The Choices We Make (Revenge)

Abduction

Grayson Manor, Hamptons

"Oh my God!" Horrified, Charlotte was staring at the chaos in front of her as she entered her brother's room. Half-empty bottles of various alcohol and clothes were scattered all over the place. "Daniel?" She quickly ran downstairs, opened the front door, and stared at the empty place where he used to park his car.

"Charlotte, what's wrong?"

She turned abruptly when she heard her mother's voice. "Do you know where Daniel is?"

Victoria shrugged. "I don't know. I just came from the kitchen."

Charlotte looked at the clock. "It's already past eight pm. Usually he appears on time for dinner."

"Then he probably had other plans." Victoria made a casual hand movement. "You always say that he is old enough and doesn't need a babysitter anymore."

"Mom, he took the car, and he ..." She took a deep breath before continuing. "... he's drunk!"

Victoria looked at her with a doubtful look. "I don't believe that. This was long ago. He has learned from his mistakes."

"Come with me, I'll prove it to you!" Charlotte took her mother's arm and led her up into Daniel's room. "Well, do you believe me now?"

Victoria stared at the chaos and then sighed. "That's Emily's fault!" she said. "He had his life under control before she appeared again."

"He had nothing under control, Mom! He shot her! And now that she knows it, he is sick of guilt!"

"You talked to him?" She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

Charlotte nodded. "He blames himself for everything. And you're the one who was responsible that he overheard the conversation between you and Emily." She gave her mother a scolding look.

"Come on!" Victoria shouted. "Would it have been better to make him believe they would be soon a happy family?"

"They could have been a happy family now, if Emily hadn't regained her memory," Charlotte said. "They were happy."

"Is it my fault that she can remember?" Victoria asked sulking.

"No." Charlotte shook her head. "But can't you understand how Daniel must feel now? Emily refused to see him. She even ordered that he was not allowed to visit the baby. And Julian is the only thing that gives him hope."

Victoria looked at her daughter, frowning. "He knows how dangerous it is to drive a car when he had drunken alcohol," she said hesitantly. "He won't risk his life so senselessly."

"I think his life is the last thing he thinks about now." Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Does it look to you as if he has his life under control right now?"

Victoria shook her head slowly. "I'll call your father. He should find out if he was found somewhere, drunk or ... injured."

Charlotte went to her mother and gently squeezed her hand. "I know you do sometimes as if you don't care," she began timidly. "But Danny was always your favorite child. I know you only want what's best for him."

Victoria looked surprised at her daughter. When had her little girl grown so wise? "Yes," she said quietly. "But I think his best and my best are not necessarily the same." She squeezed Charlotte's hand once again and then went downstairs to make a phone call.

Suffolk County Memorial Hospital

Aiden snuck slowly down the hall, his mobile phone pressed tightly to his ear. "That was close!" he whispered. "Daniel just crossed my path. But he didn't see me."

"Daniel? What is his reason to be so late in the hospital?"

"Stupid question, Nolan. He was probably in Emily's room. But didn't you say that she won't see him again?"

"Maybe she changed her mind? It doesn't matter now. Concentrate. I have the surveillance cameras on a permanent repeat. No one will notice that you are sneaking around."

"What about the alarm system?"

"Switched off. We don't want anyone to call the police if my brilliant plan should fail."

"And the van?"

"In the underground parking area and waiting."

"Your plan is really cleverly designed, Nolan. You covered all the bases."

"Well, I just wrote in her medical file that she was being transferred to another hospital. It was easy. The van takes you to the helicopter. From there you fly to Japan."

"I'm surprised that no one asked. I mean, what justifies a transport there?"

"The people who work for the transport company are not interested in logic, they simply carry out orders. They are paid for."

"Good for us. Well, I have to hang up now. I am standing in front of her room now."

"Good luck!"

"Thanks!"

Aiden finished the conversation and put the phone back into his jacket pocket. He looked around the hall, if no one had overheard the conversation, and then pulled out a bottle and a rag from his shoulder bag. Slowly he let the transparent liquid seep into the cloth until it was sufficiently soaked. He listened for a moment, then opened the door. Reluctantly he stepped closer and found Emily sleeping. He quickly took the wheelchair, who had stood in the corridor, and closed the door again. Everything runs as planned, he thought, as he approached her and then put the soaked cloth over her mouth and nose. He noticed a slight resistance, when she suddenly awoke and couldn't breathe. But it didn't take long for her body to pass out under the influence of the anesthetic.

He quickly wrapped her unconscious body in a blanket and lifted her into the wheelchair. He had to hurry. Someone would notice soon that she disappeared. His hand pressed against her shoulder to stabilize, he quickly rolled down the corridor to the next elevator. From there it went to the underground car park, where the van was already waiting for him. He exchanged a few words with the driver, lifted Emily out of the wheelchair and carefully placed her on the stretcher, which was in the luggage compartment of the van. Only now did he allow himself to breathe. Everything had gone perfectly according to plan. No one had seen or tried to stop them. He gently stroked her cheek. "I'm sorry," He murmured. "That was necessary." He gave the driver a sign that he should leave. And as he drove with the unconscious Emily to the helicopter landing spot, he said a quick prayer that at least this plan might work.