WANTED: Love of my Life

49. WANTED

“Because if I had to choose between falling into the hands of those men out there, and falling into the hands of the police, I'd pick those men any day.”

And with that, he slammed the door shut and plunged me into utter darkness. I heard the key turn in the lock, and then a splash, as he threw it out into the ocean where it would sink to bottomless depths, never to be seen again. Just like him. He was out of my sight.

But not out of my mind.

Oh no.

“Giacomo!” I cried. “Don't! Don't go out there! They'll kill you! And if they won't, I will, if you go out there! DON'T!!”

I heard a deep voice laughing softly, sadly. Then Giacomo called: “I'm coming out now!”

“No! No!” My yelling was useless. Nobody listened to me. I was helpless. Trapped.

“Neil,” I heard another voice, “Shouldn't we go in, instead? I mean we don't know what this guy is hiding out here for. We don't know what else might be in there.”

“Hmm.” The rough voice again. “You're probably right, Dave. Hey, you!”

“Yes?” I heard Giacomo's voice through the metal. A sob escaped me. He was alive. He was still here.

“Stay where you are. Drop any weapons, and stand with your hands over your head facing the back wall.”

“Yes.”

Light steps on the metal. Giacomo's steps were always light, although he was so tall and muscular. Like a panther. But would a panther survive an attack by several lions? I very much doubted it.

'Please,' I prayed, 'let him get out of this alive. Please, God, I don't care what happens to me, just help him. Let him get out of this alive.' It was the most earnest prayer of my life. Considering the number of times I'd actually prayed, excepting grace at the table, that wasn't saying much, but still... I hoped that somebody, somewhere, was listening.

The engine of the motorboat sprang to life again. I could here it coming closer, then stopping. Heavy feet crossed the makeshift bridge. The door creaked.

“That's right,” somebody sneered. “Right up against the wall, and don't move.”

“I wasn't planning to,” a deep, dry voice responded.

O God, shut up will you? Do you want to get yourself killed?!

“Hey! Don't get smart with me!”

“Have no fear. I'm sure it would be much easier without you.”

Fortunately, the other man didn't seem to understand what that was supposed to mean. To judge by the snickers I heard from his companions though, they did.

“Shut up and hands behind your back,” the gruff voice of the guy who seemed to be in charge barked. “Is there anyone else here with you?”

“No.”

“What about the girl?”

“Locked up.”

“Right. Now hold still while I tie you up. One move and my friend Danny makes a nice, big hole in your head.”

“Understood.”

Giacomo's tone had shifted. It sounded deeper again, like it had that night out in the park. But it was more than that. It sounded... professional. Like he was used to something like this. Like it wasn't anything to get worked up about.

“You wanna tie him up?” A voice complained. “Neil, that's just a waste of time. There are five of us, and he's just one guy. Let's grab him and go.”