***

Diana

Diana and Michael were unpacking their suitcases, music playing in the background, when the phone rang. Diana jumped as it buzzed beside her. “Hello, Diana speaking,” she answered formally.

“Diana, hey it’s Ian.”

“Oh hi, Ian. What’s up? You just land?” Diana was used to talking to Ian about anything and everything so it didn’t occur to her that something might be wrong.

“It’s James.” At the mention of his name Diana dropped the shirt she was folding. She prepared herself for the worst. Blindly groping about behind her, she clutched at Michael’s hand as Ian continued. “He’s in hospital.” Without a word, Diana dropped the phone. Michael grabbed it and got the rest of the details, Diana was already upending her handbag searching for car keys. As Ian explained that Anna had been thrown into the back of a Land Rover, Michael’s grip on the phone tightened and his knuckles went white under the strain.

By the time they arrived at the hospital they were forced to battle their way through a large number of local and international press, police, and members of James’s swimming squad. Stumbling into the waiting room, they found Joel and Ian waiting out of the way of the circus.

“What a fucking nightmare!” Joel spat.

“Where’s James? What’s happening?” Diana asked impatiently.

“He’s okay, just in shock. They’ve given him something to calm him. His blood pressure was all over the place. But if I’m being honest, right now I’m more worried about Anna,” Joel admitted, shooting Ian an anxious look. “The police have interviewed everyone that they could. They’ve got a description of the man and the car. We grabbed a photo of Anna out of James’s wallet for them. I just pray that she’s all right.” Joel paced, silent tears ran ignored over his cheeks.

He’d known Anna a while now and she had become just as important to him as any of his swimmers. They were like a family and Anna was a part of that. She didn’t deserve this. She’d never done anything to anyone. She was a normal kid and now she had been kidnapped.

Diana and Michael went in to check on James. He was sleeping soundlessly, his cheeks stained from tears that had threatened to drown him but he was breathing steadily. Diana reached out and took his hand. Michael stood behind her, his hands resting gently on Diana’s shoulders. “It’s okay, sweetheart…” Diana mumbled, as she began to sob. “We will find her. She will be okay. I promise.”

Michael looked at Diana and asked nervously, “Do you think that was the truth?”

“It has to be. It just has to.” Diana shuddered, falling into his outstretched arms.

An old, fat policeman waddled over to where Diana and Michael cried. He removed his hat and spoke slowly. “Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. Sorry to interrupt but I have some good news. It’s about Anna.” Diana’s head shot up. She wasn’t sure what was coming next, but she just prayed it was good news. It had to be. They couldn’t take much more bad news. “We’ve found the car that we think was involved with the abduction of Miss White. We have the female driver in custody. The bad news is, however, she’s refusing to tell us Miss White’s whereabouts.”

Michael was usually a kind, considerate man, not often letting his temper consume him. But this was just way too much for any sane person to handle. “Make her talk. You have to find Anna,” Michael boomed at the officer. He managed to bite his tongue before the words that were bouncing about in his head took an unchaperoned stroll out through his mouth. ‘Maybe if you stopped sitting around on your fat arse eating doughnuts all day you’d have found her already.’

“That’s why I am here, Mr. Thompson. I need you to tell me truthfully, would Miss White just take off?” His voice was calm and Michael understood that he really was trying to help. No matter how many stupid and misguided questions they asked Michael endeavoured to answer them.

“No. Anna would never run off and leave James. They were going to be married in a few days. She was beyond excited about it.” Michael offered as many details as possible. After a few more useless questions the officer shuffled away.

***

Anna

Anna’s arms were heavy and everything ached. She’d fought her bindings until they had started to cut into her skin. Her wrists were scraped raw and beginning to bleed. She bit her lip in an attempt to hold back tears that were teetering on her eyelashes. She wanted to get out of there so badly she was considering the possibility of cutting her arms off if it would help. With her constant wriggling Anna fell off the bed and landed with a thump on the cold, wooden floor. Moments later the door was pushed open. In stalked the man with the wandering hands and picked her up, tossing her back on the bed. As she landed with a bounce, her head hit the metal frame, making her see stars.

He’d left the door ajar and Anna could hear the television going in the background. She heard a familiar, calming voice talking about the Australian swimming champion, who, only hours earlier had arrived back in the country after collecting gold medals and world records, was lying motionless in a hospital bed after the abduction of his fiancée. The presenter went on to tell that they had found the car used in the abduction and they had already taken the driver into custody. It gave Anna a renewed sense of hope. Someone was looking for her. She only prayed that they got to her in time.

Her captor had also been watching. He knew he was running out of time. They had his friend, now it was only a matter of time before she caved. Strutting confidently back into the room he watched while Anna continued to squirm. “Well, now. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” he said slyly.

“Don’t touch me!” Anna screeched back at him, kicking her legs wildly.

“I don’t think you have a choice,” he growled, grabbing at her legs. Anna’s heart raced faster as she twisted away from his fingers. Anna didn’t know what it was that he wanted, but she knew she didn’t want to find out.

She didn’t have to wait very long. Without warning she was suffocating under his weight. With renewed determination Anna fought harder and more ferociously to get out from under him. As he squirmed about on top of her, his breathing came in short sharp bursts and Anna could smell the overwhelming stench of stale bourbon on his breath. He was kissing and licking at her face. His hands traced roughly up and down her body without discrimination. With all the hatred she could muster, Anna spat in his face. Almost instantly he retaliated, slapping her face, reopening the gash. The force had been such that Anna flew out from underneath him and landed on the floor. Without her arms to break her fall, Anna’s head bounced off the floor, knocking her unconscious. As Anna lay on the floor not moving and barely breathing, her attacker smiled deliriously.

“Come on, man. It was never supposed to go this far,” a second voice reminded him.

“Don’t be such a pathetic wimp. That bitch deserves everything that she gets. I was never good enough for her. I put up with all her bullshit for years. And you, I don’t know why you’re being such a pussy all of a sudden. First she lies to you. Gets you interested, and then as soon as you’ve bared your soul to her, she shoots you down. And finally, only when she’s been caught out does she confess the truth,” the angry man bellowed.

“I know what she did. I’ve heard the stories a million times. But that doesn’t mean she needs to get hurt. Ease up, hey?”

“Go easy? Go easy? This bitch turned my life upside down and inside out for years. And you don’t want me to hurt her. She fucked me over time and time again. And the only way for me to feel better is to repay the favour. The slut broke my heart and then gave someone else what was rightfully mine. So now I’m going to get my revenge. So stop being a little bitch and let me take what’s mine,” he snapped finally, swinging out at his accomplice.