They were driven as close as possible to back door in the secure, underground car park. The door opened and a uniformed guard put his head in.
"We are going to move you inside now. Please move as quickly as possible."
"After you," Scott said pointedly. With all the enthusiasm of a condemned man, Clairbourne slowly climbed out of the car. Flanked by what looked like an entire army unit, he was frogmarched into the lobby. Scott followed, clearly wanting to keep close to Clairbourne. Hannah gestured to her birth mother to go next. Diana looked ashen as she fiddled nervously, rotating her wedding ring over and over.
"Thank you," Hannah said quietly.
Diana nodded, blinking away burgeoning tears. "Be careful," she said hoarsely.
"I will."
"Ma'am." The soldier had returned and offered Diana his hand. She took it, gingerly and climbed out of the car.
For a brief moment Hannah was alone. For almost all of her life, she had never told lies or really ever had any need to lie. Recently however, she'd become quite adept at telling them. But was she really capable of successfully lying to the man who had turned deception and falsehood into an art form. She took a deep breath and climbed out of the car.
"This way, Miss Page."
Once inside, she was ushered into a large room on the left. Scott, Diana and Clairbourne were seated on different sides of the room, each talking to a member of the onsite medical staff. A young male nurse in a white coat was taking Diana's temperature and another was peering inside Scott's right ear with a small device.
"Hello, Miss Page. Might I just say how relieved we all are to have you back here, safe and sound?"
Hannah turned and saw Zeke coming towards her.
"It's good to see you again too. I have so..."
"This way," Zeke interrupted. "Please, take a seat." An older man in a white coat approached. "The medics are going to check you over as a precaution," Zeke continued. "Can we get you anything, a glass of water perhaps?"
The medic placed a thermometer beneath her tongue. Hannah nodded at the request for water. The thermometer removed, the nurse then checked her blood pressure. Hannah looked over towards Scott and found him staring back at her. He discreetly mouthed something to her, but she couldn't discern what he'd said. "Ouch!"
"Sorry, I am taking a small sample of your blood to check your sugar levels. Do you have any pain anywhere; are you injured at all?"
"No, I'm fine, honestly."
A couple more checks were carried out and she was deemed fit enough to undergo questioning. For a split second the four of them caught each other's eyes. The conspiratorial looks that passed between each of them differed. Diana looked terrified, but she gave Hannah a nod, placing the palm of her hand against her left breast. The gesture forged a lump in Hannah's throat. Clairbourne looked at Hannah, his eyes steely. His gaze moved to Tom and a moment passed between them that could only be described as menacing. Clairbourne had a decision to make. It wasn't about whom he felt true allegiance to, but to whom he feared the most. Back in the warehouse, it had been made very clear to him, that Briggs was the least of his worries. Hannah hoped, he would stay to true to his word, although she very much doubted it. Hannah caught Scott's eye again. For the second time he tried to mouth something to her but Zeke interrupted her view.
"This way please."
"Please, sit down, Hannah." The characterless room she had been taken to was just like any other room she had seen so far. Brightly lit with a pale, grey palette; in the centre stood a table and three chairs.
"Zeke, I have to ..."
A slim woman, with shoulder length brown hair entered the room, holding a clipboard. She made her way over to the table and took a seat opposite.
"Hannah, this is Dr Crisswell. She is a trained counsellor and will be sitting in on our interview. She'll be working with you over the coming weeks, to help you deal emotionally with the trauma you have experienced over the last few days."
"But, I don't need a counsellor, I'm fine."
"This isn't just about your ordeal over the last twenty-four hours. You ran away, Hannah. People, who are fine, don't run away."
Hannah rolled her eyes. This was all she needed right now, yet another sticky-beak taking a close interest in her.
"General Briggs is insistent. He is very concerned for you."
Zeke gestured to the woman.
"Hello, Hannah, it's an honour to meet you."
Hannah picked up a glass of water from the centre of the table and took a sip. Her hand shook ever so slightly as she studied the woman opposite. She was probably in her early forties, but looked younger. She wore a bright red shift dress and beneath it, was a barely- hidden baby bump. Her hand stroked across the surface of her bump and she noticed Hannah looking at it.
"Thirty weeks tomorrow. It's a girl."
Hannah smiled weakly. She wondered if Diana had ever sat caressing her swollen belly, excitedly telling anyone who would listen about her pregnancy. She then thought of Lynne, her adoptive mother doing the same. Both women spent nine months oblivious to the fact that that they would never get the hold the children that grew inside of them.
"Congratulations," she answered bitterly.
"Thank you. So Hannah, we would like to run through the events of the last few days so we have a clear record of your ordeal. If we have any chance of bringing the perpetrators to justice, your evidence is critical. Tell us in your own words what happened."
Zeke pressed a button on a recording device on the table in front of her. Her heart skipped a beat and her hands started to feel clammy. Swallowing away her nerves she began to tell the story they had concocted.
"It just got a little too much for me. Diana and John have been so kind and welcoming, but everything moved so quickly, I guess I just got a little overwhelmed. I know General Briggs only has my best interests at heart, but I was also finding not seeing my adoptive parents very hard. To be honest, I was stupid. I got home sick and I went to find Dan."
Hannah purposely dropped the term, Dad, even though it felt wrong to call the man who had raised her as anything else. She then told Zeke how she had cajoled Tucker into helping her. Drawing on the bottomless well of tears she was yet to cry for Shane, she told them of Tucker's death at the hands of one of their captors. At one point she found herself sobbing. Zeke seemed unmoved, but the counsellor warmly told her to "let it all out."
Taking a minute or two to calm herself, she continued by telling them how Diana, had tracked down her adoptive father in the hope of finding Hannah and that they had then been lured into a trap, resulting in the death of Dan too.
"They killed Tucker and they killed Dan. They showed no mercy. Diana is only alive because they decided to use her for a ransom."
The more lies Hannah told, the more fantastical her story became. Zeke seemed to put on a convincing performance of someone who had bought into the lies and Dr Criswell dabbed her face with a tissue as tears of sympathy rolled down her cheeks. However, Hannah continued to keep her answers lacking in detail and evasive as possible. After nearly an hour of questioning, Zeke turned off the voice recorder.
"Thank you Miss Page, you've given us some useful information to go on. You were incredibly lucky that we received an anonymous tip off as to your whereabouts. I would like to pass on our sincere condolences for the loss of your adoptive father and your friend. Trust me, we will use every tool at our disposal to ensure these people are found and punished."
Hannah looked hard at Zeke. If her performance was good, his was award winning, yet he sounded almost too formal. She wondered if Briggs was listening in right now.
"Hannah, over the coming days, you are more than likely going to experience a range of emotions. You might find yourself at times becoming very upset, angry, scared even. These are entirely normal feelings and all part of your minds healing process. I am going to prescribe you a mild sedative to take at before bed and whenever you start to feel anxious. I am also going to give you my number and you should call me whenever you feel the need to talk. You should know that I am personally here for you day and night." Dr Criswell reached over and gave Hannah's hand a squeeze.
Hannah thanked the doctor. "Is it possible to take one of those tablets now?"
"Of course, Hannah, I'll just go and get some."
The doctor left the room. Zeke shuffled the papers he had been taking notes on. Once they were aligned in a neat pile, he glanced at his watch. Hannah waited for him to safe something. He remained silent.
"Mr Matheson,"
"Yes, Hannah. Would you like any more water to have with your tablets?"
"Err...no, thank you." Why wasn't he talking to her, berating her?
"Has General Briggs been listening in on this interview?"
"No, Hannah, he is currently in a meeting. We will take you to see him just as soon as Dr Criswell returns."
"Oh. Thanks."
Silence returned and it felt more oppressive as the minutes ticked by. She watched as Zeke filled in some more paper work.
"Here we are."
Dr Criswell walked back into the room and gave Hannah two small, pink capsules.
"These will just take the edge off your anxiety. Make sure you don't take any more than eight of them in a twenty-four hour period." The Doctor placed a small brown container of the table.
Hannah lifted the glass. Palming the medication, she pretended to swallow them with a glug of water.
Zeke stood up and went over to a phone mounted on the wall and dialled.
"Is General Briggs back in his office... good?" He opened the door and summoned for someone.
"Aren't you taking me up there?"
"No, I have a... other things to do."
"My dear girl, come and sit by me." Briggs met her at the door and was now walking her over to the leather couch, his arm around her back. Her flesh crawled.
"You look dreadfully pale, Hannah. I trust my team downstairs took good care of you?"
"They did, Sir. I'm just tired and the anti-anxiety medication is making me a little woozy."
Briggs nodded.
"You had me very worried, Hannah. Whatever possessed you to run off like that?" He moved a little closer to her. His breath smelt of strong liquor; the heady fumes made her feel nauseated. She fought the urge to lean away from him.
"To be honest I don't really know except that my life has been turned upside down and it all became too much. I guess I didn't feel worthy of the attention I was getting."
"Oh, Hannah, never has there been a person more worthy of such attention as you. Child, you really are a breath of fresh air, but you need to know how very disappointed I am that you didn't come to me first. I was sorry to hear of the death of your adoptive father, but at least now you can move on with your life. Is there anything I can do to help you with this process?"
Hannah supressed the urge to scratch out his eyes. "General, as ever, you are too kind; you have given me so much already. But I guess if there was one thing I could wish for, then it would be that my adoptive mother is released from your custody. I don't think I will ever feel at ease if she isn't free to leave and try to make the best out of her life. I feel I owe her that at least."
Briggs rubbed at his chin. It made a slight rasping sound as his thumb trailed over the unshaven surface. It was the first time she had seen Briggs look anything less than impeccable.
"So you're saying you would happily return to life here, without incidence if your adoptive mother was released?"
Hannah nodded enthusiastically.
"You do understand that if I released her, you would have to promise me that you wouldn't try to make contact with her. Your life is here now, Hannah. We shouldn't be living in the past anymore, should we?"
Hannah took a moment. If she capitulated too soon, he might detect something and right now, everything was going far better than she could have hoped for.
"No, Sir. You are right. It is time to move on. Diana and John have welcomed me into their home and it would be rude of me to reject them again."
"Very well then."
Briggs got up and went over to his desk. He made a quick call and within just a few minutes, he had authorised her mother's release. It would take a few hours apparently. She hoped her Dad and Tucker would be able to get to her first.
"I have one small thing I need to discuss with you in light of recent security issues. I fear going back to the Page's home right now might not be such a good idea. So, I have decided for the time being that you are going to live with me. I have more than adequate protection and it will give us a chance to get to know each other a little better."
This wasn't in her plan at all. Panicked, she replied as carefully as she could. "But what about Diana and John, I feel like I have let them down dreadfully and I need to make amends. After all, they are my mother and father."
Briggs body language changed in an instant. He sat up straighter, puffing out his chest.
"Indeed, however I have grown very fond of you and I feel it as far safer for you to stay with me. I will of course explain this to the Mr and Mrs Page and I'm sure they will understand and agree with this decision. I have already sent them a message and requested that they pack a bag for you. The next few days are going to be very busy and we really don't need any distractions."
"Yes, Sir."
"Very good, that's settled then. Well, I have just a couple of things to finish off here and then we can head home. You are going to love my house, Hannah. I have had a spare room freshly decorated for you and my housekeeper can't wait to meet you."
Hannah smiled enthusiastically as she painfully clenched her teeth together. The phone rang and Hannah watched him as he strode across towards the desk to answer it. She said a silent prayer that it wasn't any unwelcome news from the other interviews. She knew Scott would keep it together, but she couldn't say the same for Clairbourne and Diana.
It was Zeke on the other end of the line. As the call went on, Briggs became increasingly animated in his responses. She could almost describe him as being happy.
"Yes, thank you Mr Matheson. I am putting you on the screen right now."
Briggs pressed a button and the large screen on the wall behind his desk came on. He replaced the handset as Zeke appeared on the screen.
"She was picked up two hours ago at an old known address. She has been under interrogation since they arrived back here and with just a little encouragement she is being surprisingly informative."
Zeke moved to the side and sat in a chair looking dishevelled and bone-tired was a woman. Her face looked bruised and a little blood trickled down from her nose.
Hannah stared at the screen more closely and gasped, just as Briggs replied.
"Are you sure that's her? It's been a very long time since I saw her last. How can you be certain?"
Zeke walked over to the broken woman, grabbing her chin and pushing her head back. While he might look like the man who had turned her world upside down only weeks earlier, whoever this shell of a person was now, he was no longer, Zeke, her friend. She had lost him too.
"I'm certain, Sir. Say hello to General Briggs, Cecily. He has been waiting a long, long time to see you again."
Cecily made a whimpering sound, her head lolling to one side as soon as Hannah perched on the edge of the couch, her mouth open in a silent scream.