The Journal [A Sequel To Maya's Diary]

Chapter Seven

Tess's POV

The last I could recall of last night's event, was that I needed to go to the ladies. I squeezed out the life of my navy blue dress as I ran past through the back stage and towards the female loo. I noticed a figure behind the door. The silhouette appearance stood still. I waited for a few minutes hoping the figure will go away, but it didn't. I hesitated a bit before I bent the door knob and.....

I woke up to a grumbling sound; The sound of my gastrointestinal organs rumbling, like a nagging baby begging for it's mother's attention. I used minutes to look around. I had lost my sense of time. I was in a cold room, literally and I noticed a change of clothing. This certainly wasn't what I had on me last night. My throat itched. That was totally explainable as I hadn't had a decent meal since the night before. Except for a bottle of scotch, which didn't quite hold me up much.

"You woke up earlier than I had expected," A deep masculine voice called out. He had a black ski mask on. I noticed he poured himself a glass of wine. Normally I'll settle to learn the brand, but I definitely didn't think of wine then.

"Care for a glass of wine? this one is good," He asked extending the glass, but with the look of disapproval I shot back, he retracted and added.
"More for me then."

"Who are you?" I began, making a move to stand up, but realized that my wrist and feet had been tied up. "What do you want from me?" I persisted.

"One word for it, Cooperation," He said as he took out a dagger from the side pocket of his dirty brown jeans.

"What do you want to use that for?" I asked, sliding my butt against the cold floor, creating some sort of friction. I wanted to move away, but some repelling force kept holding me still.

"Well, that depends on you love. I could cut the rope leaving you free and letting you go, or, slice your jugular vein," he said resting the blade's edge on my right jugular vein.

I swallowed small bubbles of saline saliva. I squeezed out more of what was left from the shabby dress I wore. It was bogus in contrast to the body fitted dress that hugged me tightly. I wondered whatever happened to it.

"So what is it you want from me? A hundred thousand dollars? Two hundred thousand dollars? Four hundred? Half a million? A million?.."

"Shut up! I don't want your money. However, I want something of yours. Something of a more precious value. Say, the paragon diamond that I heard was in your possession."

"No, no please I'll get you any other thing. That was my dad's greatest asset. One of the very few possession he had while still on earth."

"You have until midnight. Trust me, I will make your death nasty."

"The cops will find you, then they will kill you."

"Not the brightest thing you should have said. I guess I'll make it easier for them."

He held out my phone and made an attempt to call someone. I realized later, he spoke with the cops, when he laid out his terms again to them. He ended the call, cutting a sizeable length of a duck tape and sealed up my smacked up lips. I wriggled my wrists, but my efforts proved futile. Then we both heard the door bell ring from the front door. He left for it without saying a word to me. I tried shouting, but my words were held back by the duck tape.

I stretched my toes the moment I sighted the helpless dagger on the floor to reach for it. I stuck out my biggest toe to nudge the dagger a bit closer, but he returned soon enough and I had lost my chance. He appeared with a wrap of taco salad and a can of orange juice. He pulled out the duck tape making me release a growl of pain.

"Taco salad and orange juice? sounds delightful and looks appealing, but I'll really prefer a letting-me-go right now to anything edible."

"Surely you must be hungry, you haven't had anything to eat all day... and it's Christmas for God's sake, the least I can do is to get you something to eat."

"Such a charming gesture for an abductor," I said sarcastically.

He paced about still on his ski mask. I guessed he didn't want to grant me the luxury of seeing his face should I be called upon to identify him.

"You're stubborn and obstinate. Lucky for you, I like the stubborn ones...but you will serve more usefulness to me, alive than dead. So I suggest you eat up," He said, turning to leave.

"Great. At least my existence means something to you. Seeing that if you kill me, you won't be able to lay your fingers on the precious paragon diamond you so desperately seek."

"Nonsense, I can always steal it."

"Err... I'm not so sure about that. You see, that diamond as I said means a lot to me. My father gave it to me before passing away. So, I didn't just keep it anywhere for just anyone to get to it. No, it's somewhere safe. Somewhere not even you can get to. So now you see, you need me to get to it."

"Oh that's strange, because minutes ago-"

"Minutes ago, I didn't think my life was more important than some diamond. I'll give it to you." He looked at me, fixating his emerald green eyes through the ski mask he had on. The covering didn't do justice to his facial appearance, and I could tell by the way his muscles flexed on his every move, that he must have looked good.

"So.what's the catch?"

"There is no catch. I just need to eat. Forget all I said about not being hungry. I'm badly famished. But first, you will have to untie me. I don't see myself eating being tied up like a prisoner."

"Nice try, you're trying to play smart."

"To get to where I kept the diamonds, you need a key that only I can give. How about that now?"

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"I'm done with my call. I'm sorry I had to leave, it was quite urgent." I started, twirling my blunt edged rectangular cell phone.
"Leone, What's up with the look?" I further pressed, when he said nothing at first.

"I got a call from Tess's abductor and he laid his terms."

"What were they?" I asked, making progressive steps forward.

"Apparently, he wanted something under Tess's care; A paragon diamond left to her by her father some years back."

I stared at my reflective ring. I hadn't known it's worth until then. Little wonder I hadn't appreciated it very much. Leone must have noticed how so intently I stared at it as he chipped in, "Yes, one like yours, but the bigger version."

"That's strange, because the Tess I knew was just like any average girl. She grew up under the shadows of her Nona and her notorious four brothers. Her parents aren't what you could classify as the elites. So, tell me something I don't know."

"True, she has shared her life story on various interviews." I nodded in agreement. "but, this was a part of her not many people knew till recently."

"So what are you waiting for? give it to him. Her life is more important."

"I can't just give it to him. We need to set him up and get him. I have the keys to her possessions. I have a plan."

Everything he said, the way he moved about, got my mind fixing the puzzle pieces. Surely I knew him from somewhere.

"Fine, whatever you choose to do be careful. Did he say any other thing?"

"Maybe you should listen to our recorded conversation," He said, moving closer to the phone he left idly. He replayed the conversation tapping a button and I listened attentively, but something else caught me. I moved forward holding my breath and clutching the ends of my woolen sweater. A wave of shock made my heart beat grow fonder. I exchanged a look with Leone, swallowing what remained in my throat, I said.

"That voice, I know that voice."

Author's note: Same Ol'... Please vote and comment with constructive criticisms
We are getting there.

9:01 am