You have saved for this. You have waited. And now you're here.
You walk up to Henry Cavill to get your autograph. You're a Comic Con goer, and the extra security makes you uneasy and feel that something's off, but it's for Cav, right?
You slide you...
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"You were such a sight for sore eyes," I told Rand. William Rand was my usual security contact, but he wasn't available because his sister was having surgery.
"I'll bet," he said, shaking his head. "Those guys knew when to try to get to you. They knew about my operation-my sister's operation!" He was grim-faced. "I don't appreciate that."
"Oh, how did your sister do on her operation?"
"Pulled through like a champ, thanks," Rand nodded.
"So this whole thing is all about the Mountain Lion Fund?"
"It might be. Rumor has it there are a lot of natural resources on and under the land they want to use as a sanctuary for mountain lions. Some business guy named Bridger wants it."
"If it's sanctuary--"
"The land is untouchable." Rand finished my thought. "You could bring in a lot of support for the project. He doesn't want that. And you're MLF's last hope if they want to raise enough awareness and support before the deadline."
"I've been trying Janelle since I found out about the MLF deadline--" she deserved to know.
"And she's not answering?" Rand shook his head. "Wow. Could be all the followers she got after you followed her this morning?"
"How many?"
"Ten thousand give or take so far," Rand informed. "Going up by the hour by the looks of things."
"The hour?" I repeated. "What's the news on the team that took me?"
"Nothing, it's like they disappeared," Rand sighed. "Good thing there's no leverage. Kal is safely with your family, and your family is on the island. No unfamiliar face will get by."
"Leverage?" I frowned. "Dear God."
"What?"
"The woman who helped me!" My mind started to race. "She's the reason I got away. They could take her. They could hurt her, Rand."
"You don't know her!"
"I-I do know her!"
"Did you--"
"There's more to getting to know a person than that," I interjected softly. "I just followed her today, a few hours ago." My mind raced, and then I realized: I signed a poster for her. Did she have the picture we took together? Did she forget it because I distracted her with the SOS?! I flipped the business card she gave me. Phone number, yes!
"What are you doing?" Rand asked.
"Telling Janelle I am coming to get her," I started texting. Rand took my phone. "Hey!"
I knew that wouldn't work. I looked around the airport. We'd just gone through security. I'd never ditched my own security detail before, and now it seemed like my only option. I calmed down. Mission Impossible, like really, Mission Impossible! "I'm hitting the head." I snatched the phone away. "I can still call her."
Rand nodded, confident that I had come to my senses. He's right, I had come to my senses, just not the way he thought.
I went to the bartender at the first class bar. "Is there another way out of here?" I asked her. Her eyes grew huge. "Selfie for the way out." I put an arm around her, and she lifted her phone faster than some trained guys pulled a gun. I smiled, and heard a few clicks.
"By the bathroom, there's a corridor go right then left and you'll be at the main corridor going out." She blurted.
I kissed her cheek. "You're one in a million-Krissy," I read her tag and headed toward the bathroom, and down the corridor. I felt my lungs fill with air and adrenaline as I reached the main hall, putting on sunglasses. I felt my throat go dry as I left the security checkpoint, not looking back.
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I texted her, messaged her, left voice mails. What on earth is she doing?
The SUV was waiting by the time I got to Park and Ride.
"Janelle, it's-it's Cav," I said, putting my words together once I got voice mail. "I think there's--" I looked at he driver, and realized I should rephrase. "There may be still a problem with our friends from the Con?" That sounded bad. I sighed. "Look, I'm on my way to you. Don't leave the con, okay?"
I texted her: Bad guys on the loose, might be after you. Stay put.
I messaged her: Stay put. I'm coming to you. You're in danger.
I called her voice mail again, and said what I messaged her. "Step on it, please?"
The driver nodded, put on sunglasses and gripped the wheel as he put his foot on the gas.
