“Hey what’s going on?” Ryan asked watching the team gear up and get ready to head out.
“Red alert, someone spotted our missing girl entering a building in the red-light district by force. She was seen in the company of three rather large men andthey were armed,” Dustin reported as he strapped an extra magazine to his hip.
“Who called it in?” He dropped his cup of coffee on the table and caught the automatic Vic tossed towards him as he too got in gear.
“Anon but it’s a pretty reliable tip. We’re going in hot so be ready. Peters and Douglas are riding along for this one but they’ll wait for the all clear before heading in. Vic you’re with me and Brett you, Dust and Ry pull up the rear. I don’t want to leave anything to chance if it’s not who we’re looking for take them down hard and fast we have to get to this girl before anything more serious happens.”
“Are we ready?” Peters asked pushing into the room with Douglas standing just a foot behind him.
Yvette nodded and the team rushed down to the van and drove with a 10-1 code for all responding vehicles indicating radio silence; lights and sirens were not to be used. They pulled up to the building and stopped just off the block on a corner. After corralling all of the nearby stray pedestrians as far enough away from the place as they could, Yvette gave the go ahead signal and the three guys rushed the back with a couple of rookie agents as she and Victor entered the front.
Stealthily they climbed staircase after staircase checking each room for their missing girl or the men who were allegedly in her company. “Boss, we got activity on the fourth,” Dustin called and waited on a response.
“Is it our girl?”
“It’s something, I can’t say for sure if it’s her but there are two men in the room with a girl.”
“Hold position until you get more to your location. The caller said there were three men with this girl; I don’t want you getting caught up if the third reveals himself. What room are you looking at?”
“403.”
“Ok, Cottonmouth and I are heading up. Cobra, Viper you guys read him?”
“We got it Diamond, on the way up now also.”
The team converged on the room and after signaling to one another, Brett and Dustin charged in, Ryan flanked left, Victor took right and Yvette held cover at the door. “Don’t move!” Ryan shouted holding one of the guys at gunpoint. Yvette moved from her position as Ryan got his guy cuffed and Dustin did the same to the second man and read them both their rights.
Quickly she started towards the bundle in the corner on the bed, “Melanie?” she called and shook the person cautiously. Leaning over Yvette noticed a large red stain on the mattress just below her head. She placed two fingers on the girls’ neck checking for a pulse and found none. “She’s gone.”
“Fuck!” Victor growled and yanked the cuffed man to his feet. “You’re under arrest for murder!”
“MURDER? I-I-I didn’t kill anyone!”
“No? Then explain the dead girl on the bed!”
“She w-w-was like that when we brought her here, when we p-p-picked her up!”
“Picked her up from where?”
“F-f-from the bus station,” he again stuttered. “The man on the phone said to pick up the package and drop her in this location and when we did we’d be paid for it! He gave us half up front and the rest once her body was discovered here by the cops!”
“What man?”
“I-I-I d-d-don’t know his name! I never spoke with him! But our bud s-s-said that if we did this for him and everything went as p-p-planned he’d hire us for other jobs. T-t-tell him Frankie!”
“He’s telling the truth! We don’t know this girl and we didn’t kill her! Please you gotta believe us.”
“Where’s your other friend?”
“M-M-Mark? He left t-t-to get s-s-some bleach so we could get rid of our DNA from here. He s-s-said that if the cops found this place they m-m-might find our prints all over it! He didn’t want t-t-to get caught!”
“Well too bad for him and for you.” A rookie appeared in the door and Victor tossed the cuffed man towards him, “Get him to the van.” Dustin and Ryan escorted the men down the stairs and waited out front for the others to follow.
Moments later a dark green pickup stopped in front of the building and the man grabbed something from the back. “Boss, looks like suspect #3 just got back with the bleach. He’s heading your way.”
“Good; maybe we can figure out just what the hell is going on.” She pressed herself against the wall and Victor and Brett did the same as they waited on the man to reenter the room.
“Hey Bobby? Frankie? Let’s get this done. The game’s on and I don’t wanna miss…”
“FREEZE!” Victor shouted pointing his gun at the man. “Hands where I can see ‘em!” the third suspect raised his hands over his head and followed the remaining instructions Victor barked at him. He placed him in cuffs, read him his rights and lowered him to a crate in the corner of the room. “You mind explaining to us just what exactly you were doing here?”
The man sighed and looked towards the dead body of the mayor’s daughter. “I was doing a job for my uncle.”
“Your uncle?” Brett asked stepping closer. “Who’s your uncle?”
“Jack Keegan; the broad was a friend of his.”
“What did your uncle want you to do?”
“He said he got himself in a jam and needed to get out. He asked me to pick up some package at the bus station and drop it in a shady part of town. Said he’d pay me fifty g’s if I did. So I got a few friends to help and that’s all I know, I swear.”
“What happened to her?”
“She was like that when I got her. I don’t know. But he and that girl used to have fights all the time. I figured they just had one of their arguments and this time it got out of hand. But he’s my family you know? What else ya gonna do?” Victor grabbed the man up and took him down to the car with Brett and Yvette pulling up the rear. After informing Douglas and Peters of their discovery, CSU was called and the building was marked off for the investigation.
Within hours Jack Keegan was sitting downtown and Peters and Douglas were throwing everything they had at him. They finally got him to admit the entire scheme. It seems Melanie Delaney, desperate to pull herself up the ranks of the Examiner, plotted to take down her own father the mayor. After watching him for weeks she’d uncovered the fact that he worked with local drug gangs filtering a very clean, very expensive China White powder into the cities and acted as their kingpin. He diverted authorities away from the areas his dealers operated so that he could turn a profit and they could work without the stress of being arrested.
She decided to act on this information and ensure he looked like the criminals he’d convinced the people he wanted off the streets. Enlisting Keegan’s help, Melanie came up with the kidnapping idea to force the mayor to get sloppy, use his connections to find her. She added the idea that it was drug related hoping he would slip up and turn on the men he was helping believing they may have had something to do with her disappearance. Everything was going as planned until the ransom was suggested; Keegan admits this was his idea.
He wanted to get a little out of the deal and that was not Melanie’s goal. She’d found his stash and the ransom letter he had intended to send to her father. The two argued and after a very heated debate he hit her. Keegan admitted that he hit her repeatedly until she was no longer moving and her eyes went dead. Realizing his mistake he tried to get rid of all the evidence and anything that would lead back to him.
“I dropped her shirt off at the park, left the drugs so that the mayor went on believing his drug buddies had something to do with her disappearance and dropped the ransom note near it too. I knew had I sent it to the cops at that point, the ransom drop would have been watched like a hawk and then I’d have been screwed.” He dropped his head to the table and tried to force a set of crocodile tears but to no avail. “I really did love her! I would have done anything for her!”
“But the idea of money was stronger apparently,” Douglas accused and exited the room quickly followed by Peters. They had their man and a confession. Next on the list was taking down the mayor himself for crimes related to Melanie’s discovery. Luckily for them she had video proof of everything she claimed; convicting Bridgeport’s finest was not going to be an issue.
Ryan and Yvette went back to the Mayor’s mansion to explain the situation to Melanie’s mother, Caroline. Seeing them at the door she’d known already the news was grim. Her head hung low the entirety of the conversation; she wouldn’t even meet her aide’s mournful expressions as she tried to comfort her. “We also have reason to believe you may have been involved as well, Mrs. Coleman,” Ryan stated directing the conversation towards the aide June causing her to meet his glare.
“What? No! I’m not involved in this!”
“You’re trying to tell us you had no idea about this? Keep in mind we have witness statements and those willing to testify on Melanie’s behalf.”
She sighed and sat up scooting away from Caroline as she spoke. “Melanie told me that she found out what her father was into and that she fully intended to bring him down. I begged her to confront him personally and not play these games but she wouldn’t listen. She was always so headstrong and stubborn,” June explained as she thought back about what her friend confided in her. “She begged me not to say anything. She was afraid of this leaking out before she had the chance to run with it. She called it the ‘best piece of undercover journalism anyone had ever seen’ the tough-on crime mayor’s daughter taking down her dirty father. She liked the headline.” She looked at Caroline who was now staring at her in shock and disbelief. “Caroline had I known she was in this much danger I would have said something! Short of asking her to be careful and trying to convince her to stop I didn’t know what else to do!”
Caroline pulled up from her seat and rushed from the room. “You are aware we could get you on accessory to kidnapping, filing a false police report and extortion. Not to mention your false statements to federal agents during the course of an investigation; an investigation that lead to a death?” Yvette asked and June slowly shook her head.
“I don’t care what happens to me now. I’m responsible for the death of my friend! Had I done more to stop her…I deserve whatever happens to me.”
“Well it’s in the hands of the DA for now; he’ll decide the best course of action for you at this point.” Ryan and Yvette left the mayor’s home. Case was closed; a grim result to a noble gesture. Though Melanie’s intentions were good, her methods weren’t as thorough and that cost her her life.
Yvette pulled up to Scott’s home, grabbed her bag from the front seat and let herself inside. “Honey I’m home!” she called and entered into the den. Scott and Vivica were sitting on the sofa enjoying a classic Humphrey Bogart movie and glass of Chardonnay in the dark. “Oh sorry Daddy, I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“It’s ok Angel. Vivica and I were just discussing how Hollywood has changed since the golden days of movies. Anyway, your room is ready for you when you are and you’re very welcome to join us for the Bogie marathon weekend.”
“That’s ok, I’d hate to intrude too much and you two look really cozy. Besides I’m a ball of nerves about tomorrow and really need to force myself to sleep or else I’ll look like the walking dead on my wedding day! Goodnight you two, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t,” she winked at Vivica and started for the back.
The next morning Scott drove quickly towards the church as his eager daughter bounced in the passenger seat beside him. He couldn’t help but smile every time he looked her direction as they made the twenty minute drive towards the cliff’s edge. He hadn’t slept a wink and neither had she; both were anticipating this day and both were equally as nervous. “You look beautiful Yve. Kat would have loved to see you like this.”
Her gaze shot in his direction and he smiled drawing one from her as well. She’d had thoughts about her Mom all day thinking about how great it would have been if she was the one that did her hair today. Instead she let Mica draw it over her head in a neat little bun with cute, curly tendrils on either side of her bangs. Sierra took care of her makeup and together they made her the Queen she felt like today; a perfect mani and pedi and she was all set to become Mrs. Brett Knight.
“I’d like to think she’s here,” she sighed and rubbed her fingers over the pearl necklace that once belonged to Katrina. It was a rare gem set in platinum and encased with diamonds. It was her mother’s favorite piece of jewelry and Yvette had kept it safe in her jewelry box after her mother passed. Today was the ideal occasion for just such a gem and fit the ‘something old, something new’ tradition perfectly as it was a really old piece.
Hua had loaned her a beautiful silk veil that accented her updo. Her dress had blue roses beneath the bodice and Scott had a pair of earrings made to match her mother’s necklace; luck was on her side today. Pulling up to the church she jumped out the front seat as Mica, Brandy, Sierra and Lien ran out to greet her. “You look great!” Brandy exclaimed as the ladies clasped her in their arms and dragged her towards the fitting room near the back of the church.
“I’ll go and find your groom!” Scott called to her back just before she disappeared inside.
“Here put these on!” Mica placed her pumps near her feet as the others continued scurrying around the room. “We should touch up your hair a little.”
“And your makeup; we need those lips to shine!” Sierra crooned.
“Hmm the dress looks great and we’ll get that on last. You’re not wearing the slip? Well don’t let Grandma see or she’ll have a fit!” Lien responded sizing her up. “Oh yeah it would have been visible beneath this dress, there’s cleavage showing!” She gasped. “Grams is going to kill you!”
“Yes but it’s Yve’s day not Hua’s.”
“Yeah? Try telling that to Grams!” Lien and Mica giggled thinking about the matriarch of the Kimura clan as they continued buzzing around Yvette gathering everything she needed to get out to the altar for her groom.
Yvette sat back smiling helplessly as the ladies ran circles around her. She’d never felt more like a pin-up doll or pin cushion before in her life but she was enjoying every second of it. Hair and makeup were redone, the girls made sure there wasn’t a curl out of place or slipped eyeliner before standing her in front of the mirror and carefully assisting to lift the dress over her head and slide her into it. “Oh wow!” Was all she could say once the makeover was complete.
“You look perfect!”
She glanced down again at her mother’s necklace and a twinge of sadness wrenched her gut. Glancing towards the vanity she noticed her mother’s picture staring back at her and exhaled a jagged breath. “No, no crying Yvette! I just redid your makeup! Your mother would have a fit if she saw your eyes all runny and that beautiful white gown smudged from eyeliner!”
Mica grabbed a fan and waved it in front of her face to keep her tears from falling. “She would want you to be happy and smiling right now. Not thinking about what could have been or longing for something that’s not. She’s with you in spirit and watching over you always.”
Yvette nodded her head, straightened her back and smiled. “You’re right and I’m ready. Bring on that sexy man that wants to put up with me for the rest of his life!”
Yvette Nicole Evans
&
Brett Samuel Knight
&
Brett Samuel Knight
Request the honor of your presence
as they unite in marriage.
Please join us
For a celebration of love,
friendship, laughter and family.
as they unite in marriage.
Please join us
For a celebration of love,
friendship, laughter and family.
*Dinner and dancing immediately following*
Brandy grabbed her bouquet and the ladies exited towards the hallway laughing as they made their way towards the front. “We’re ready!” Lien announced to the director. The pianist began Johann Sebastian Bach’s Ave Maria and Scott moved to the back of the procession behind Aisha who served as her flower girl. In front of her was her little brother Chase with the ring pillow serving as bearer. Man of Honor Victor was being escorted in by Ryan, one of Brett’s Best men, Nathan, his brother and 2nd best man, escorted Sierra as Dustin took Mica to her position.
The crowd was on their feet as the first couple entered. Ryan circled his arm over Victor’s and sighed, “Don’t worry everyone, he bought me dinner first!” he smiled and the room filled with laughter as he kissed Victor’s cheek and took his spot behind Brett.
The last two couples entered and the pianist switched to Richard Wagner’s Bridal Chorus as Chase and Aisha finished their trots down the aisle. “You ready?” Scott asked. Yvette took a deep breath and exhaled with a nod as her father led her under the first arch.
Immediately all eyes were on her as she started towards Brett whose smile increased tenfold seeing her glide with beauty and grace towards him. Scott stopped just at the altar and waited for the minister to address the guests.
“Dearly beloved we have come together in the presence of God, to witness the union of Brett Knight and Yvette Evans. We ask for his blessing on them, and to share in their joy today and bear witness to their bond. Who today gives this woman to this man?” Stepping closer Scott answered and joined Yvette’s hand with Brett’s before taking his seat on the bride’s side. “Our couple has asked to pledge their personal vows for one another; you may begin please,” he smiled and nodded towards Yvette.
“As you’ve come to find I’m not always great at expressing how I feel. But when I tell you that I love you, I hope you know it’s real. I haven’t been ‘normal’ in quite some time and dreams of my ‘big day’ died a long time ago so I never imagined how this would be but never could I’ve imagined a more perfect day. Since meeting you I’ve had new reasons to smile and be a better me and I thank you for that,” she began choking on her words as a few tears fought forward from her eyes. Brett lovingly reached up and wiped them away smiling as she looked at him.
“Even though sometimes you drive me crazy and I want to put you in a chokehold you always seem to find a way to make me laugh and change my mood. We’ve worked together, fought together and have tried outdoing one another. Which I’m glad you stopped by the way since you’re never going to outshoot me…ever! And let’s not get started on ranger obstacles,” the audience laughed and she giggled when Brett sighed at her.
“You are already my partner in crime and now I make you my partner in life. I, Yvette Nicole Evans, take you Brett Samuel Knight, as my husband. To have and to hold, even when you grow old, to love and for fun, but don’t ever touch my gun, whether ill or healthy, poor or wealthy, bald and bumpy,” he frowned and rubbed his hand through his hair making her laugh. “Even when grumpy, from this day forward until death do us part. And I promise not to shoot out our bedroom windows and jump.” She placed the ring on his finger and smiled as he readjusted it before taking her hands.
“For so long I’ve always tried to imagine what my soul mate would look like and how she would act. Would she be a pretty in pink princess or would she roll around in the grass with me in the backyard? I never expected that I’d find someone that was both pretty in pink AND a mud wrestler; clothes on…usually. Not to mention someone who could beat me up in a fair fight.”
The audience laughed and he waved them off, “And I’m not ashamed to admit that!” He turned back to Yvette, a smile donning his perfect lips showing off his brilliantly white teeth as he took her hands in his again. “And ok so I won’t beat you at sharpshooting or even obstacle courses. But I can do one thing you can’t,” he smiled. “I can pee standing up!” Again the audience laughed and to her dismay he explained the night he had to fish her out of the opened toilet seat while listening to her scream about drowning.
“I am truly, unconditionally in love with you, my soul mate. I, Brett Samuel Knight, take you Yvette Nicole Evans, as my wife. To have and to hold, for shootouts and stakeouts in the cold, for better or for worse, I’ll even hold your purse, from bums or in wealth, from overt to stealth, in sickness and in health, from this day forward until death do us part. And Yve if you shot out our bedroom windows and jumped, know that I’ll always be there to catch you.” He placed the ring on her finger and leaned forward for a kiss. The pastor cleared his throat stopping him and he apologized as the crowd giggled. “Sorry, sorry! I’m a little anxious,” he smiled. “You look so beautiful Yvette!”
“Go get ‘er Brett!” Terrance yelled from his seat. The room broke into a riotous bout of laughter again and the minister waved his hands at them to quiet them once more and complete the ceremony.
“Well in that case I guess I shouldn’t make you wait any longer. If there is any man or woman here in the presence of God that for any reason thinks this couple should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace,” the pastor waited a moment of silence for anyone to speak before continuing. “Then by the powers vested in me and before God and the eyes of your beloved family and friends I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may NOW kiss the bride.” The pianist began playing Felix Mendelssohn’s Wedding March as Brett pulled Yvette into his arms, squeezed her tight against his chest and planted a long, passionate kiss on her lips in front of their wedding guests. The pastor cleared his throat once more when it became apparent he wasn’t letting her go any time soon and smiled once the two ended their embrace.
Brett happily took her hand in his and unable to take his eyes off of her started down the aisle towards the exit. “I love you,” he whispered once the doors closed behind them. Yvette wrapped her arms around his neck and clung tightly against him as she returned the sentiment.
“Well I guess I should go and get changed,” she smiled wiping her eyes again. “I don’t want to try moving around the floor in this gown. Plus if our ‘you know what’ is a little girl, she might want my dress for her big day.”
“That reminds me,” Brett sighed locking her in his arms. “I was hoping to make the announcement tonight at the reception. That way all our friends and family will know at the same time.”
“That’s fine with me. I can’t wait to see Dad’s face! He’ll be so excited!”
“I think they’ll all love hearing about their future grandkid. It’s a good thing it happened before tonight too because with the way I feel right now if you weren’t already pregnant, I would have made sure you were before we left for our honeymoon! Hell I’d have probably stuck three or four in there; I’m locked and loaded!”
“I’m sorry about that Baby but you did really well and for that you shall be handsomely rewarded!”
“Mmm what do you say we skip the rest of this stuff and get home? Leave these suckers wondering where we’ve gone!”
“I say we’ve paid for everything tonight and I want to dance my first dance as your wife in the company of our friends and family. Don’t worry though I promise to make sure you are 100% satisfied before you pass out tonight.” She kissed him again and slid from his arms. Their fingers slowly drifted apart as she disappeared down the hallway towards the back rooms.
The door to the vestibule opened and Scott appeared in front of his new son-in-law. After a hearty handshake that led into a hug, he looked around for his daughter. “She went to change. She’s gonna meet me at the beach for the reception when she’s done.”
“Thank you. I’m going to check on her. I wanted a chance to speak with her in private anyway. Congratulations again and welcome to the family!” He turned and started after Yvette, knocking once before he entered the room checking to see if she was decent.
Yvette opened the door for him and hugged him tight before darting around the room singing to herself. “Mrs. Brett Knight, can you believe it Daddy?”
“It’s a well received reality Yvette. I don’t think I could have chosen a better man for your husband.”
She giggled and moved back towards the closet placing a silk dress on top of the wedding gown hanging on the mirror. “Pop,” Yvette smiled and took a seat behind the vanity on the far side of the room. She picked the brush up from the counter and straightened out the ends of her hair ensuring the curls still bounced perfectly atop her head before reapplying her lipstick.
“Yes Sweetheart?”
She sighed and turned to face him, gnawing tenderly on her bottom lip as she adjusted on the stool to make room for him. “You ever regret not having children of your own?”
He cocked his head slightly to the side as he absorbed her words trying to determine the meaning behind them. Dropping slowly onto the stool beside her, Scott wrapped his arm around hers and rubbed his hand gently over her knuckles thinking over the significance of her question. “Sweetheart, I did have my own child. I have you!”
She smiled at his words and looked up to present a small kiss on his cheek and sank deeper into his chest. “That’s not what I meant Daddy. You know biologically. You ever wish you had a baby that you could have raised from infant to adult?”
“Sometimes,” he sighed. “I was very ready for family life and even had an idea of what I wanted out of it. When I met your mother I felt like the first part of that dream was coming true. Gosh, she blew me away Tumblelina. Her smile warmed my heart whenever she graced her lips with one and she had the touch of a Goddess that made me long for her every time she was away from me. And I had instantly fallen head over heels for you too.”
“You were so cute and shy and very curious. You were like a sponge for information and it made me proud to be the one you sought whenever you had a question. I loved quenching your thirst for knowledge. I taught you so much and even though you had a wealth of intelligence on various subjects I felt as though I was molding you; shaping the woman that you would become.”
“And you did. From the moment I met you I felt like you were mine. It’s funny because when Mom started dating you I asked her what I was supposed to call you and she asked what made me feel most comfortable and I said…”
“‘I don’t know if he’ll take me but I want to call him Daddy. He’s funny and if he’s yours then he’s mine too. We promised to share everything’,” he smiled as she glanced up at him again this time with a curious look on her face. “I was standing at the door when you were having that conversation. I’d never felt so loved before in my life.” Pecking her gently on the cheek Scott moved towards the door and checked his watch. “You’re going to be late for your reception Baby. You might want to get a move on.”
“You’re right. And you and I have a father-daughter dance to get to.” Turning towards the closet she grabbed the small gown she and Sierra had selected for the reception and slowly pulled it over her head. Suddenly a painful exhalation was produced from Scott’s lungs followed by a loud thud as his body hit the floor.
“Daddy?!” Yvette turned quickly to find three men standing over his body and immediately rushed for one. Swatting away his efforts to get an arm around her neck, she shoved a heavy knee into his gut toppling him to the ground before stomping hard into his ribs. She watched him crawl towards the door as the second man ran at her with his arms raised preparing to grab her.
Moving as quickly as she could she dodge him only to be met with the hands of the third man as they wrapped around her arms pinning them behind her back. “Let me go!” she growled and kicked frantically at the second man who’d now taken her legs to better control her movements.
The third man regained his composure and poured a clear liquid onto a handkerchief and dropped it over her face. The sickly sweet aroma was light and palpable and the last thing she remembered before the lights went out.
“What do we do with him?” One of the men asked as Yvette was hoisted into the arms of the largest in the room.
“Leave him! We have strict orders,” the agent barked and the men cleared the room quickly exiting out the back door of the banquet hall.
Brett watched his family and friends take seats around the room as the band began playing music. Some members of the Knight clan jumped to their feet and took over the small dance floor in the center of the room as others made beelines towards the buffet tables. Brett waved at one of his cousins as she came around to offer her congratulations before hopping back down to the dance floor.
“Where’s your new bride?” Terrance asked taking a seat beside Brett at the head table.
“Uh she’s changing into something slinkier so she’ll feel more comfortable,” he smiled and glanced at his wrist watch. “Though that was over twenty minutes ago, she should be back by now.”
“Oh I’m sure she’s probably redoing her hair and makeup too. She might be a while if that’s the case; women,” Terry laughed and popped a melon ball into his mouth. “How do you feel?”
“Honestly? I’m ready for the honeymoon, or at least our hotel room or something. I think my back teeth are beginning to swim.”
“Ok why is it if I say something like that to you I get a ‘please Dad, that’s too much information’ yet you’re free to share?”
“Because Dad, you made me this way so you get to suffer through your creation. I, on the other hand, am a child and don’t need to know how babies are made; especially if it’s about me or Nate, it’s gross.” He nervously began tapping his foot and checked the front entrance to the reception area every few seconds waiting for her to appear. “Something’s wrong,” Brett sighed glancing again at his watch. “She should have been here by now.”
“Perhaps she is just a little nervous about your spotlight dance,” Terrance smiled gently trying to calm his nerves but neither his words nor his gestures were enough to settle the creeping uneasiness his son felt over his missing bride.
“No, not my Yve; she doesn’t get nervous. This just isn’t her.” Ryan, who had joined him at the table noticing his anxious behavior, placed a hand on his shoulder as he too began having the same thoughts. He watched Scott head off to the dressing room with Yvette but the fact that neither of them had yet returned began casting a shadow of worry within him.
The team’s suspicions were confirmed as Scott came rushing into the room without Yvette. Pouring sweat and dripping blood from an opened head wound Victor helped him to a seat as Dustin retrieved a glass of water for their Boss. The music instantly came to a halt and amidst the gasps and terrified expressions on the wedding guests, Brett hurried towards his father-in-law. Steadily trying to calm his nerves he looked towards Brett and shook his head no. “Where is she?!” Brett demanded shifting his gaze between the doors Scott appeared from and to the man barely able to form words in front of him.
“They took her.”
“Who? Who took her?”
“They were professionals; dressed all in black. It was a well orchestrated extraction team. There were I don’t know three or four men. They broke into the back room, knocked me out and grabbed her! She tried to fight them off but they overpowered her. They must have used chloroform and carried her off…I couldn’t…I couldn’t stop them. They took my Baby! They took my little girl and I couldn’t help her!”
“No. No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!” Brett yelled in rapid succession as he backed away from Scott. Lunging forward, he ran from the area and out the back entrance checking the area for any sign; any indication who the men were and what became of the woman he’d just married. He kicked his foot against the side of the building before slowly pacing back outside towards the reception.
Terrance wrapped an arm around his son’s shoulder and Regina took to the stage to calm everyone and try to keep them settled as she dismissed them from the after party. Something terribly wrong had occurred and there was no way anyone would want to stick around much longer anyhow. There was no cause for celebration anymore. Their efforts turned to figuring out what happened and they needed to learn what became of Yvette and fast!
“It was him! It couldn’t be anyone else but him! He’s gonna kill her! He’s gonna fucking kill her!” Brett roared after the announcement was made to excuse everyone from the grounds. He was steadily pacing creating a sand dune to form beneath his feet at the reception area trying to figure out what to do.
“You don’t know that.”
“The hell I don’t! That’s what he’s been trying to do all this time!”
“Who?” Terrance asked taking a seat behind his son. He knew the way he was when he became angry and redirecting his focus was the best thing at this point. Brett was his twin in many ways and he hated thinking that his hothead would make him run off and do something foolish.
“Her…worthless sperm donor!”
“What?”
“Yvette’s biological father, Ethan Evans. He’s…”
“Evans? You’re kidding!”
“You know him?”
“Very well; you forget I used to be a Company man. He’s been the target of my group since we split from the Company. We’ve been trying to track his whereabouts for several months now. We got a tip about him branching into some sort of covert operations program amassed with rogue government agents. It’s some sort of Black Ops program that I fear works much like a guns for hire scheme that cares nothing about civil unrest or disorder; only the end result and a large paycheck.”
“Yeah that’s all I need right now! Him or one of the psychos working for him to want to make a name for themselves by hurting her!”
“We’ll get to her before anything happens Brett,” Ryan tried assuring him.
“How? We don’t…” Brett lifted a chair and tossed it to the corner listening to the legs crack and tumble to the floor as it smashed against a tree. “We don’t even know where the fuck he is! We’ll never find her in time!” He dropped hopelessly onto the ground as he thought about his wife in the hands of that monster. “I just hope he doesn’t do something to hurt her or…my baby!”
“Your what?!” Scott, Terrance and Regina all exclaimed at the same time.
Yvette had no idea how long she was out for but when she awoke she was sitting tied to a chair in a small, dark room. The only light visible in the area peeked through a window at the top of a metal door. She squinted her eyes to try and make out any forms in the room with her. Satisfied she was alone, Yvette went to work on the ropes that bound her arms behind her back, using the sharpened edges of her fingernails to try and slowly cut through them.
Finding the task much harder than she thought she quickly abandoned the idea and tried thinking of a better route to gain her freedom. Feeling her engagement band still around her finger, she worked it around until the diamond edge was in her palm. Praying the platinum setting was sharp enough to tear through the twine; Yvette started sawing on the looser edges of the knot.
Moments later the door opened and a man dressed in a custom tailored Italian pin-striped suit entered inside. He ran his hand along the cold, cement wall as he made his way towards Yvette. She lifted her head slightly to take in his form. He was older, had an air of prestige about him but something else was familiar.
He stepped forward into the light, a sinister smile spread across his lips and he folded his arms into his chest as he addressed her. “Hello Princess, welcome home.”
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**Author's note:
Special thanks to Misukisu for her wonderful job creating the Pose Player Addon that was a MAJOR, MAJOR help during the wedding scenes. Because of this amazing new creation I was able to pose every one of the 24 sims on my lot! Thank you Misu for such a helpful modification to this game.
If you're a writer and don't own this little gem, grab it! It's a must and I guarantee you'll love it! (Also eliminates the need to have pose players sitting on every lot. Place one ANYWHERE in your current save file and just click any sim, anywhere at anytime and they'll follow your commands!) --Just note that if the sim isn't on an actual lot you won't be able to move them around. But you'd get the effect like Yvette shooting her weapon at oncoming traffic in chapter 8 :)
And of course thank you to my readers for sticking with me through another season! It's great having your support! I absolutely could not do this without you! Don't forget to join us for the new season of Codename: Danger at our new home at blogger!**
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