Chapter 27 – It was frustrating, as much as it was brilliant.
” Further instructions would be given when you get to that point. Do well to remember that I am no ordinary person. One wrong move and the girl dies! ”
The call ended with the last words from the kidnappers. Mrs Steele was fuming. In an effort to reclaim what was hers, she’d been subjected to such insolence.
She couldn’t wait to finally execute her plans and deal with the men who thought it wise to blackmail and insult her person. It was only a few minutes now before she dealt with them accordingly.
Plans had been made and she was ready with the bag of money and some men. As much as she couldn’t wait to get her hands on the idiots. She wasn’t stupid enough to go with everything requested though. She was ready to take the risk and go with half the money.
Everything was set and Mrs Steele had a rock solid plan. To meet and neutralize. They asked her to meet at an abandoned road in the outskirts of the town, no doubt an effort to throw them off their trail but she was smarter than that.
She hired a team of well to do professionals who were ready and tracking the location of the call alongside an already existing plan which was to track them to base. Even if they ended up retrieving Emma, she wouldn’t be satisfied unless she destroyed the men and everything in their possession.
” Damn! We lost them!” One of the men said and brought back the attention of Mrs Steele.
” What do you mean you lost them? Where are those fools?!” She asked, very antsy about the entirety of the situation.
” They must have noticed our attempts and thoroughly blacked us out. ” Another said with a fearful edge to his tone. They were being paid a whole lot of money in order to track down the supposed people but it seemed like amongst them was a tech god.
No matter how sneakily they tried, when they got close to redemption, everything fell through. It was almost as though they were all waiting for them to break through almost every wall before returning them to their starting point.
It was frustrating as much as it was brilliant!
” In other words, you are trying to tell me they were aware of your supposed trial? You are trying to say they caught you in the act?!”
” Y-yes m-ma. They aborted the mission from their end! ”
” Such a bunch of incompetent fools!” She screamed, feeling all shades of anger. ” How do you take responsibility for the amount of damage you have caused? ”
Ring! Ring!
Mrs Steele’s little rant was cut short by an incoming call. As you may have guessed, it was an unknown number.
Fuck!
She screamed inwardly, tethering on the brink of frustration. No doubt they were about to even threaten her the more.
” Hello.” She said with gritted teeth. Excusing herself from the room of the supposed tech/cyber giants.
” I can see you underestimate me, Annabelle. What? You think I wouldn’t recognize your miserable attempts to hack into my world? Tell me, are you that desperate to see your supposed daughter or are you just trying to get a rise out of me?”
This time around, it was a robotic voice. The sharpness and tone of its message was the same though. Making her sure of its supposed location. These men were good at their job. She couldn’t help but comment on just how much thought and process was put into the execution of these plans.
At that moment, she realized that placing a tracking device inside the money bags was a tad bit too cheap. They were probably waiting to receive it, disable it and go on their merry way.
” I apologize. It just so happens that my team were a bunch of toddlers in comparison to the skill you possess. Tell me, having known who I am, did you really think I’ll play by the book?” She said with as much confidence and authority she could muster. She wasn’t about to kiss anyone’s feet. Not to talk of an ordinary thief!
In order to gain her recognition, he had to do even more than this and until then, she was going to talk to him however the hell she chooses. After all, she had his price. She wielded his value. The moment she decided to bin the whole situation and place it with even less value, he was going to be forgotten.
” I expected nothing less, Annabelle. Matter of fact, you took a long time coming through on your promise and I almost thought maybe you decided to play by the book this time around. I’m glad I was right after all.” He took a brief pause before continuing. ” In order to ascertain my dedication towards my orders, the plans changed. You’ll be dropping the bag of money at the spot and after one week, I’ll decide if I’m ready to hand over the girl or not. Best regards.”
” Don’t you dare”
The line went dead as soon as he was done speaking. Mrs Steele’s anger was at an all time high! They were joking with her. They apparently had guts! More guts than she ever imagined.
At that moment, Mrs Steele stomped into her office with an evil glint. She was going to end it tonight. Once and for all. She was done playing nice, she was done playing by the books. It was time to do what she ought to have done from the very beginning.
*****
Meanwhile, in an office, three men were seated in an upturned room, sporting serious looks as they spoke.From NôvelDrama.Org.
” How do we trace him?! He left! And with everything! We should all be running for our lives and you are still trying to get the money? What if it’s a trap? There’s no girl to give! ” One of the men said while walking around the makeshift office.
One could tell that he was growing frantic. He couldn’t seem to understand why they were still all seated and playing mind games when the situation had spiraled out of control.
” Calm down. Have a seat and some water.” The second in command said, handing over a glass.
” What? How can I calm down?! How on earth are you guys still sitting? That woman, Like I found out, is no ordinary person. She has the power to put everything about us to an end. We don’t even have anything on us, Gusto cleared the place up and she is definitely on her way to wreak havoc.”
” She doesn’t know that. She doesn’t know all of these. Unless you plan on informing her, there’ll be no knowing of the above mentioned facts.” The other said with a confidence that seemed almost real. One could tell he wasn’t all that confident from how firmly clenched his hands were.
This statement brought a maniacal laugh out of his body. They thought it was a joke! They came back from an operation and met the absence of one of their own, including the captive and they still thought it wise to continue in the charade in order to gain the rewards.
What happens after? After one week, what happens when they fail to produce the said lady?
That answer, he wasn’t going to be around to witness it. He was leaving the premises and going out of existence for at least two years! He was too young and talented to waste anyway.