Fear

33 • A business trip and doubts

I was sitting in the cafeteria with Lee, laughing about something trivial. We were talking about our families. He told me about how goofy his Dad was when he was a kid.

"I remember one time when he tried to fix the kitchen sink with duct tape and ended up flooding the entire kitchen. We were ankle-deep in water before he finally called a plumber." Lee laughed, reminiscing. I grinned at him, but a slight sadness crossed my mind at the thought of how nice his Dad sounded in comparison to mine...

Hearing Lee laughing about his Dad served as a bit of a reminder of the good times, before everything changed-before I was kidnapped. I wondered how he'd got himself in this situation too.

Just then, Tyler walked in, a welcome distraction from the spiralling thoughts in my mind. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on me. He approached our table and glanced at Lee with a brief smile, but he looked tense for some reason.

"Emily, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked, his tone gentle but firm.

I excused myself from Lee and followed Tyler out of the cafeteria. He led me upstairs to the bedroom, where he closed the door behind us. I looked at him and frowned in confusion.

"What's going on?" I asked, slightly concerned.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I have to go away for a few days. There's some business I need to take care of."

"Business?" I repeated. "Are you bringing in another patient?"

He shook his head, which surprised me. "No, I've decided to stop bringing in new patients. I need to focus on treating the ones we have."

"Okay? What kind of business, then?"

He hesitated, then said, "I need to settle some things..." his voice got lower and then he smirked and seemed to lighten up, "And I'm kind of... planning a surprise for you."

I raised my eyebrows in curiosity and grinned at him. "Ooo, what kind of surprise?"

He smiled softly. "You'll see when I get back. Just trust me, okay?"

"Can I come with you?" I asked, hoping he might let me.

He shook his head and frowned. "No. It's too risky, you know that."

I paused a moment and thought, stepping closer to him. I ran my hand up his arm. It kind of surprised me that he didn't flinch as usual.

"How do you get out?" I said, keeping a straight face. I knew it was a risky question but I was hoping to get a clue for the escape plan. Unfortunately, he wasn't that stupid.

He gave me a knowing look, his expression calm but with an undertone of a warning. "You can't trick me that easily, sweetheart. Just stay here and be patient."

I bit my lip and nodded, crossing my arms.
Tyler stepped closer, his hand cupping my cheek gently. "I promise I'll be back soon."

"Okay..."

As he left the room, I sank onto the bed. I wanted to believe in Tyler's promise, but a small doubt lingered. My initial determination to escape was beginning to crumble. I thought about my options.

Which would be better for me? The possibility of a relatively comfortable life in here with him, or a 50/50 chance of escape, and if he found out he'd never trust me again and it could ruin everything I've worked for. But I want to see my Mum, Isabel, my Stepdad, Gran and Grandad, and Pip with his big floppy ears. They're all waiting for me to return. I miss them so much...

But for now, I had to wait. After a while, I got up and decided to check on Tom. He needed me, and I needed to be there for him, keeping my promise.

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Tom was sitting up in bed, looking slightly better but still pale and full of fading bruises. I sat down beside him and sighed.

"Tom," I began, trying to keep my voice steady. "We need to talk."

He looked at me, concern in his eyes. "What about?"

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "Tyler and I had a chat about what to do with you once you recover. We have a plan to get you home, but we need some information from you."

His eyes widened slightly, curiosity mingling with apprehension. "Really? What kind of information?"

"I need to know where you came from," I said gently. "Tyler said he doesn't have your full background because Dylan brought you here. Do you remember anything about where you were before you came here?"

Tom looked away, his brow furrowing as he tried to recall. "It's been so long... I was living in Toronto at the time, but I grew up in Belleville. I think my family still lives there."

"That's great, then there's no need for me to look for your file. I'll tell Tyler when he gets back." The information made my heart race with hope. It was all I needed to finally set a plan in motion to get Tom out of here.

"Gets back? Where's he gone?" he asked, curiously.

"I don't know, he said it's a business trip..."
I bit my lip and looked away. It was unlike Tyler to leave so suddenly with barely an explanation. He told me not to worry, but his behaviour as of late had been strange, to say the least...

Tom nodded slowly, a mix of relief and uncertainty on his face. "And what about you? Are you going to escape?"

I hesitated, conflicting emotions messing with my head. "I'm still figuring that out. But I promise I'll do everything I can to get you home. You deserve it after everything you've endured."

He smiled and whispered, "Thank you, Emily."

As I got up to leave the hospital wing, Sam came in to redress his bandages. I gave him a short smile, my mind swirling with options and complications. But I had to figure it out, whatever my choice would be. I had to make a decision.

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