Isobel

ISOBEL Chapter 19

Callen's body was kicked and punched as he remained chained to the wall of the basement. He tried to brace himself for each impact, but the intensity of them still shocked him. The pain pierced through every nerve ending near the impact zone, making it difficult for him to remain standing. But he had no choice but to stand, as he was chained onto the wall. Blood poured from his lip and nose and swelling tightened the skin around his eyes, as he felt himself lose consciousness.

He didn't know how long he was out for, but when he came to, Olesya Michailov had arrived with a guest. Were they the guest she had mentioned earlier? he wondered. He tried hard to regain focus in his eyes with great difficulty. All he could see was the colour red. The formation and details of the figure were blurred. Red. He thought back to Isobel's note. Lady in red will keep you safe. Should he trust this woman? He wrestled the chains as laughter rang throughout the stone-walled basement.

"He tells me he's come here for revenge. But just look at him. Are you sure you still want him now that you have seen him?"

Callen supposed the red-headed figure was a woman. She smelt like a woman and had a lot of hair. Too much for a man, that much he knew. She hadn't spoken, but she stood extremely close to him as she studied him.

"Don't damage him any further. It will take at least a few weeks for him to heal, but he might do." A thick Russian accent drawled out from the woman's voice. "Now where is that handsome one-eyed man you had visiting the last time I was here? I can take him off your hands as well if you like?" She smiled wickedly to the older woman and both women laughed.

"Please do. I think he'll attract more trouble than he's worth. You are welcome to them both. Come, let's go upstairs and sort out their price."

The basement went silent. Finally, Callen felt relieved for the peace that he found himself in. He had been bought, that much he had worked out. Bought by the red-headed woman. Thirty minutes later he felt his wrists and ankles being released from their bonds. He collapsed on the cold rough stone floor. He coughed up blood as his injuries from the beatings made themselves known to him. He must have a least a couple of broken ribs. He found it difficult to breathe when he bent over. He was pulled back up onto his feet and led back up the stairs and outside to a limousine. The guard pushed his head down to sit in the vehicle. His vision was still blurred and he found himself slipping back to unconsciousness once again.

A dim light he supposed from a lamp was the first thing his eyes noticed as he awoke. He felt soft cotton sheets surround his wounded body. He moved his head slightly and saw blood on the pillow. His blood. He tried to sit up, but a soft soothing voice told him not to move. Callen creased his brow as he tried to make sense of the voice. It was a familiar voice. One he never thought he would hear again. He blinked his eyes and tried hard to focus. Long brown wavy hair and green eyes stared down at him with concern in them. 

"Issy!" He knew he must have died for him to be seeing her like this.

"Sssh! You need to rest, Cal. I am so sorry we didn't get to you in time to prevent them from hurting you." A tear slipped out from her welled up eyes and fell down her cheek. "Please forgive me, Cal." She wanted to hug him and make him better again, but she knew from what the doctor had told them, that hugging him would be the worst thing for his broken ribs. He needed to heal before she felt safe to hold him in her arms again. She missed him terribly and had constantly worried over him.

Callen drifted in and out of consciousness over the next five days. He woke with a start, worried over where he was and what had happened to him. He tried hard to remember what had happened. Angry voices could be heard from an adjoining room. He climbed out of the very large bed with posts and canopy that draped overhead, to his feet. He felt weak and he held onto the post for stability. He gathered up the determination to see what was happening in the other room. He was frustrated over the slow movements his body enabled him, as pain shocked through him. He exited the room and followed the voices using the white panelled walled hallway for support. He gripped the handle on the door to open it and saw Trent Kort with a red-headed woman.