An Impossible Task

Chapter 12

TW: Kidnapping, implied violence, tension, angst, nightmare.

The sedative kept working against her and Cassie wondered how much they gave her to keep her so lethargic and sleepy. From the next room she heard voices---three muffled voices of 2 men and one woman, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Straining to listen, she lost her focus and fell back into a restless sleep.

In her mind, she was running – running barefoot through a field of green with yellow flowers. Her fear turned to laughter as she noticed a clear, blue sky above her and felt a soft, cool wind. Running farther, she wondered why she wasn't getting tired. It was then she turned her face to look behind her and right on her heels was John, reaching out for her with both his arms and a huge smile. Cassie wanted him to catch her, but she was just out of his reach. She told herself to fall down but her legs kept moving and her laughter turned to fear when she realized she had no control over her own body.

Calling to John, she asked him to stop her, to make her legs stop moving. When she turned her face to look behind her again, in John's place was a formless gray mist. Suddenly, she stopped and the mist came up against her, wrapping itself around her. It was warm and felt like soft cotton fibers gently brushing against her skin.

Cassie closed her eyes and fell backwards against the air. The air carried her until she was lying on her back in the green grass with the sun on her face and the scent of the yellow flowers all around her. A shadow came across her and blocked out the sun's rays, awakening Cassie to look up into John's tender caramel colored eyes as his black hair fell forward and brushed against her cheeks.

Still dreaming, she watched her hand reach out to touch the scruff of his beard. Feeling the weight of his body on hers, her arms wrapped around him in order to pull him even closer.

"Wake me gently," Cassie whispered to him but John shook his head as his lips came down to meet hers. Even in her dreams she couldn't resist running her fingers through his silky, black hair as his one hand slowly ran down the side of her body.

He lifted himself up on his arms so he could look her in the face, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, the tip of her nose and down to her neck. Cassie nestled against his lips and closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Oh, I missed you," Cassie said softly.

"I missed you baby," he answered, talking against her neck.

John teased her by giving her quick, gentle kisses until her lips parted and his tongue slipped into her mouth. She felt safe and protected and yielded easily to his touch.

"Baba Yaga," Cassie heard the gravelly growl in her left ear. "Assassin. Murderer. Hitman."

She awoke from her dream and sat up with a violent jerk, gasping for air. Then the tears came—waves of agonizing cries in between gulps for air consumed her as her body shook and her spirit turned cold. She concluded with certainty that these people were going to kill her. She was out in the middle of nowhere guarded by 3 people because why, exactly? Because she got involved with John Wick and she was a means to an end. Her life meant nothing to these people.

But she knew John would save her. He'd figure out something and find her. She just hoped he didn't have to hurt anyone in the process. Then after that, what? If John was what these people said he was, she would have to leave him but first, she'd need to hear the words from the mouth that kissed her so tenderly.

John arrived at the Continental with the dog by noon, knowing he needed to avoid the adjudicator, find the computer expert and not kill Winston.

He entered the hotel and walked to the front desk with the dog by his side. He and Charon greeted each other warmly.