Line Of Fire •L.A•

32. Isolation

Felicity and Luke reach the office before 5 minutes pass. Cussler chuckles when he sees them. "There you are." His hand rests on Amy's shaking shoulder.

Immediately Jones and a third man grab the pair. Amy cries out in fear. Felicity's eyes are on Cusslers hand on her shoulder. His knuckles are white as he squeezes. The scene makes Felicity think of a similar little girl, so many years ago. Herself.

"Amy, go out to the barn where the other kids are working." He whispers to her.

She begins to walk but not before casting a sad look in Felicity's direction. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." Felicity whispers." It's okay, Amy."

When she's gone, Cussler looks at Felicity. "Now, I think I know you."

Felicity can see Luke's confused look out of the corner of her eye. She focuses her attention on the man in front of her. Staring him down like she had never been able to as a teenager.

Suddenly he smiles, as realization hits him.
"You're one of my kids. You use to go here."

She continues to stare at him. He laughs loudly." Man, Felicity Chase? I don't remember a Chase."

"Coben. My name is Felicity Coben." She says, her voice stronger than she thought possible.

After a few seconds he nods." I remember you." He laughs again." You were the spunky ginger who got herself locked up practically every week."

"Laugh all you want. But I know how this ends." Felicity says with as much courage as she can manage.

"Really?"

She takes a step forward, not even glancing at the gun trained at her." You'll be the one locked up."

He smiles in amusement." Maybe, but not before I ruin your life."

"You did that when I was 13." She spats.

He stares at her for a few seconds before the smile reappears on his face." You know what? I know exactly how I'm going to get rid of you." He stands and steps closer. He speaks to the men." Bring them out to the hole."

Felicity feels the same fear she did at those words when she was young. She grabs for her gun but it's knocked out her hand and Cusslers gun is pressed to the side of her head. Luke and Felicity are dragged outside and thrown into the backseat of a jeep. Cussler screams to the men." Clean up their suv."

He recruits Jones to drive. They drive for a while, Felicity sitting across from Luke. Her eyes down cast in a trance.

When they reach their destination, they're forced out of the vehicle. Felicity stares at the familiar isolation hole.

It's built into the ground. Just big enough to barely fit two people. There's a cover over it, noise proof as Felicity had learned the hard way.

Luke tries to pull away but Jones, being the strongest of the two, pushes Luke into it. Cussler grabs Felicity arm and before pushing her in, he taunts." You will be punished, child." He pushes her in and the hatch is slammed shut above.

The space is barely big enough for two grown adults. Luke and Felicity are chest to chest. She can feel the claustrophobia already.

"Luke reaches up and bangs on the metal.
"Help!!"

"It's no use." Felicity whispers hoarsely, trying to keep herself from crying." Believe me I've tried." She feels the hot tears flow down her cheeks." After I got out, I thought I'd never die here. Look like I was wrong."

Luke finds her hands in the dark." No, don't talk like that, Flick. Don't talk like that. We'll be okay. The team will find us. I promise you."

The enclosed space makes Felicity's chest start to heave in fear. "I-I-" no words come as panic engulfs her. She goes numb and her heart beats rapidly in her chest. "I-I can't breathe."

Luke's hands immediately go up. He holds her face in his hands. "Flick, don't start panicking. Felicity, count with me okay? Count with me!" When she doesn't respond, he shakes her slightly." Felicity!"

"O-o-one." she manages.

"Good girl. You're doing great." He whispers.

"T-two."

"That's it. Let's get to five."

"Three..."

"There you go. You're doing great."

"Four."

"One more come on."

"Five." She chokes out. Her breathing slows down as Luke rubs his fingers tenderly at the nape of her neck.

"You feeling better?"

She nods." I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." He pulls her into a hug. "Don't think about our surroundings. Just breathe in and out. Focus on me."

She buries her face against his chest. She can smell the wind lingering on his clothes. Now that they were close again, Felicity's mind wanders to the kiss from earlier. It had been so quick she hadn't even had time to process it. "Why'd you kiss me earlier?"

He chuckles."I thought that was pretty obvious."

"I want to hear you say it."

"I like you. Well no I love you. I think we've had enough near death experiences for me to say it so early." He lets out a lighthearted chuckle.

"You're insane for loving me, Alvez."

"Well then, put me in an asylum because I'm not stopping anytime soon."

She finds herself smiling." I love you too."

After a few minutes he whispers." You don't know how long I've waited for you to say that."

"Probably not as long as me."

"This is probably not the time or place to have that argument. We can leave that for when we're out of here." She can hear the smile on his voice.