One Night With Mr Braxton

” How did it go? What’s next?” Emma heard clearly from the outside. It was an unfamiliar masculine voice as well as the first time she was hearing the voices of her abductors.

” How do you think it went? Of course it went well. All we have to do is wait until the boss signals us for the drop off.”

” Drop off? Hell no! If she could fetch us one million dollars, why not retain her for larger benefits? Think about it, we are holding every card, why give it up for a measly one million.”

” I did not just hear you address one million dolls as measly, brother.” The other said, his tone almost reprimanding.

” Compared to what we can get, it’s a drop from the ocean. These people are filthy rich and that girl is raw gold. We should mine her for all she’s got.”

” Is she still asleep? ” The other asked, his voice sounded like he was closer to her supposed prison.

” Yes, she’s definitely got a weak system. The drugs wiped her out. She’ll be up in a few hours I reckon.”

” Make sure she is fed when she wakes, we can’t have our golden fish die on us. The rest of us will be on an operation. Hold down the fort.”

” Yes sir! ”

Emma heard receding footsteps and figured the other guy was gone. From their conversation, she was able to gather a lot of fearful details. Amongst other things, one thing which stood up to her was the outrageous request given to her family in order for her bail.

It was a no brainer for her, the knowledge that she might end up living the rest of her life as a missing person who ended up being declared dead at some point during the process made her even more desperate to leave.

According to the men, they already stated their demands and must be awaiting payment before she was dropped off. Which again was left to be seen as they didn’t sound very ecstatic to let her go.

Knowing her relationship with the Steeles and having threatened her step mother not too long ago, she wasn’t quite trusting of her release or bail. As it was and even till tomorrow, she knew that they seeked her downfall and it was greatly beneficial to them if she was locked up.

She couldn’t put her trust in anyone but herself. She had to act fast before they realized her real worth and sold her off in anger. Emma could tell just how desperate the bunch were to turn her into a money spewing machine and it only weighed her resolve to escape before it got too late.

First things first. She needed an escape plan. Her being bound in chains wasn’t in any way helpful. She couldn’t do much if she was restricted. Neither could she think properly in the staggering state of hunger she felt.

Emma didn’t believe one could survive for so long without food or water but there was a first time to everything. She was on energy conserving mode and almost prayed for her supposed security guy to actually check in on her.

She thoroughly needed that food that was spoken about. That and a shower. If they were planning on using her long term, they should at least invest in her physical well being.

Jiggling of keys were heard in front of the doors and in no time, the doors were kicked open. Emma was startled. She had been so lost in her own head that she didn’t realize someone was coming until the doors flew open.

Stuck to the walls, she remained in her position, unconsciously hiding her hands while a buff man held a scantily filled plate of food.

” What’s that horrible smell? Don’t tell me you pissed yourself.” The man said, carelessly dropping the plate of food.

” Maybe if I could get a change of clothes and bathroom asses, it wouldn’t be as bad.”

Emma thought but wasn’t brave enough to say it. The man before her scared the shit outta her. He projected an aura so bad that she wouldn’t be surprised if he was a serial killer.

” Eat up! I’ll be back in minutes.” He ordered, using his feet to push the plate towards her.

Emma felt like a dog. She was undeterred though. Her case was terrible and beggars couldn’t be choosers. She pretty much had a lot of things to do and needed the fuel. For now, she was going to eat and observe her surroundings in order to hopefully find a way out.

*****

” There’s been a lot going on. It’s like she vanished into thin air. I can’t seem to get a hold of her anywhere.”

” What do you mean vanished to thin air? It’s been two days, Jason. Two days and you still don’t know her whereabouts?!” Asher pounded on his office desk. He was tired of the sane story.

Everything was running out of his control and his most trusted aid couldn’t even deliver on such a mundane task? It all seemed like an elaborate plan to frustrate him.

” She was last seen heading out of a trashed apartment belonging to her at four pm and ever since then, there’s been no sort of signal from her end. Almost as though she disappeared.” Jason explained, still finding it hard to understand what was going on himself. ” What concerns me is this.” He said and brought out a transparent bag which held some technical items.

” What is that?” Asher’s brains were working overdrive. It was one hell of a coincidence that the very day this lady met with him happened to be the same day she mysteriously disappeared. Not to mention her apartment was trashed just before.

Asher got to a definite conclusion: something was terribly wrong.

” The remains of what used to be Emma Steele’s phone. My guess, it was smashed to pieces by a car on a highway.” He said, putting his brains to use.

” Do some background checks, I need to know everything regarding this case by tomorrow. Do everything you can to lay hold on every single thing about her. We’ll move on from there.” He ordered.

Jason nodded and immediately left the office, ready to get his hands on just anything that could be beneficial to the case. Somewhere along the line, he hoped for all their sakes that it was all a misunderstanding and the lady in question was still around somewhere.

Asher returned back to his job with a ferocious intensity. He wondered if maybe, just maybe, his enemies had done something terrible to the Steele’s lady. He further thought to call the supposed family but deemed it something that his forward mother would be busy on.

He didn’t need to appear any more weak than she was apparently going to project him. He needed more than anything to recover his life before anything else.

The most recent development was regarding the elders of the Braxton family who took it upon themselves to check on the validity of the rumours and clearly communicated their reservation and decision to him.

Decisions he didn’t regard but were startled when he started losing independence and was almost relegated to working under the Dominion of his uncle. After a huge face off, he was given time to settle everything and let off with the warning of their refusal to let anything slip through their hands.

This and many other things, prompted the intensive method implored towards finding the said lady. Asher regretted letting her go. He now understood the reasoning behind his mother’s anger.

Meanwhile, on the other hand, Mrs Steele was gradually putting things in place for the hopeful retrievement of Emma. There was a whole plan in place, ready and awaiting use. All she needed was the darned money.

Picking up her phone, she prepared herself to do one of the most difficult yet important things in her life. Her phone chirped and she was stunned to see it was Mrs Braxton.

Talking about doing things at the right time.

” I’m now in the country. Could we see today?” She asked, cutting to the point. One would think she was a tad bit too desperate.

” Of course, I would love to see you. A lot has happened. Since the very day our daughter left your home, we have yet to see her. Only yesterday we got wind of the fact she’s been taken hostage and they demand two million dollars for her release.”

Mrs Steele bombarded the script on her, using the most panicked voice she could muster.

” What?! Hold on, I will send a car to you.” Mrs Braxton said and in no time hung up the phone.

Mrs Braxton who was in her chambers threw the flower vase with enough strength that it shattered. She was growing frantic. Hours ago, when she returned home, she couldn’t decipher the state of things but after a briefing from her aide, she was riled to see just how poorly everything was going.

Asher was at the verge of collapse and the only key to defeating the enemy was kidnapped! She could only believe it was a carefully orchestrated plan to dethrone her but not on her watch.