with that much power? That's insane. But honestly? You're even crazier-gambling with your life. If that General loses his patience, you're a dead man."

Barra managed a faint, bittersweet smile. "I've never fought for a girl like this. But seeing her fight for me... it makes me feel worthy. Like I actually matter. I'm nobody. I have nothing. No girl has ever gone to these lengths for me, except Mom. It makes me feel like I don't deserve her, but the thought of losing her is unbearable. The longer this goes on, the deeper I fall, Dom."

Dominik shook his head, smiling sadly. "But how long can you keep running, Bar?"

"This has to be the final stop, Dom. I have to think about our education too. I don't want to take a leave of absence for too long. I want to start working, to be independent like you. Maybe if I can prove I can stand on my own, her father will finally see me."

"And if he still doesn't? If this is the end of the line and he still says no... do you just let her go?" Dominik's voice was dead serious.

Barra shook his head slowly. "I don't know anymore. Running is exhausting. I've taken a General's daughter. If anything happens to her... that's what haunts me the most."

Dominik went silent for a moment. "Do you think they've figured out we're heading to Bali yet?"

"It's only a matter of time."

"My gut is telling me something's off..." Dominik looked at Barra, his brow furrowed with anxiety. "They should have realized by now that they were chasing a decoy courier."

Barra's mind began to race, his internal alarm bells screaming. "And they just let you go so easily back at the lodge..." he muttered.

"Exactly!" Dominik pointed a finger in the air. "We've been on this road for hours, and not a single car has been tailing us. Doesn't that seem too clean?"

Barra looked behind them, squinting into the darkness of the highway. "Unless... they aren't following us from the outside?"

The two men locked eyes. A terrifying realization hit them both at the same instant. They yelled in unison: "GPS!"

Dominik slammed on the brakes, pulling the van onto the gravel shoulder. They scrambled out of their seats, frantically tearing through the interior, ripping at the upholstery and checking every hidden nook.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Alma asked, waking up with a start, her voice laced with panic.

"GPS. They might have planted a tracker in here," Barra grunted as he flipped the floor mats and searched under the dashboard.

Alma joined in, her movements frantic. She pulled up the carpets, tossed the pillows, and shoved the mattress aside until she suddenly froze. Behind a stray cushion, she saw a small black device with a tiny, blinking red light. "Is... is it this?"

Barra snatched it, his face turning pale as he inspected the device. "That's it. High-frequency tracker."

Dominik looked back at the empty road behind them. "That means they know exactly where we are. They're probably just waiting for us to stop."

"We're going to mess with their signal." Barra scrambled out of the van, standing at the edge of the highway. As a heavy truck hauling vegetables roared past, Barra threw the GPS tracker with all his might. It landed perfectly in the truck's open bed.

"Drive, Dom! Get us to a rest area before they realize the signal is moving in the wrong direction!" Barra barked as he jumped back in.

Ten minutes later, they swerved into a crowded rest area. Dominik turned to them, his expression sharp and tactical.

"You two, get out. Now," Dominik commanded. "Merge with the crowd, go hide near the food stalls or the prayer room. I'm going to park this van as far away as possible."

"Why?" Alma asked, confused.

"Alibi, Al," Dominik explained quickly. "Those guards already caught me once at the lodge. If they show up now and find all three of us, we're done. But if I'm alone in the van, I can play dumb again. I'll just say I'm on a solo trip to Bali. You and Barra stay out of sight until I give the signal. If they catch me, at least they won't find you."

Barra nodded, pulling Alma toward the exit. "He's right. Let's go."

They slipped into the shadows of the busy rest area, disappearing among the travelers. Dominik watched them go before driving the van deeper into the dark parking lot. Fifteen minutes of agonizing silence passed before Barra's phone buzzed with a text:

"All clear. Get back in, quick."

They slipped back into the van, hearts pounding. "We're taking the old backroads from here," Dominik whispered. "No more main highways."

Barra nodded, his breath finally evening out. He looked at Alma, whose face was still tight with lingering fear. "Are you okay?"

Alma nodded slowly, then reached out, lacing her fingers through Barra's. "If we ever have to be apart, Bar... I'll wait for you. Forever. I'll keep fighting. Because you're worth it. You're the only thing worth fighting for."

Barra raised an eyebrow, a blush creeping up his neck. "Wait... you heard our conversation earlier?"

Alma nodded again, a soft, determined smile touching her lips.

Barra looked away, embarrassed but deeply moved. He squeezed her hand gently. They sat in silence, watching the world outside. They didn't need words anymore. They understood the storm was still coming, but for now, their love was the only shelter they needed.

***

The journey continued into the deep night. The camper van cruised along a deserted backroad, the city lights long gone, replaced by endless stretches of dark rice fields and towering, jagged trees. Barra was now behind the wheel, letting Dominik get some much-needed rest in the passenger seat. Barra checked the mirrors every few seconds, scanning for any suspicious headlights. Alma sat in the back, wrapped in her blanket, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, illuminated by the van's dim glow. They were heading toward a new hope-Bali. A place where they could catch their breath before the next battle began.

Alma took a deep breath, a faint smile spreading across her face. "Everything will be fine," she whispered to herself, clinging to hope like a lifeline.