Allurance

Chapter Twenty-One

Tom's POV
"Haz what's happened?" I asked as soon as I got to the office.
"We got death threat's from 40 different people directed to Gwen." Haz said.
"Why Gwen?" I asked.
"I'm guessing it's because she hasn't really talked to people back home, or just the fact that an innocent journalist is not in a relationship with a mob leader who made her paralysed." Haz said.
"Wow thanks man. But we need to clear this as soon as possible. Do they have original addresses?" I looked at the table of 40 handwritten letters.
"No none of them do. They all have very similar messages and speech though so I think it could be an organisation or a cult or something." Haz said. I picked one up.

Dear Gwendolyn West,
How dare you give up your life as a successful journalist to go against the law with the most infamous mob leader in America. Are you fucking stupid? If you don't return to your old apartment building by November 10th at 12:00am, we'll kill you and your boyfriend and everyone associated with you. You have been warned.

"Holy shit this is bad." I gulped.
"That's only two weeks away!" I put the piece of paper back down.
"We'll get this sorted alright? We have two weeks to figure out what to do. Tomorrow we'll work on it, but you need to sleep tonight because you haven't slept well since Gwen got back from hospital." Haz put a hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah, okay. I'll see you at 8." I said and walked out of the office and back to my room. I carefully opened and closed the bedroom door. I switched the TV off and went back into my pajamas. I climbed into bed and slithered under the covers.
"Is everything okay?" Gwen mumbled, without opening her eyes. Her hand reached up and played with my hair.
"It will be." I said softly. I kissed her forehead and we both fell asleep.

1 week later
"Haz it's next week what the hell are we going to do?" I asked.
"Tom I think I've come up with a plan." Haz sat down at his desk. I sat down opposite him. "But you're not going to like it." He clasped his hands.
"Just tell me."
"If we got Gwen to turn up at midnight outside her old place, we'd all hide in cars or whatever. When these people come to check, we'll figure out who they are and ambush them."
"That puts Gwen in danger." I shook my head. "Tom she's nearly walking again. If she is, this could work. We could pull it off." Haz sat forward.
"But what if she can't walk by then? She'll want to join in. And she'll be in even more danger because she can't fucking do anything!" I said. "Have you even told her what's going on?"
"No. She's stressed enough as it is."
"So are you, Tom. But we need to know what to do by Thursday so I can arrange everything." Haz said.
"Fine. I'll think about it. Will I have to tell her?" I asked. Haz nodded. I sighed.
"Okay, I'll go and tell her. And I'll tell her your idea." I grabbed my jacket and went back to our room.
"Gwen?" I shouted.
"I'm out here!" She shouted back. I dropped my stuff at the foot of the bed and walked out to the balcony.
"Remember our first date here?" She giggled.
"I had no idea what would have happened." She was smiling for some reason like everything that had happened was good. "Gwen I need to talk to you about that red alert we got last week." I pulled up a chair and sat next to her.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"We were sent 40 death threats,"
"Oh god."
"That were addressed to you." She looked baffled.
"Why me?" She asked.
"Whoever sent these are mad at you for leaving your old life behind. And are mad at me for taking you away basically."
"So what do they want?"
"They want you to leave all of this behind and to meet them at your old apartment at midnight on Monday." She thought about it for a moment.
"Is that safe?"
"Well Harrison came up with a plan. But it depends on how well you are." I said.
"Tell me." She turned and faced me.
"He suggested for you to turn up on the day and correct time as bait. Then when these people come we'll come out and...warn them off." I explained.
"I'll be able to walk by then." She said confidently.
"Are you sure or are you just saying that?" I asked.
"It's been 3 weeks since I started therapy and the average is 4 weeks. And I'll do more exercises too." She said eagerly.
"Okay...but if you can't then you have to be honest or something much worse could happen than last time." I placed my hand on her's.
"I promise I'll tell you." She smiled.
"I love you." I grinned.
"I love you too." She reached forward and we kissed.
"Now I have to go to the physio." She started wheeling away.
"You sure you don't want me to come?" I asked.
"I'll be fine. I love you! See you soon!" She said and left the room.

Gwen's POV
Amelia took me to the physio today. We got in and I got changed and I had been doing the exercises for about an hour.
"Gwen you're doing amazing." Eleanor nodded as I started to clear up.
"I think either tomorrow or the day after could be the one." I nearly spat out my water. "What?" Eleanor laughed.
"You're way ahead of schedule. You've really worked hard on this. Now, you can take this home with you and-"
"If I stay will I walk today?" I asked.
"It's possible yes."
"Then I'm staying. Let's get me walking." I downed the bottle of water and I wheeled over to the handle bars.
"Are you sure you're ready?" Eleanor asked. "I'm so ready." I said. We put the wheelchair into lock and I grabbed onto the two metal bars either side of me.
"3, 2, 1 up!" Eleanor and Amelia lifted me off the chair. I was hovering above the platform using my arms to keep me up.
"Okay now slowly bring yourself down." Eleanor instructed. I did as she said and my feet touched the ground. First my toes, then the ball of my foot then the heel.
"Oh my god." I said.
"You're standing!" Amelia snapped a picture. "Call Tom and get him here right now." I said to Amelia. She immidiately called Tom.
"How does that feel?" Eleanor asked. "Amazing!" I said. I felt like I was on cloud nine. I could stand! On my own! Without the handle bars.
"Tom's on his way now." Amelia said.
"Do you want to start walking?" Eleanor asked. "I want to wait until Tom's here." I lifted myself up with the handle bars then I plopped myself down on my chair. Moments later a car screeched outside, not parking anywhere. Tom stumbled out of the car and ran into the physio. He panted for a second then jogged over to us.
"That was an entrance and a half." I laughed. "I," Breath. "Have never," Breath. "Been so," Breath. "Excited in my life." Amelia and I laughed at how unfit Tom was.
"Now let's get you walking." He said.
"Okay ready?" They hoisted me up and I grabbed the handle bars and lowered myself down again. I took my hand off of the bars. "Holy shit Gwen!" Tom exclaimed. He held his hand out for me to take and I took it.
"Ready?" I nodded. Eleanor moved my calf and I moved my left leg. It felt a little numb but I did it! I moved the right one, then the left then the right.
"Oh my god Gwen." Amelia said from behind the phone camera.
"I just walked...holy shit!" I exclaimed.
"Now turn and walk back." Eleanor said. I took a deep breath and turned myself. And then I walked slowly back to my chair.
"Do you want to stop?" Tom asked. "No...never." I grinned.