Chapter 58

I was drifting in and out of consciousness, there was no meaning in fighting to stay awake. I was alone in a windowless room. I already knew I couldn't break out of my bonds in the state I was in. There was no information to be gained, no escape to plan or execute. I needed the rest more than I needed to be alert to my surroundings. My training still didn’t let me sink too deep under. My body jolted awake every so often and I could see nothing had changed and I slipped back under again. My sense of time vanished. I had no idea how long I had been sitting in this chair. It could have been hours, it could have been days. I doubted it was days. My hunger and thirst wasn’t severe enough for it. My head wound had stopped bleeding, but the gunshot in my shoulder reopened as soon as I moved in my constraints. The few moments I was awake I spent thinking about Hana. Wondering if she was worried about me, I hoped Jason was making sure she didn’t worry too much. Hana didn’t deserve to be put through all of this and I hoped it didn’t cause her any more trauma. Then I thought about Simon and if he would accept the offer. Half of me hoped he would be too smart, half of me wanted the confrontation that was unavoidable to happen as soon as possible. Maybe he would take pity on me when he saw the state I was in. But I knew that was just wishful thinking on my part. Aksakov probably had the right idea about my son, even though I hated to admit it.

I had drifted off again but woke up as I heard the handle of the door move. I tried to fight back the fog that had settled in my brain. Aksakov walked in with three of his men, sporting a smug grin. What I wouldn’t give to be able to place my fist right in the middle of that grin. In the state I was in at the moment, I would probably end up hurting myself more than him, but it would still be satisfying.

“So, my friend. It appears that you were right. I let a rumour spread that you were fucking that little hot ass that got away and that I hosted you as you screwed me over in the deal we made with said ass. It didn’t take long for your son to hear of it and reach out through… neutral parties. He is being very careful, but he doesn’t know I know who he has been talking to. He doesn’t understand how invested I am in meeting him again. But he is most invested in getting his father back. Must be the son's love for the one who gave him life,” Aksakov chuckled. I nodded. This was what everything had been leading up to. In a way I was relieved it was finally happening. A man walked behind me and cut the zip ties that held my arms behind my back and tied to the chair. I felt the pain as blood started to flow into the numb limbs. I grit my teeth and tried to ignore the throbbing pain in the gunshot wound, as my arm swung down to resume their normal resting position, the wound opened up and started bleeding again.

“So. Road trip?” I asked, trying to keep the pain out of my voice.

“I’m impressed. You can take some hurt. It’s almost to the point where I’m thinking I should offer you a job. But then I do want your son,” Aksakov said.

“No worries. I would have told you where you can put the job offer. I think it’s best that we don’t go down that road,” I said and Aksakov laughed.

“Make sure he won’t bleed out before we hand him over,” Aksakov told his men before leaving the room. Someone pressed a rag to my shoulder, making me swear loudly. Then they duct taped the rag tightly. I tried not to make a sound. The rag and tape would mean less blood loss in my future. I was grateful for that. The rag didn’t look too clean. So the risk of sepsis just skyrocketed. But it was a slower death, so I was okay with the trade. As the men half led, half dragged me out of the room. I tried to think of what I would say when I saw Simon. ‘Sorry, your ex-wife was just too hot for me to ignore.’ ‘Sorry, but I haven’t actually fucked her yet. Just ate her out so I could hear her scream my name.’ ‘Sorry, but I love her.’ It would all be true, but I doubted Simon would like either version. Maybe it would be better that I just shut the fuck up and let him talk. I was led up a set of stairs and into what looked like a barn and tossed into the back of a van. They recognised how weak I was and didn’t even bother to tie my hands or feet. I could use that if I just could gather my last energy. I needed to wait for the right opportunity. Judging by the light I had seen shining through the cracks in the building, I would guess it was late afternoon. The driver sped off and I felt the uneven drive over gravel. It seemed they had taken me out of the city. Not long after there was a bump and then the surface underneath the van smoothed out. We were back on a paved road. I was trying to plan how I would know when we got close to the city. In my current state I wouldn’t last long if I needed to track through nature. The driver hit the brakes hard and I glided along the floor until I hit the divide to the front seat. I grunted from pain.

“We know you have a hostage. We don’t want to hurt you. Hand the hostage over and we will leave.” I heard someone speaking over a speaker. I smiled, Jason. I would recognise that idiot’s voice anywhere, even distorted by a com system.

“What the fuck,” I heard the driver say. “Is that a tank?” I chuckled. Jason the fucker had brought the Ripsaw. It wasn’t exactly a tank, but close enough. And it looked impressive.

“You do know we are a security company that recruits exclusively from the marines, navy and army, right?” I asked in a cheerful voice.

“Shut the fuck up!” the man next to the driver shouted.

“Sure, sure. Just trying to help you to walk away with your life. Don’t mind me.” The men started talking in what sounded like Russian.

“I will give you ten seconds. After that we will be getting the hostage whether you want to or not. I don’t recommend you go down that route!” Jason declared. “One, Two, Three,” he then started counting. I started laughing.

“Shut up! Shut the fuck u… Is that a rocket launcher?” The panic was clear in the driver's voice and I couldn’t stop laughing.

“He won’t use it, you idiot. It will blow up the guy in the back as well,” the other man told the driver.

“Eight, Nine, Ten. Come out, come out wherever you are!” Jason called. I fucking loved that man. A perverted part of me wanted Jason to give the order to use the rocket launcher, just so I could hear the reaction from the man in front. But the bigger part of me was happy when I heard the sound of handheld guns being fired. The driver and the other man returned fire. Despite not being bound, I stayed on my back and listened. I had done my part of the job. I had bought enough time for Jason to find me and I had stayed alive and mostly conscious. Jason would make sure to get me out of this van and then he would make sure to take me to see Hana. I smiled at the thought. It was a pity that I didn't get to face Simon. But I wasn’t in the right headspace or condition for that conversation. But I had one up on Aksakov, I knew where Simon was. Once I was back on my feet I could arrange the meeting on my own terms. The door to the van slid open and I was staring up at Jason.

“Took you long enough,” I told him. He looked me up and down and shrugged as he made the hand sign for a medic to the men outside.

“I have been busy eating Hana’s baking. I had to think if it would be better to leave you to rot so I could win her for myself. Her cupcakes are divine. But then I realised I had to do all that relationship crap. So I decided it was better to get you and let you do that part and I can just come around and enjoy her baking.”

“Fuck you,” I told him and he chuckled. “She’s okay?” I asked.

“She is. She has been baking almost non stop since we brought her to HQ. If we don’t get her to stop, our men will be more useful as bowling balls than soldiers,” he told me as the medic rushed into the van and started to treat me. I frowned.

“She does that when she is worried,” I told him.

“I kind of figured that one out on my own. She has been anxious for any news about you. I have a group of men with her, they will take her to the hospital. She’ll be there when we arrive so you can say ‘hi’ before you head into surgery,” he told me as he walked next to me. I was on a gurney being moved into one of our cars.

“We need to keep her safe,” I said.

“I know. She is safe. I have to tell you, she is even more stubborn than you are. And that is saying something,” Jason told me. I grinned, I didn’t miss the impressed tone in my friend's voice.

“She is amazing,” I agreed. Jason chuckled.

“You got it bad, but I’m happy for you.” I tried to keep awake, focusing on seeing Hana, but I could feel my strength diminishing. I started to glide in and out of consciousness.