All night Nick sat up awake, wondering what was going on. He thought over and over of who it might be. Sure he had a few ex’s but they wouldn’t do anything this bad. Or ex friends. He had no idea. He was left flabbergasted as to who would do such a thing. He wondered if he had done something different, said something more or less or in a different way that maybe none of this would have happened. Things were just starting to slowly improve for him and Brianna. They were maintaining a friendship and building working on it.
Watching the news in his room, laying on top of his bed, he stared at the headlines that were being made of Brianna’s kidnapping. It was just little headline now. After the publicity of the kidnapping, the plea, it wasn’t a major story on the main news but on the entertainment news. This made Nick furious. He wanted to get them to stop it, but he thought, if he stopped the media from doing reports and ‘analysis’ on this people would be thinking it was a cover up. There was something to hide. All Nick could do was watch everyone take advantage of this. He would give his life to have Brianna back but that’s what the captives wanted.
Nothing made sense to Nick. His world was falling apart again. Brianna was going to miss their first anniversary together, he thought. He knew it. Brianna missed Mark’s birthday and their anniversary was only a couple of weeks away. He had no privacy. Police were constantly here, patrolling his property and the back of it.
“You ok man?” Aaron asked gently knocking on the door.
“Huh? What?” Nick vaguely replied.
“You ok?” Aaron repeated.
“Just thinkin man.” Nick sighed switching off the TV.
“She’ll be back.” Aaron tried to reassure him, sitting on the edge of Nick’s bed.
“Hope so man, hope so. Don’t know how much I can take of this.” Nick replied.
“I had an idea, crazy it might be but...” Aaron began to suggest.
“Any idea is something. What is it?” Nick asked.
“They sent a video to you, why don’t you do one to them?” He suggested as he moved up the bed.
“Nah, I was talking to one of the cops last night and said that it wouldn’t work. I just gotta lay low, wait for them to make the next move.” Nick sighed.
“It’ll be alright.” Aaron tried to say again.
Down in the studio in the basement Nick created, he, Aaron and Mark were down there. Nick just wanted to chill out and wanted Mark to be near him at all times. Didn’t want Mark out of his sight. Nick strummed the guitar trying to do some music but nothing was coming out. Aaron was with Mark at the drums.
“What about Nick and I do a song hey?” Aaron suggested looking towards Nick.
“YAY!” Mark cheered.
“Here that man, ya wanted. Mark wants us to make some noise.” Aaron said.
“You want some noise hey?” Nick asked putting the guitar down leaning down to grab him.
“Yeah.” Mark replied.
“What do you say some old school?” Aaron asked.
“Define old school?” Nick replied hugging Mark tight.
“Try this.” Aaron said starting to get the drum beats going. He started playing ‘Not To Young, Not To Old.’
“Oh man.” Nick groaned. For the next hour, the three of them were able to forget everything that was going on. It wasn’t until an officer came down and interrupted them.
“Sorry to interrupt but we have your mother here.” The officer said.
“Mom?” Nick asked shocked.
“Would you like to see her? She has clearance.” The officer asked.
“Oh um, yeah alright. Be up soon. Thanks.” Nick replied, handing Mark to Aaron replied. The last time Nick communicated with his mother was when the article came out that Jane had done and when Brianna and he split up. “Can you take Mark?” Nick asked Aaron.
“Yeah sure. Come on, let’s go in Nick’s room and play games hey.” Aaron replied to Mark.
“Jump on bed?” Mark asked.
“No you cannot jump on the bed. You know the rules.” Nick warned him. In the corner of Nick’s eye, he could see Aaron wink at Mark.
When Nick walked in the room where his Mom was, he took a few deep breaths. “Mom.” Nick said, no emotion in him.
“Honey, I’m so sorry.” Jane told him.
“For what?” Nick asked her, not letting his guard down.
“For doing that story, for Brianna missing.” Jane said.
“Hmmm.” Nick commented as he sat down opposite her.
“Has there been any updates?” She asked.
“Nothing from what the media says.” Nick replied sitting back, sighing.
“Has there been anything that the police aren’t telling the media?” She asked.
“Why do you wanna know? Why so interested in Brianna missing? You haven’t asked once how Mark is doing? Why has it taken you so long to come here? Everyone has been here. Aaron is losing money by not finishing his album on time because he has come here to help me.” Nick lashed out.
Jane was taken aback.
“I came as soon as I could. I haven’t had the finances to come out and see you.” Jane said.
“Typical.” Nick muttered walking to the window to look out the backyard, the only view he could see. Closest he could get to outside.
“It’s the truth.” Jane told him.
“Now’s not the time Mom. I really don’t need it.” Nick warned her.
“I didn’t say anything.” She stated.
“You didn’t have to.” Nick retorted.
“So can I see Mark?” Jane asked.
“No, I thought you would be sincere and all. But no. All you wanted was to try and find out some gossip and then go. Just go. Just go and never come back again.” Nick replied.
“Nick, please.” Jane pleaded.
“If you don’t leave now, you will be escorted out.” Nick warned her.
“Fine, I am going. Call me when you are ready.” Jane said.
“You’ll be waiting a while.” Nick replied as he watched her walk out. Once she was out of sight, he went upstairs to his bedroom.
“I heard.” Aaron said as Nick walked in, Mark staring at the TV screen on the floor, cross legged on the floor.
“No real anything man. It was ugh. How’s he been?”
“Good. Didn’t hear a thing.” Aaron replied.
“Remind me never to have her here again or be near me.” Nick said.
“Deal.” Aaron smiled.
As Nick was making dinner, Detective Mertz arrived. “Nick, can I see you for a moment?” He asked Nick. Nick wiped his hands on the tea towel, turned down the stove and walked out the kitchen to the room where the officers were in one of the side rooms.
“We have received a letter. We have the original, being analysed but this is a copy of it.” Vince explained.
“Ok.” Nick said taking the letter.
“Nick, you have ignored the warnings. It is now time to make sure you really understand what is going on now. Friday night at the Beverly Hills Hotel car park, at 11pm be there. You will be given more instructions.” It read.
“What do we do now?” Nick asked worried.
“We now wait. We are getting teams set up for Friday night. We are in talks with the hotel about our unit going in undercover. You will be surrounded by police. There will be cars in the car park, unmarked, typical everyday Beverly Hills cars.” Detective Mertz informed him.
“Mark be involved?” Nick panicked.
“Not at this stage but when you are out, he will be in a safe house. No one will see he is gone. The fact that your garage connects to the house, makes things a lot easier.” Vince said.
“Little Mark has to be in, the better.” Nick stressed out.
“We don’t want to involve him, or any child in a situation like this.” Vince replied.
“So what do I do? Anything I need to start learning?” Nick asked.
“Start after Mark has gone to sleep.” Vince replied.
For the next 3 days, Nick was training to go through the scenarios of what could happened. Psychologists trained with him and was given briefings. Nick did receive more phone calls about Friday night and this made things easier for the police.
“Let’s do this.” Nick said Friday night.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks so much for reading. I am really enjoying writing this. Please review. Special thanks to DelphinaCarter
