STOLEN HEARTS

CHAPTER 13 - SONIA WAKES UP

Sonia was slowly regaining her senses. She lifted her veil and looked around trying to remember what had happened. Aryan realised the moment had come, so he turned into a small side road and drove till the end and stopped and got out of the car. They were alone there and they could talk properly. Trapped in a car wouldn't be the right place to explain. Sonia should feel that she was still free and was in no danger.

Sonia was still groggy and looked around, "Where am I, what place is this?" She saw Aryan, "And Aryan...what are you doing?" Then she started to remember, "Oh you saved Barky." She looked down and saw Barky was napping in the backseat. He was curled up and his tail was wagging slowly.

"What is all this? What happened, Aryan?" she stared at him and then remembered the sequence of events of the morning. "You put something on my face and I passed out. What is the meaning of this? What is happening?" Sonia was now shouting, panicking, "Where am I, where have you brought me Aryan?"

Aryan was desperate now, "Shh, keep quiet, Sonia. Please keep quiet. I will explain to you, it's for your own good."

Sonia started to shout at this, "What is this, where am I, where have you brought me?"

Aryan tried to calm her down, "Listen to me, please calm down, let me explain...I'm just trying to help...I just saved you and brought you here."

Sonia got out of the car and started to walk away. "You are in big trouble mister. I'm going to tell papa about this and then the cops. I'm leaving, get out of my way."

Sonia began to walk away. Aryan realised that drastic steps had to be taken. He pulled out a fake gun, which was actually a lighter, and pointed it at her. "Please Sonia, stop and shut up or I'll shoot."

Sonia saw the gun and panicked a bit more; she was still shouting, "What is all this? Are you a criminal? Let me go...or else...HELP, HELP..." she started to shout and then suddenly made a run for it.

Aryan ran after her, "Stop, I'm just trying to help...stop or I'll shoot."

Sonia realised that Aryan was serious. She stopped and turned around, she said gently, "OK, OK, don't shoot, you psycho, but can you explain, what is the meaning of this, where are we and why are we here?"

Aryan put the gun back into his pocket, "OK, see, I'm putting the gun back. You don't shout and I will not shoot. No shouting, no shooting. Let's talk like adults."

Sonia was angry and said slowly, "OK."

Aryan calmly explained to her, "OK, now, listen and remain calm. It's all right." Very softly, he added, "It's just that you... err...I have to take you away somewhere."

Sonia blinked at him and asked very gently, "Take me away? But I don't want to go! So there, that's settled, shall we go back?"

Aryan said loudly, "I'm afraid, I have to take you along with me. I have to insist you come with me."

"And I have to respectfully decline."

"It doesn't matter, I have to take you, whether you like it or not."

"You know what this is called, no? This is called kidnapping. You are kidnapping me Aryan. You understand that, don't you?"

Aryan nodded, "I understand, if you want to call this kidnapping, then go ahead, as for me I'm just...err...borrowing you for the time being. You will be returned safe and sound in a few days."

Sonia looked bewildered, "I don't understand this. You are borrowing me? Am I an object that you can borrow and return? And you saved Barky, you risked your life to save him...why?" She stopped speaking. She was thinking. Then it struck her. Now she understood what was happening, "So all you wanted to do was to get to me? You were waiting there, weren't you? You kidnapped Barky so that you could then kidnap me!"