Envelope Challenge

Chapter 18 - Confrontation

So, my internet's down (I'm sitting in Starbucks uploading this, because I love you guys) and I don't know when it will come back. Thankfully, it's given me time to write way more chapters. I'm up to 30 and will be uploadinng them when I can (with the cooperation of your votes of course *cough cough*). Next chapter at 1 vote and 55 reads.

Enjoy!

The "anti-terrorism group" just had to have found them when her neck was practically incapacitating her. Nathaniel jumped up when he spoke to them through the phone and started to bustle around, but stopped once he realized they couldn't do anything and they didn't have their bags.

"How long do you think we have?" she whispered.

He fell onto the bed beside her and she barely managed to move her arm before being crushed. "I can't believe I actually led them right to you. If I hadn't taken that call, they never would have been able to trace us. They're gonna be here any minute now and there's nothing I can do to get you out of here."

She lifted her hand towards his hair, as if to stroke it. However, moments before she stroked his hair comfortingly, she brought it back down. It hit his head with a resounding smack and he looked over at her in shock, no long lasting damage instilled. The face that greeted him was one of anger.

"You still blame yourself for that car accident, don't you?" she growled. "I bet you blame yourself for what happened in that elevator too." The only reason she paused in her tirade was to take in a deep breath of air. Her neck had better get better soon; she couldn't handle being crippled for much longer.

"The car accident was-!" he began.

"Not your fault!" she finished for him. "You saved us in that accident; you didn't try to kill me. And if I wasn't up there in that arch with you when they came, I never would have escaped. You gave me the strength to go on over there, Nathaniel! I would not be alive right now if it weren't for you. You are the reason I'm alive."

She went silent when she understood exactly what she'd just said and what it could have implied. Apparently, the problem wasn't what it 'could have' implied, but what it did, based on Nathaniel's reaction. He sat up straighter as he stared her in the eyes, trying to read something from them she was uncertain of herself. When he leaned over her and began to lower herself, her eyelids automatically closed, anticipating him kissing her like he had done before. Well, perhaps more intimately than last time.

Instead of that, the next sensation she experienced was one of sound. They both heard the sound of a key in the door and flicked over to the door. It slowly opened and Nathaniel jumped off her, always staying so he can see the door.

"I'm unarmed," they heard through the door and the person who spoke stuck both his hands so they could see they were empty. "I'm coming in."

"Please," she whimpered and grabbed Nathaniel's hand.

The man stepped into the room, his white mask evident and entirely terrifying in its featurelessness. He was fair sized, a few inches taller than she was. However, he was bulky. His shoulders were at least twice as wide as her shoulders and he looked as if he spent his entire life in the gym. However, unlike most people, it didn't look like he focused entirely on his upper body; his legs were also quite muscular. He'd obviously never missed a leg day. Altogether, he was an entirely intimidating figure.

"I'm here on behalf of us all," he informed them. His eyes flickered over to where Polly lay prone and immobile. "Is there something wrong with her? Does she need medical assistance?"

"Oddly enough," she whispered angrily. "It does cause some neck problems when you're strangled."

"May I?" he asked and held out his hand as if to touch her neck. When she nodded slightly, Nathaniel went directly behind him, invading his bubble and trying to threaten the muscular man by being closer.