The Girl Who Fell In Love With A TikToker - The Benji Krol Story

Chapter 9: Abduction at the Airport

{The next morning after VidCon ended}

     The final day of being together at the hotel dawned bittersweetly, the excitement of the past days now mingling with the inevitable goodbyes.  Benji, Nic, and Nils were preparing to return to Germany, while Ruth was set to fly back to Ohio.  As Ruth was getting ready she made sure she had everything in her suitcase.  All her fancy shoes, dresses, skirts, shirts, and extra jewelry.  She was dressed comfortably in her knee length skirt, pink Nike sweatshirt, and matching shoes.  She was glad to have brought extra purses for traveling and the outfits.  She twisted her hair up and clipped it.  She filled up her water bottle, put on her perfume, then made sure her ID, wallet, and phone was in her purse.  She wheeled her suitcase to the door before going around the room to double check she had everything.  She found one of her Bible highlighters on the floor and put in in the suitcase.  She held her Bible close to her as she walked out of her room, into the hallway, and then down to the lobby.

     They met in the hotel lobby, their bags packed and hearts heavy with the anticipation of parting ways.  "Can't believe it's already over," Nic said, his voice tinged with nostalgia as he hugged Ruth goodbye.  "I know," Ruth replied, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "These past few days have been amazing."  Nils nodded, giving Ruth a warm smile while saying, "It's been great getting to know you, Ruth.  Safe travels back home."  Benji stood a little apart from the group, his gaze fixed on Ruth.  He felt a mix of emotions—gratitude for the time they'd spent together, sadness at the thought of parting ways, and a growing fear that this goodbye might be the end of something special.  "Ready to go?" Benji asked, his voice soft as he approached Ruth.  "Ready as I'll ever be," she replied, trying to force a smile. "Let's go."  They shared a taxi to the airport, the drive filled with quiet conversation and shared memories.  As they arrived and checked in, the reality of their imminent separation hit them harder.  They made their way through security and finally reached the departure gates.  "This is it," Benji said, his heart heavy.  "Our flight's boarding soon."  Ruth nodded, her eyes glistening.  "I'll miss you, Benji.  All of you."  "We'll stay in touch," Benji promised, his voice thick with emotion.  "This isn't the end, Ruth."  They embraced tightly, the world around them fading into a blur.   As they pulled apart, Benji reached out, gently grabbed Ruth's hand and squeezed it, their eyes locked in a silent promise of more to come.

     With a final, lingering look, Benji, Nic, and Nils made their way to the boarding gate.  Ruth watched them go, her heart aching.  She turned to head towards her own gate, but as she did, a man brushed past her, his presence unsettling.  Ruth shrugged off the feeling and continued walking, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of Benji.  Suddenly, she felt a firm grip on her arm.  She turned, startled, to see the same man who had passed her earlier.  "Excuse me," Ruth said, trying to pull away.  "Let go of me."  But the man tightened his grip, his expression cold and determined.  "You're coming with me," he said in a low, menacing voice.  Panic surged through Ruth as she struggled against his firm hold on her arm.  "Help! Someone help me!"  Meanwhile, Benji was boarding the plane, his thoughts still on Ruth.  As he reached his seat and stowed his carry-on, he glanced out the window.  His heart sank when he saw Ruth being dragged away by a strange man.  "Ruth!" Benji shouted, startling the passengers around him.  He bolted from his seat, his mind racing with fear and adrenaline.  "Sir, you need to stay seated," a flight attendant insisted, trying to block his way.  "That's my friend! She's in trouble!" Benji pleaded, his voice urgent.  "Sir, you need to calm down and take your seat," the security guard said firmly.  "But she's being kidnapped!"  Benji's voice broke with desperation as he pointed out the window.  "We'll alert airport security," the flight attendant assured him, "but you need to stay on the plane."  Helpless, Benji watched as Ruth struggled, her screams faintly audible even from inside the plane.  His heart pounded with fear and frustration as he was forced back to his seat, unable to do anything but watch in horror.  Ruth's attempts to break free were futile.  The man overpowered her and dragged her through the airport, expertly avoiding security.  Before she knew it, she was forced into a van parked outside, the doors slamming shut behind her.  She was driven to a remote warehouse, her heart racing with terror.  Inside, she saw other girls, all looking as frightened and disoriented as she felt.  The man who had taken her spoke to another man, their words hushed and ominous.  "Welcome to your new temporary home," the man sneered, his eyes cold and devoid of empathy.  "Don't bother trying to escape or scream.  No one will hear you."  Ruth's mind raced as she tried to process her situation.  She glanced around the dimly lit warehouse, taking in the other girls' fearful faces and the grim reality of her predicament.  She had to stay strong, to find a way out.  Meanwhile, back on the plane, Benji was a wreck.  He stared out the window, his fists clenched, as the plane taxied down the runway.  He felt utterly powerless, the image of Ruth being taken away etched painfully in his mind.  As the plane took off, Benji made a silent vow. He would do everything in his power to find Ruth and bring her back.

{24 hours after Ruth's abduction from the airport}

     Upon landing in Germany, Benji couldn't shake the image of Ruth's terrified face from his mind.  He immediately booked a return flight to California, ignoring the confusion and concern from Nic and Nils.  This was something he had to do.  When Benji arrived back in California, he headed straight to the police station, explaining the situation in explicit detail.  He handed over any information he had about Ruth and the man who had taken her away, hoping they could help.  The officers listened very intently, taking his statement and assuring him they would do everything in their power to find Ruth.  Benji simply couldn't wait.  He felt an urgent need to be actively involved in the search.  "Please," he implored the officers.  "Let me help.  I can't just sit back and do nothing, while the woman I care deeply about is kidnapped somewhere."  Meanwhile, Ruth and the other girls were transported to a different location.  They were taken to a secluded warehouse on the outskirts of the city, a place that reeked of danger and despair.  As they arrived, Ruth's heart pounded with fear.  She said a quiet prayer and she knew she had to stay strong, not just for herself, but for the other girls as well.  Inside, the atmosphere was tense and foreboding.  The girls were lined up, their hands bound, as men with cold, calculating eyes inspected them.  Ruth's heart raced, she realized what was happening—they were being prepared to be sold at a black-market auction.  "You'll fetch a good price," one of the men said to Ruth, his voice devoid of any compassion.  "Just behave, and you might survive."  Ruth's mind raced as she looked around, trying to find any possible way to escape.  She knew she couldn't let fear paralyze her; she had to think clearly and pray that God would help her act when the opportunity presented itself.  Back in Los Angeles, Benji was relentless in his efforts.  He worked closely with the police,trying in any way he could to help.  He contacted Nic and Nils, who immediately flew back to help in the search.  "We're not leaving until we find her," Nic said with determination as they regrouped at the police station.  Days turned into a blur of frantic activity, as Benji and the others worked tirelessly to track down Ruth.  They received an anonymous tip-off about a suspicious warehouse, that held strange auctions, on the outskirts of the city and wasted no time in acting on it.  They coordinated a raid of the warehouse with the police, planning a strategic approach to ensure the girls' safety.  As they approached the warehouse, Benji's heart pounded with a mix of hope and fear.  This could be it - the place where Ruth was being held.

*Hey everyone, This Chapter was gonna be over 2 or 3 thousand words, so I'm splitting it into two parts.  I hope you've enjoyed part one.  This has taken many hours of hard work and I'm grateful for the help I've had from my little sister.  Thanks for reading! - GodLover