He Stole My Cab (Benedict Cumberbatch Fanfiction)

Chapter Twenty Two

The bike lurched forwards, and I clung on to the handlebars as tightly as I could and I waited. I waited for pain or the warm trail of blood but nothing happened. Relief flooded through me as I turned back and saw Jamie was on a phone, not holding a gun. The bike must have back fired when I changed gear, no bullet was fired.

The more I rode the clearer my head became and the realisation of what just happened hit me suddenly; I had been drugged, kidnapped and god only knows what he had planned for me after that. If he had done this to me what would he have done to Theresa? Fear flooded through me. No one would hurt her, not ever again.

I rode until the light began to fade, the trees thinning out now and I could see lights of a small town twinkling before me, a vision of hope. I parked the bike in a small car park and walked into the local bar, hoping to find a telephone. Thankfully there was a phone booth at the back and I stumbled towards it, exhaustion crashing over me.  It took me a few attempts but I remembered her number eventually and dialled her number.

It only rang once before I heard her voice at the end of the line, “Hello, who is it?” She sounded tired, her voice shaky and hoarse as though she had been crying.

“Theresa it’s me”

“Benedict?! Oh thank goodness. Are you ok? Where have you been? It doesn’t even matter as long as you’re fine, are you hurt? Did you go home-“

“Theresa, I’m fine I promise you and I will explain everything when I see you but I need you to do something for me” I said an idea forming in my mind.

“Yes anything, what do you want me to do?”

“Pack yourself a bag, I want to take you away for the rest of the weekend maybe through to Tuesday, is that ok? You still have time of work don’t you? Just the two of us, somewhere quiet” Neither of us were safe here and I needed to think of what I was going to do and I wouldn’t be able to do that constantly fearing that he was going to hurt her.

“That… that sounds wonderful, id love to” she said, and I could just imagine the smile on her face, the way her eyes would be lighting up, already thinking about what to pack, where we were going. But it wasn’t enough to imagine it, I wanted to see her, I needed to see her.

“Theresa”

“Yes?”

“There is something else I need you to do”

“Yes what is it?”

“Will you pack me a bag too, go to my apartment, just choose anything, I don’t mind”

“Of course, but where are you now then if you’re not at home?” She said, her voice thick in concern, I could just picture the little worry lines on her forehead.

“I will explain everything when I see you, I promise.”

“Ok” Silence filled the line

“Theresa”

“Yes?”

“I… erm… I look forward to seeing you”

“Me too” she said and, as silly as it was, my heart gave a little flutter

“Ok, I will come by my apartment to pick you up. I don’t know how long I will be but I will be there as quick as I can, I promise. Goodbye”

She said goodbye and as soon as the line went dead I felt cold and alone once more. I walked back through to the bar and up to a big man pouring the pints to the customers. “Excuse me, would you be able to tell me where I am?” I asked tentatively. The man gave a hearty laugh, his belly shaking and his moustache twitching.

“Already had too many, eh lad” He said in a thick northern accent. I just laughed nervously hoping he would just tell me

“You’re in York in Yorkshire, finest ale around here mate, sure you don’t want another pint” I just nodded, thanked him and walked back out into the cold early evening.

Yorkshire. That’s easily 4 hours away from London, better get a move on then. I daren’t take the bike; it was probably covered in tracking devices anyway. But with no wallet or phone I was running out of options. I walked back through the pub “Back for more eh lad, they always come back for more” Called the bartender, I nervously laughed and walked to the bathroom.

I looked terrible. Dirt covered most of my exposed skin and bits of congealed blood clung to the hairs on my arm. I was still in my suit trousers and a white shirt but my blazer was gone along with everything in it. Lucky it was so dark in the pub otherwise I surely would have raised a few eyebrows. I ran the hot tap and, wetting some tissue, began to clean my face and arm. I splashed some of the water over my hair and restyled it so I looked more presentable. Once I was finished I looked a lot better, a few cuts were now visible on my face but they were only minor so I doubted that anyone would question them.

Now what? I sat down on a chair in a dark part of the pub so that no one would disturb me. I had no car, no money, no way of getting out of here. I really couldn’t drive for four hours that gave Jamie far too long to make his next move. I needed a hovercraft or a spaceship or a… helicopter? That could work, that could work very nicely. I do hate calling in favours but this time was different. I walked back into the phone room, dialled the number “Hi Chris? Yes its Benedict… Yes fine thanks… You?... Good good. Yeah I’m just phoning to ask for a little favour…”