Her Darkest Fear

“You can cry, honey. I cry too.” She lets go and starts to tear up along with Eloise. “It’s okay not to be strong. Part of living is feeling, and part of the feeling is hurting.”

Eloise moved to crawl up next to her. “As long as you don’t let the hurt consume you. Sometimes we all need time to work it out.”

“I don’t want you to leave me, Mom.” She sobs into her t-shirt. “I don’t know what to do without you.”

She holds Eloise as tight as she can. “Just because you can’t see me doesn’t mean I’m not here, Eloise, and you’re half of me, so, therefore, I’m never really gone.”

A sharp kick to Eloise's battered ribs jolts me back to reality. She was flooded with incredible pain, and everything went black as she passed out again. This time her mom is nowhere to be found, only darkness, pain, and loss. Once again, she was alone.

“Up.” His voice breaks her lovely dream.

Her mother starts to fade, and the last thing she hears her say is, “Fight, my sweet Eloise, fight for your life.”

Sunlight burns through the holes in the roof, making her squint. She saw The American wearing only a pair of satin PJ pants.

He undoes her handcuffs, scooping her in his arms and holding her close to his chest. His lips touched her hair, and she forced her tongue back. “How badly did I hurt you?”

‘Are you fucking kidding me? Is this a joke?’

He walks her out of the attic, down the stairs, and through a hallway she doesn’t recognize.

The lights are dim, the smell of flowers fills her nose, and faint music can be heard as they approach an open door.

She caught the blonde girl from dinner peeking out the door at her. Her eyes fill with tears as she steps back into the darkness.

“I want to make you feel better, Eloise.” His voice is low and in control, not like earlier. “This is my room,” he says as he steps across the threshold.

A king-size bed sits in the middle of a large room. Brown curtains with gold patterns hang heavy throughout the space. A fireplace is lit, and a record player plays an old Louisiana tune.

Candles hang off the wall on dungeon-looking holders. She does spot another pair of handcuffs dangling from the headboard.

She thought she was past feeling fear; she thought she saw it all.

He places her on the bed. “Now, my love, time to use your mouth in the way it’s intended. Lean back and open up.”

No. she was wrong. This is her deepest, darkest fear.

Nicholas checks his watch once again. Every minute that ticks by makes him grow angrier. All he can think of is that while this fat fucker sleeps in a warm bed, Eloise is chained to a wall.

He senses Edson’s mood is the same. All it takes is one look at him, and they both slip out of the SUV with their weapons raised.

“I was wondering how much longer,” Bryan smirks as the rest exit the SUV.

It’s nearly four-thirty in the morning, and darkness surrounds the house. The team moves as if they are part of the night.

Nicholas quickly inventory how many are in the house, and they confirm six: Pat Rick, his three men, the mother, and the younger woman.

Hermes moves smoothly as he picks the lock and opens the door for John and Jace to move in. The two brothers are passed out on the couch.

Nicholas and Edson move into Pat and the younger woman's bedroom. Nicholas nods to Edson as he points a gun at the woman’s head.

Nicholas wraps his gloved handover Pat’s mouth and nudges his rifle hard into his side. Pat’s eyes pop open. He starts to move but stops when he realizes what’s happening. Nicholas tells him to keep quiet and points to the girl with a gun to her head. Pat nods that he understands.

“Good. Now, get up and walk outside. Our men have everyone in this place covered. We have plenty of firepower, so keep your mouth shut. You try anything, and they all die.”

“Yeah.” Pat shakes his head, then Nicholas pulls him to his feet and shoves him out the door. Pat moves through the living room, considering Jace and John have guns pointed at his friends.

Once outside, they hurry him to the SUV. They cuff him, pat him down, and then push him into the truck. A steel divider separates the back from the rest of the vehicle, so Hermes keeps a gun pointed at Pat as they speed away from the house. Within minutes, they’re heading to an open field they saw earlier.

Pulling off the road, Edson hops out and opens the back of the truck, grabbing Pat and slamming him to the ground. The men point their weapons at his face.

Green lasers bounce around on his chest. Nicholas pulls out his flashlight and shines it on his face, making him look away.

“I take it you’re here for the girl?” Pat grunts, shifting his body in obvious discomfort on the rocky soil. “I was waiting for you.”

“So, here we are. Now, where’s the girl?” Nicholas asks calmly.

“The American has her,” he answers, pissing off Nicholas. He wants a damn location, not the name of the shit he already knows.

Nicholas grabs his shirt and sends a powerful punch into his face, breaking his nose. Fuck, that feels good.

Pat shouts and slumps forward, hitting his head on the ground. Edson pulls him back to a kneeling position.

“I repeat, where is the girl?”

Pat spits blood on the ground, breathing hard. “I was helping her, man. I was going to get her back to you.”

“Bullshit.” Nicholas pulls his arm back and glances at Edson. “Kill the brothers.”

Edson starts to turn, but Pat shouts for him to stop.

“Please! Don’t!” He curses and squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. “Landon has her at his place.”

Nicholas slowly lowers his hand, waiting for him to go on.

“Landon, The American, he has her. Mierda! I’m not lying. He has her. He has many girls in the house. I can take you to him. She’s in the attic. Her mouth got her in trouble, so…” Pat lifts his shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. “I can show you where but don’t hurt my family. My brothers might be stupid, but they’re all I’ve got.”

“Girl first.” Nicholas nods to John, who shoves Pat into the middle row of the SUV.

Nicholas calls Dyke back at Guardians and fills him in on everything, including The American’s proper name.

Dyke has arranged for a chopper to stand by, ready for the pickup. He tells Nicholas that he has established contact with a few Mexican police, friends of a friend, willing to support the mission and take out The Americans if need be.

Nothing would please Nicholas more than to kill The American, but they need him alive. They have questions on so many other kidnappings that only he can answer.