Is it impossible for me to ask for a normal life? Yes, I think so. Not only did the call freak me out, it made me paranoid. But now with the subway accident I was too busy to worry. So, here's my second question, is it bad that I'm happy that I'm too distracted with burn and hurt victims to worry about my life? I'm pretty sure that's a yes.
Mike had to cover the patients I had on the third floor because a lot of nurses were needed in the ICU. Plus, Keith was still waiting for his family to come because we were having difficulty getting through. So I spent the next two weeks talking to Keith and checking on the others.
I would only get home when it was late so I avoided Nathan pretty well. We would talk on the phone but as far as seeing each other that proved to be more difficult, well I made it difficult.
At lunch on a Thursday I was having a perfectly quiet lunch with my friends when I saw Devlin at the corner of my eye. He had a bright smile on his face that I wanted to smack off.
He approached my table.
"Afternoon, ladies." He said.
"Hi." Marcela said.
"I'm going to steal, Mels, here." Devlin said grabbing my arm.
I smiled so they wouldn't suspect anything and followed Devlin to the corner of the cafeteria.
"What do you want?" I snapped.
"Whoa, where is the attitude coming from?"
I gave him an 'are you serious look?'
He laughed.
"I know. Getting blackmailed and watching your back for a crazy man must be stressful."
"Thinking of backing out?" I asked.
"Not a chance, lad."
I rolled my eyes. "You're a sick bastard."
"So you've told me." He said.
"You have a date then?"
"Yes, I do. This Sunday."
So I had a couple of days to stress over it so I could suffer. Perfect. I looked away from him and held back the tears.
"I'm sure you'll move on. You're pretty hot. You'll find someone. Maybe next time you won't pick one with such a complicated past." He smirked. "Toddles."
Just one good punch or kick in the nuts is all I ask for.
I walked back to my table and ate silently.
I arrived at my house around ten or ten thirty. I almost worked for eighteen hours. I should slow down but it was the only way to avoid Nathan at all costs.
I went to my room and took my I-Pod with me. I lay in bed and just listened to somewhat depressing music like Marilyn Manson's 'Running to the edge of the world', 'Never say never' by the Fray and 'Violet Hill' by Coldplay.
I missed Rodrigo and like on cue Puppy Rodrigo jumped on my bed. He barked and wagged his tail. He missed me. I gave him a sad smile.
"I don't know what to do, Rodrigo. I'm so lost."
The puppy gave me a sad look too. I smiled and hugged him.
"Why did you have to die?" I sobbed. I don't know where the tears had appeared but they were there. "I need my best friend and you're gone and I can't talk to anyone."
I don't know for how long I cried but it was until I fell asleep.
I had dreams of being captured by Juan and getting tortured. I woke up to a buzzing sound. I opened my eyes. Rodrigo was asleep with me but when the second buzz came he was wide away. I reached over to the nightstand and took the phone.
I answered.
"Hello?"
"Sleepless night?" Mike asked.
I groaned and looked at my phone. It was nine... IT WAS NINE!!! I should've been in the hospital an hour ago.
"It's all right, I clocked you in but you need to get your butt over here."
"Thanks, bud."
"You owe me a beer."
"I'll buy you a whole dozen." I said as I got up and rushed to the bathroom.
I took a quick shower and when I went to my room to change I noticed something. Rodrigo wasn't barking. I slowly walked out of my room and checked the living room and the kitchen. Nothing. I gulped and reached for the phone to get one of the agents but then something hit me and I blacked out.
[Nathan's Point of View]
This is Melinda Gomez, leave your name and number after the beep. It went to her voicemail for the third time.
He didn't want to panic since last time she had been all right. He decided to call the hospital. It was around two in the afternoon and she should still be at work. As he was about to dial the hospital's number his door was opened.
His new secretary Mrs. Venture was at his door. Mrs. as in she's married and she's sixty and Nathan had no desire for older women. She was kind and she reminded him of his grandmother.
"Mr. Fullerton, this arrived for you and you have a staff meeting in two minutes. You need to be in the conference room right now." Mrs. Venture said in her kind smile.
Nathan smiled. "Thank you, leave package on my desk and please try to get in contact with Melinda Gomez."
"Yes sir." Mrs. Venture said.
"No need to say sir." Nathan smiled.
Mrs. Venture chuckled. "All right."
Nathan stood up and pulled on his suit jacket and straightened his tie and made his way to the conference room.
These meetings were always boring. It was just updates about how the company was doing and so far everything was great. It was a complete waste of time. Nathan sat down in his usual seat.
"Hello Nathan." A voice said.
He looked across the table and saw Daisy. She was a very pretty girl and he knows that she was a crush on him but he has made no move to lead her on because his heart only belonged to one girl.
"Hello Daisy." Nathan said nodding his head politely.
"Are you going to the staff party this weekend?"
"I'm not sure. My girlfriend works during the weekends so I might not go."
"You can still go. I'm sure she won't mind." Daisy said.
Nathan only smiled and chuckled. The meeting started before Nathan could answer her. All he could think about at the entire meeting was if Melinda was all right. He might be overreacting but something in his gut was telling him something was off.
Something was definitely wrong.
He wasn't psychic but he knew something was wrong. Not just right now but for the past days something had been off with Melinda. She would rarely call him and she always seemed to be busy.
He didn't know if he had something wrong but Melinda had been acting distant. After the meeting was over Nathan was practically running to his office.
"Did you get in contact with Melinda?"
"No, She wasn't home or at her work." Mrs. Venture said.
Nathan knew something was wrong. He went inside of his office and took his wallet and keys. He checked the package and thought he could just open it now since he didn't know if he would have time to do it later.
He opened it quickly but there as mostly Styrofoam inside. He had a puzzled look on his face as he emptied the Styrofoam on his desk and a single shiny thing dropped out. He picked it up and quickly recognized it as the promise ring he gave to Melinda at the club.
His heart pounded and his blood rushed to his head and all he could hear was the pumping of his blood and rage took over. Absolute rage on Juan Rodriguez and the agents who didn't save her.
Mrs. Venture tried to ask what happened but Nathan was already calling Devlin. He needed help.
"Nate?" Devlin asked.
"He took her." Nathan growled.
"Who?" Devlin asked.
"Juan."
"Who took Juan? Who's Juan?" Devlin asked.
Nathan lets out a grunt of frustration. "Melinda."
"Melinda took Juan?" Devlin asked.
"No, Juan Rodriguez took Melinda."
"The man who shot you?" Devlin gasped.
"How did-never mind, yes him."
"How do you know?"
"I received a package with the promise ring I gave her. He has her and God knows what he'll do to her. I need your help."
"You need to go to the authorities."
"They weren't able to protect her how the fuck are they going to save her?" Nathan spat.
"Good point, lad. Meet at your place?"
"No, my dad's. I got to pick up some old toys." Nathan said.
"Oh, fine, I'll meet you there. They'll contact you and once they do call me so I can trace the call through my computer."
"If he's as good as he was then you won't be able to trace the call."
"I'll still try." Devlin said.
Nathan hung up and got inside of his car. He reversed quickly and sped out of the parking lot and out to the streets. He easily drove as he dialed his father's number. John answered after the third ring.
"Nathan, how are you?"
"Pissed off. Juan Rodriguez has Melinda."
"What? I thought the FBI was protecting her?"
"Apparently he slipped past them."
"Or someone's working for him." John muttered.
"I'm coming over to pick up some stuff."
"I'll have everything ready."
"Devlin is coming over to help."
**
Nathan looked at the trunk with guns and he started taking out his favorites. He forgot his fascination for guns. So many things have happened since he met Melinda that he forgot about his old world.
Could he tap into his dark side and still be the same? He hoped and if he didn't it wouldn't matter he just hoped he could rescue Melinda before anything could happen to her.
Juan Rodriguez wasn't the merciful type.
Devlin arrived at the Fullerton mansion. So many years have passes since he walked through those doors. He greeted John and found Nathan loading his guns.
"Any calls?" Devlin asked.
Nathan shook his head.
"Sebastian is going to be furious." John said.
"Don't call her parents." Nathan said. "I don't want them to worry and I don't want any more FBI in this. I'm going to do this my way like I should've done so since the beginning." Nathan cocked his gun.
"We don't know how long this is going to go, Nathan." John said with a hard look.
"I'll get her back, father." Nathan said determined.
"It won't be up to me to call them, the FBI will."
"Stall as long as you can."
"Where are you going to look first?" Devlin asked.
"We have to go find Peter."
"Why?" Devlin asked
"Because, as much as I hate to admit it, Peter knows a lot about Juan Rodriguez and every mobster in Europe and he will know where she is."