Chapter 40 40

Chapter 40 40

GEORGIA

"Oh," a small gasp escaped my throat. I remembered when the kidnapped women were released, but I totally forgot about her.

"How is she?" I questioned instead. "I hope the kidnappers didn't harm her in any way."

"That I'm not sure," the doctor shook his head somberly. "A large amount of heroin was found in her system, and she broke her rib bones. "

"Oh no, that is very bad. But why did the kidnappers treat her that way? She was the golden horse, considering the huge amount they demanded as a ransom, yet they did that to her?"

Doctor Gendry shrugged.

"I don't know. But the police reports state that the kidnappers needed to leave her docile, and oblivious to her surroundings lest she aid the police in tracking them down. So they resorted to hard drugs and sleeping pills."

I rolled my eyes. Anyone could have discovered Vanya's castle. But the girls have been freed, and that was more than gratifying. My plans succeeded.

"It is good to learn of the minister's daughter's safety." I eventually said. "This is a great milestone in the investigations of the black market. I do hope she's feeling mentally well."

The doctor shook his head again.

"That is another problem. She's suffering from claustrophobia, severe drug addiction, and a traumatic attachment to a man, who is suspected of being one of the kidnappers. Since she was brought here, she has been calling for him, and oh no..." he suddenly pointed ahead. "She is at it again."

I followed the direction of the doctor's hand and saw the minister's daughter running along the hallway. Her movement was frantic, her hands thrown above her head, her legs, wobbly and unstable. The other nurses and doctors started to run after her, but she paid them no heed, increasing the pace at which she ran.

"You need to do something about this doctor," I screamed. "You can't let her injure herself, she's been traumatised."

"We are trying our best Miss Carter. This is the third time today. She is giving this news people too much to talk about."

As the doctor said this, he tucked his stethoscope into his pocket and was prepared to join in the chase when I looked up and saw the lady running towards me.

My eyes went wide with shock, my heart jolted up with fear, but I was not quick enough; I didn't have the chance to be. With a loud bang, the minister's daughter crashed into me and we slipped and fell.

"Ouch, I think I've sprained my ankle."

The doctors grabbed the lady and pulled her off me. I took a closer look at her. This was the first time I would be saying her up close, having been present at her charity auctions a couple of times. She was short, with long brown hair, dark eyes and a freckled nose. For someone with her kind of money, I expected multiple cosmetic surgeries and beauty enhancements, but she was as plain as a newborn Jane.

"We are sorry, Miss Carter. I will have the doctors attend to you and see to the injury."

One of the nurses approached me, took my hand and was going to lead me away, when the minister's daughter suddenly spoke.

"You are that brave reporter aren't you? Yes, Georgia Carter, I know you."

I turned around and looked at her. The hazy cloud on her eyeballs was gone, she was back to her normal state.

"I follow your media page and read all your articles. Your voice helped me and the others to get out of that bondage."

"Yes, I am the one," I said slowly. "Is everything okay with you?"

"Of course not!" She snapped. "These people, they won't leave me alone, they want me to talk, but I'm not ready to. They have no compassion whatsoever. I'm sure they merely see me as a news piece. Something to boost their careers with."

Uh oh, that's gotten me in trouble lots of times, but I was still willing to do it a 100 times over again. It's a reporter thing, and I knew Kathleen was one of those people for the first hear. So, I moved closer to her.

"The news of your kidnapping caused an uproar in the country." I began. "Everyone who went into a frenzy, riots and protests broke out on the streets. So, you can't really blame these people for wanting to know about the adventure."

"But it wasn't an adventure, why won't anybody understand that! I want. I went through hell, I saw women treated badly, I slept amidst dead bodies." She started to cry. "I don't feel well, I'm scared. Those people are going to come back, I overheard all their conversations, they're planning to..."

I reached out and touched her shoulder.

"I understand how you feel. Trust me, I've been there before. But you need to address the public, you need to satisfy their curiosity and give them the safety measures they so desire to hear. This is a duty, it's not only for show. Do you understand? And that said, what is your name?"

She moved her hand from her teary face and raised an eyebrow. "Winona Montague. I'm surprised you don't know."

"I'm sorry Winnie, is it okay if I call you that?"

"Yes."

" Good. We don't feel entitled to your secrets, nor are we trying to worsen your trauma. But you need to speak and you need to do it today."

She went quiet for some moments and then she said.

"You seem better than the other reporters. Why don't we find somewhere quiet to sit? I'll give you the details, and you can tell the other ones to stop bothering me."

My eyes lit up with excitement. This was a groundbreaking career achievement. The first hear!

"Yes, you can sit in your ward. We would prefer not to share certain words before the entire article is published. And this means a lot. Thank you for giving the interview to us."

"Oh, you don't need to thank me." She waved her hand dismissively. "Those girls need to be protected. This is the only play my part I can play and I hope it works."

"I'm sure it will."

"Very well then."

I gathered my writing materials and my recording device and followed Winona into the VIP room located in the secluded part of the hospital. I wasn't surprised when she locked the door and shut the windows. Rather, I braced myself for the scoop of a lifetime. Oh, what luck I am in.

"So Winnie, where do you want to start from?"

"There is not much I want to say. Everyone knows I was kidnapped. They could picture the horror I was subjected to but no one would believe this."

"Believe what?"

Winona was quiet again.

"You can trust me, Winnie, we're on the same side."

She let out a deep breath and looked away.

"What I'm about to say is high intelligence. I would have told you the police. But the doctors tell them I wasn't in my right mind, something about hard drugs and sleeping pills, he told you too, didn't he?"

"Yes," I mumbled.

"And you believed?"

"When I saw you running across the I..."

"Oh please, it's not as bad as they are painting it to appear and I'm not in love with my kidnapper!"

A smile formed on my face.

"I'm telling you this just so you would believe what I'm about to say. I'm not mad."

"I never said you were."

"Very good. The kidnappers are planning to invade a sorority house at a university located in South Manhattan. The plan is to abduct all the young women and have them trafficked. They have medicines that would affect their minds and cause them to lose their memories. This evil plan has been in motion for months now. No doubt it'll be executed soon."

I felt my blood run cold. This was the darkest and most disturbing news I'd ever heard. I nearly couldn't place my mind around it.

Winona reached out and touched me.

"Do your best to make, just anything to make sure those girls are safe. Publish the news, and if the police won't believe you, hire private investigators. I'm ready to assist with money and other things. Just make sure the attack is stopped. The traffickers are bound to attack anytime soon, don't forget; it is easier to protect than to recover."

"I won't."

That was all I could say, I had to appear confident and fearless. But as I walked out of the hospital, I knew trouble was on the way. The black marketers were really getting on the hand. I fished out my phone and called Rhys, but after several unanswered calls, I had no other choice but to call my trusted colleague, the only person with the same insight as me—Tiana.

My call was answered on the first ring.

"What do you want, why are you calling?"
"We need to talk."