LIFE: Through Me Eyes. Book 1

January 31

-January 31-Tuesday-Prisoners
When I woke up I looked around. The warehouse was just as dark as
ever. Lit by one or two dim bulbs, barely keeping the warehouse from
darkness. I turned to see Lucas's mattress a few feet from mine and
him asleep on it. I turned the other direction and saw Caroline
asleep on her mattress next to mine. They must have moved them while
I was asleep. I sat there silently letting them sleep. I have never
been able to go back to sleep once I'm awake. After a few minutes of
sitting quietly I grew very tired of waiting. For the first time in
my life I wished I had worn a watch.
I waited for Lucas and Caroline to wake for maybe forty minutes.
Of course, I'm not sure how long it really was, but I figured forty
was a close estimate. When they woke up they both came and sat on my
mattress with me Lucas sat in between Caroline and I. He put his
arms around us and we both leaned into him. None of us said a word.
We were all very aware that we had probably been missing for an
entire night and no one had found us. I could her Caroline
sniffling. I turn my head into the crook of Lucas's arm and hid my
face as the tear rolled down my cheeks. All of a sudden I heard the
warehouse door open. I looked up and saw two people walking toward
us. When they got close enough for me to see who it was my blood ran
cold. It was Rob and...my dad. So my dad was the one who wanted me.
Now I was in major trouble. Dad said,"Sleep well, I hope." Lucas
cussed. Dad said,"my darling I had no idea you chose the company of
cussers." I said," why are we here? Why have you taken my friends
also?" Dad said,"now now. One question at a time. I, of course, just
wanted to see my daughter. I was able to get out on bail for a
little while and I thought I might as well spend it with my only
daughter. And as for your friends... I knew you would feel better
with them here. Now stand up." I hesitated but obeyed him. He walked
forward with a creepy smile on his face. Out of the corner of my eye
I saw Lucas stand up too. Dad looked at me and then glanced at my
chained wrists. Dad cussed and said,"Rob I thought I told you not to
hurt her!" Rob quickly said," I didn't! Her friend did." "He forced
me and my friend to fight!" I hissed. Dad turned around and punched
Rob in the face rather quickly. Rob went down to the ground,
unconscious. Dad turned back towards me and said,"there. Taken care
of, baby girl." Dad turned and grabbed two folding chairs. He
brought them back over to me and he sat down in one and motioned for
me to sit in the other. I sat slowly. I heard Lucas move closer
behind me. Dad said," how have you been?" I didn't say anything. He
said,"I know what happened last time you saw me and I'm sorry. I
know I must have scared you. I just wanted to be with you and those
Feds were getting in my way." I think he expects me to come running
back to him. Maybe I should play the part of a loving daughter...
and when he trusts me we could escape. I said,"I understand daddy.
It did scare me, but I know why you did it. And it wasn't your
fault." Dad looked surprised, but smiled, what looked like a genuine
smile. He said,"oh! I'm so glad you can see that now!" I nodded. He
said," so what are you planning to do after high school?" I
said,"become a federal agent..." he nodded and said,"good. You push
yourself to do something great. Just know if you need someone to put
in a good word for you I have some high contacts." I said,"thanks, I
may tKe you up on that when the time comes." He actually looked
thrilled. I know what type of man this is, but part of me still felt
some guilt about tricking him like this. Rob started moaning and
coming around. Dad said,"well I need to go but I'll visit later
today." He stood up and picked Rob up roughly. He said,"Rob. Get
them the box." Rob scurried out of the warehouse. Dad said,"you need
anything Nettie?" I said,"yes actually daddy. Can you get me a
watch? Time stands still in here and it's messing me up." He
chuckled and said,"here take mine." He took off a really nice watch
and handed it to me. I didn't Amat to take anything from the man,
but I did want a watch. After a moment Rob walked in with another
box. Dad left and Rob let us use the restroom, one by one. In the
box were some hamburgers, hotdogs, and pizzas. Everything was rapped
up. It had been cooked. It would be cold but it was better then
nothing. The three of us ate while Rob left. I looked at the
watched. It read,"10:23am." I said,"guys, it's almost 10:30... we've
been missing for almost a day..." Caroline said,"then they know
we're gone and your parents will start looking for us!" Lucas
said,"yeah, but it may be a while longer. I'm sure they will come,
but it won't be all of a sudden. Investions take time, sadly." I
said,"yeah... hold up. You said my parents would be looking for us
but what about your mother? Won't she be looking for y'all?"
Caroline and Lucas both looked at each other and said nothing.
Finally Lucas said,"Our mom died last year. She paid off the house
so we would be able to sell it. We went to live with our uncle, but
he didn't want us. We were a burden. So I set up an agreement. If he
were to pay the water and electric bills we would live at our house
and not report him. He also wouldn't send us into foster care. All
we have to pay for is our food and clothes. Since I have a nice job
it covers what we need..." I said," guys! I wish y'all had told me
sooner! You both are all alone?" Caroline said!" No, we are
together. Which is all it has ever been. Even when our parents were
alive we still took care of each other." I said,"does Tyler know?"
Lucas shook his head and said," no and he never can know." I sighed
and said," fine, but you both must promise that if you need
anything... and I mean anything. Food, clothing, anything. You'll
come to me, and I'll get it." Caroline said,"we will. Thanks
Annette." I hugged her. After we ate Lucas asked,"so were you acting
or are you really happy to see your dad?" I looked at him. His face
was bruised up, but his hands looked even worse. I said,"oh, gosh,
no. It was all an act to get him to trust me." I said it quietly so
just in case dad and or Rob were listening in they wouldn't hear.
Caroline said," good. I don't like him." I said," yeah..." we all
talked for a while, not really talking about anything in particular.
The time passed very slowly but at least we knew the time. At one we
ate lunch. Those food was cold and almost stale. I said," Lucas,
you've known Tyler longer then I have... how long do you think it
will be before he... finds us?" Lucas said," I don't know. It's
different with every case. If I think of us as a case then I know
Tyler would find your dad. Now your dad would act like he didn't
know where we were. He may even act worried. But with no evidence
they won't take him back into custody. He would have questioned
people at our school. And we can maybe count on at least someone
seeing us being pulled out of the cafeteria. Tyler will question the
people that dragged us outside... some may say they gave us to Rob
or not. Depends how scared and loyal they are..." I sighs and
said,"well we may be here for a little while." Lucas said,"I don't
know.. if the security cameras at school can see us being put into
the van and catch the license plate then they could see who owns it.
Unless it's stolen. But I'm sure Tyler will find us." Caroline
said," I hope he will find us soon. I need a shower." I laughed and
said,"me too." I stood up and stretched. Lucas and Caroline joined
me. We all stretched. Lucas said,"want to do some combat warm up to
pass the time." He was talking about so difficult stretching you do
before sparring. The three of us did the combat warm up and then did
basic sparring which was hard with chains.
At 3:36 we were just sitting down not doing anything when we heard
noises outside. I glanced at Lucas and Caroline. All of a sudden I
heard the warehouse door open and the suddenly close. They chained
the door closed behind themselves. It was Rob and Dad. As Soon as
they had the door chained there was a banging sound from outside.
One person said,"FBI! Come out with your hands up! We have you
surrounded!" Caroline yelled for help. Before I could hush her Rob
walked over and back handed her. She fell to the floor. I knelt
down. She was unconscious. A slight tickle of blood was coming from
her mouth. Lucas knelt down and picked her up. He carried her to the
mattress and laid her down. Rob said,"scream again and ill tie you
all up and gag you." Dad was pacing back and forth at the front of
the warehouse. There was more banging from outside. This time the
voice said,"you have thirty seconds to come out or we will come in."
Dad yelled,"I have hostages! Come in and they die!" Now I'm sure the
FBI wouldn't be coming in for a little while... not with hostages.
Someone outside used a magaphone and said,"Mr. David Nicholson. We
are going to video call you." He was talking to my dad. After a
second dads phome wrang and he turned on the video call. The FBI
agent on the phone said," Let us see the hostages." Dad said," no."
The agents said," if we don't see you have hostages then we won't
believe you. We will come in." Dad said,"fine. But trust me when I
say, you come in, they die." Dad snapped his fingers toward Rob. Rob
grabbed me and dragged me towards Dad, as far as my chains could go.
Rob put a knife to my throats and said,"speak and I'll let you bleed
to death." Dad walked over and turned the phone around. The FBI
agent wasn't anyone I knew. But I did catch a glimpse of Tyler in
the background. The agent said,"I'm agent Thomas. Are you alright?"
Rob tightened his grip on me. I took that as to not respond. I
didn't say anything. Dad turned the phone around and said,"see. And
I have more." Then Dad hung up.Rob pushed me towards Lucas and
Caroline. I sat down next to them. Lucas was trying to get Caroline
to wake up. She was knocked out pretty good. I sat down and observed
Rob and my dad. They were talking quietly. Caroline was slowly
starting to come out of her unconsciousness. The three of us sat
quietly for two hours. Dad and Rob were agitated. The FBI hadn't
said anything since the phone call. There were some slight noises
outside the warehouse, but nothing loud. Lucas whispered,"they are
going to come in, any minute now." I nodded. Lucas motion for
Caroline to do what he was doing. He got on his knees and placed his
hands behind his head. Dad and Rob weren't paying us any attention.
Caroline and I did as Lucas had. After a few minutes a very loud
thud thud thud came from outside. Lucas said,"there ramming the
door. Stay still." The door flew open and Rob and Dad drew there
guns. The FBI agents quickly shot them. They came in and started
combing the warehouse. Tyler quickly came to us. He said,"are y'all
alright?" I nodded. Tyler walked over to the bodies of my dad and
Rob and searched them for something. When he came back he had keys.
He unchained us and led us outside. The three of us were quickly
ushered to and ambulance. I hugged Tyler. He said,"are you hurt, A?"
I said,"no, I'm just so glad to see you!" The paramedics started
checking us out. Tyler stayed near to us. I asked,"where are we?"
Tyler said," on the outskirts of New York City." Caroline said,"
wow." Tyler asked," once we get y'all checked out at a hospital well
catch a chopper to D.C. It'll be quicker that way." The four of us
rode in an ambulance to the hospital. When we were there we all told
Tyler what happened. The hospital deemed us to to leave. We had
bruises, cuts, and Lucas and I had sprained wrists. Lucas and I had
to wear wrist braces, but that was it. On the way to D.C., in the
helicopter, I said,"I don't think I like these wrist braces. They
remind me of the chains." Lucas rapped his arm around me. Tyler
said,"your not chained up anymore. You will never be chained up
again, that I promise." When we got to D.C. It was dark. I asked
Tyler if Lucas and Caroline could spend the night. He agreed, but
was suspicious of why they weren't wanting to go home to their
"mom". When we got to my house mom and Isabella hugged me. There
were a lot of tears shed. Mom made us an amazing dinner. During
dinner Tyler told us that Rob and my dad were dead. The people at
school who helped them kidnap us were expelled from D.C. High for
life... they probably would face prison, but would probably get at
least a year of community service. Caroline went upstairs to my room
to get some rest. Tyler is letting Lucas sleep in the guest room
downstairs, but just because of everything that we've been through.
I stepped into the living room and pulled Lucas in with me. I
said,"Lucas. I'm sorry you and Caroline got dragged into my mess."
He said," now, this was in no way your fault! Please understand
that." I nodded and said,"thank you. And thank you for staying by my
side through all of this!" He said,"Of course, Annette." He paused
before saying,"Permission to kiss my girlfriend?" I said,"permission
granted." He leaned forward and pressed his lips gently against
mine. The kiss was brief, but amazing. I said,"goodnight, Lucas." He
kissed my hand and said,"goodnight." I smiled as I went upstairs. We
had kissed! Tonight I'm absolutely sure I would sleep well. Because
of both being exhausted and that amazing kiss.