Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Annie stood motionless in the doorway. She can hear Thom calling her name but it was like her feet refuses to move.

“Annie, came here,” he said soft yet urgently.

“What is it?” There was a kind of fear in her voice.

Thom stood and moved closer to her. He reaches out and handed her the photo. It was clear her reactions were slow. “You need to look at this, Annie.”

“Why,” her voice almost child-like.

“You don’t have a choice, Annie. Look at it. We need to get out of this place,” he warns softly.

Annie takes a deep breath now slowly lifting her hand. Her eye sight blurred a moment. Once she focusses, fear mingles with strength starts to sizzle throughout her body.

“What’s written on the back, Annie?”

It was like she couldn’t hear him for a moment. Her gaze just keeps focused on the photo of her son. He was smiling happily as he stood between her and his father. Now slowly turning the photo, she starts to read the message.

“Thom, what is this?” Her voice sounded strained as she handed him the photo.

“It looks a time and date. I think you should go there, Annie.” Thom gently took her by the arm. Once they were outside the house, he briefly looks back having the sense someone was looking at him. In one of the upstairs windows, he noticed the silhouette of someone definitely watching them. The next moment the person was gone.

“Aaron, you have a message on your phone.” Mathew said where he was working on the computer. With full permission from Aaron, he and the technical team of various specialist has started doing a comprehensive background check on their boss.

Aaron opened the message. His whole body becomes suddenly motionless as he looks at the photo of his son and wife. Beneath it was instructions with a time and date where he should be. “Mathew, do a trace.” As he was watching the monitor it was quickly clear they keep ending in dead-ends. Someone out there seemed to manipulate his life. “Keep me updated. I should go.” He was already moving towards the door.

“I should drive your back, sir.” Mathew starts getting up.

“No, I need you to find out who the hell I am. If I get lost, you must find me. You are the only one I can trust, Mathew.”

“I won’t let you down, sir.”

Aaron just nods his head before he left the building.

“Hanna, where is Annie?” Gregor Damian stood looking at the older clearly annoyed seeing him.

“What the hell do you want from my daughter?”

“Do you mind if we talk inside?” he carefully looks around.

“You are not getting into this house,” Hanna instantly blocks the entrance with her body. “I don’t know what game you are playing, but no.” she said firmly.

“I know you don’t like me but this is important. Let’s talk inside.” He keeps looking over his shoulder.

“I already told you no. Whatever you think is important, isn’t important enough for me to let you in. Now stop pretending by looking around. I don’t believe you or trust you.” Hanna moved to close the door right in his face.

The man in the window reached for his phone. He dialed a number that only rings twice.

“Master, what can I do for you?” The voice on the line asked quietly.

“Where is Grace Stevens?” he asked sternly.

“The Grand Central Hospital. She is waiting for your instructions.”

“I don’t trust that woman. Her sexual habits are making her dangerous. We need to control her libido.”

“What do I need to do?”

“First order of business is to get Aaron, Annie and Gregor on the island. They are the main attraction. Once they are settled, the rest of the players will follow.” The man said sounding very thoughtful. “Another thing, the pills won’t be helpful much longer.”

“Doctor Steven did send a memo that Aaron was suspicious.”

“We need to distract him with Annie. The woman isn’t even aware she has given me complete insight into her thoughts and memory. Aura certainly knew what she did when she approached Annie with that book idea. We need to get her involved, helping to write the future storyline.”

“You should be careful, master, the woman is very tricky and surprisingly insightful.”

“You are right. Make a dinner reservation for us. I know just how to distract her.”

“It will be done, master Stone. The line went dead.

Annie and Thom arrive back at her home. Gregor quickly climbed out of his vehicle.

“Annie…” he called her name but not loud.

“Go inside.” Thom said. “I will deal with him.”

“Okay,” The moment she entered worry was etched onto her face.

“What happened?” Hanna comes towards her. She noticed the pale shock expression.

“The woman wasn’t there,” Annie holds tightly onto the photo.

“What do you mean?”

“When we arrived there, the place was empty. I found this on the floor.” Annie wordlessly gives her the photo. Hanna just gives it one look. She quickly turns to go to the kitchen. Annie follows her puzzled by her behavior.

“What are you doing?”

“We don’t have much time.” Hanna took out an ordinary looking book. She quickly flipped through the pages to make certain it was still intact.

“Annie, I need you to focus. This book isn’t fully written but I want you to read it quickly and make sure you understand the words. The first moment on the island, find the lagoon.”

“I don’t understand, mom?”

“Listens to me, Annie. Find the lagoon.”

“Find the cabin.”

“Find the boat. Make sure Aaron and Leo is with you. Remember Cowan’s Cave, and you believing safety is an illusion. I don’t have much time to explain in detail. Go to your study and read. In the meantime, I will stall whoever is coming.” Hanna firmly pushed her in the direction of her home office. “Annie…”

“Yes, mom?”

“Trust Aaron especially when you don’t have reason too. It all now makes sense to me. You will be pulled into the game of your life. Always remember you are wife to Aaron and mom to Leonardo.”