Fic - The Price of Love
Title: The Price of Love
Author: Prehistoric Cat
Rating: M
Characters/Pairings: Abby/Connor, Lester, Jess, Becker
Genre: action, angst, romance, fluff
Disclaimer: Not mine, no copyright intended
Warnings: Some mild violence and mentions of sexual abuse (past)
A/N This is a birthday fic for the lovely tay_21 I hope this fulfils the prompt you gave me ;)
“The government does not negotiate with terrorists.”
Lester's words stung. Connor couldn't believe that nothing was being done. He'd shut himself away in a side office and was staring at the note that had been left pinned to the bedroom door; barely able to focus on the words through the tears. He knew what they said though, he'd read them over and over a thousand times.
“£100,000 by the end of the week, or she dies.”
It had been two whole days now since they'd taken her. Connor blamed himself completely - he should have been with her, but he'd wanted to finish the report he was working on and Abby had gone home without him. He'd promised to get a pizza on the way home, so by the time he had got to the flat it was almost three hours since they'd parted. He knew something was wrong before he'd even got out of the car; the front door was wide open.
Cautiously, Connor crept up the stairs towards the lounge. Instinctively, he reached for his gun in his back pocket, but cursed because it wasn't there - he was only allowed a gun when they went out to an anomaly and had to check his back in each time. The sight that greeted him filled him with dread, and he knew something awful had happened to Abby. The two stools they sat on at the kitchen work surface were strewn across the floor; the lamp smashed; furniture displaced and various ornaments and some of Connor's fossils broken on the floor. There had been a struggle.
“Abby?” He called, not really expecting a reply but hoping he was wrong. He found Rex cowering up in the rafters, and the terrified creature swooped down onto Connor's shoulder when he called him. “Hey, mate. It's OK.” He stroked Rex's back before lifting him off and placing him on the table. What had happened here? Had Abby disturbed a burglar? He resisted the urge to begin to tidy up, figuring the police would need to see the crime scene as it was.
That was when he saw the note pinned to their bedroom door. She'd been kidnapped. If this was something to do with the ARC then he couldn't involve the police, he had to tell Lester. Trying to stay calm and focussed, he searched for Lester's mobile number whilst he paced around the room. He went to lean against the stair rail as he dialled Lester's number and noticed a huge split in the wood, stained with blood.
“Temple, you had better have a very good reason for calling me at home!” Lester barked down the phone.
Connor couldn't speak. His Abby was gone, she was hurt and although he knew that crying didn't solve anything, he couldn't hold his tears back any longer.
The next few hours had been a blur. Lester called in a couple of CIA agents, who took photographs of the flat; fingerprinted everything they could and then went away with a couple of photos of Abby that Connor had given them. Jess had tried to persuade Connor to come and stay with her, but he refused. “I need to be here, Jess. Whoever took her will contact me with the details of where to pay the ransom money. The sooner I can do that, the sooner I'll have her back.”
“We have your phone tapped, Connor... the landline and your mobile. When they call, we'll be able to trace it. Just keep them talking as long as you can, but don't agree to anything. The Government does not negotiate with terrorists.” Lester said.
“I'm NOT Government!” Connor yelled. “If money's what they want, then I'll give it to them!”
“With respect, where are you going to find that kind of money? Let the experts handle this.”
“And with respect to you, Lester - this is not just anybody we're talking about is it? This is Abby! My girlfriend. I love her, and I am not going to sit around and wait for the experts when she could be in all kinds of danger! What if they...” Connor couldn't continue, he didn't want to think what they could be doing to her right now. Was this connected to her work at the ARC or was it a random kidnapping and they thought all their Christmas's had come at once when they found out she worked for the government?
Jess slid her arm around Connor's shoulders and whispered. “OK, if you don't want to leave here, then I'll stay with you. Come on, show me where the kettle is and I'll make us both a nice strong cup of tea.” Connor didn't argue, he just stood up and led Jess into the kitchen. Jess gave Lester a look that said “I'll take care of him.”, and the flat emptied; leaving just Connor and Jess.
-o-
Abby opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but a searing pain shot through her entire body and she stopped. She felt sick and her eyes wouldn't focus properly. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was being in the bathroom having showered and changed and hearing a loud bang. She'd stuck her head out of the door and called “Connor?” thinking he'd arrived home earlier than he'd expected.
“If you come quietly, Miss Maitland, we won't hurt you.” a voice said. In front of her were two men, both pointing guns at her. Abby made a dash for the table where her mobile was, but one of the men grabbed her. “I said we wouldn't hurt you if you...”
Abby dipped and twisted her body, dragging the man to the ground and then she grabbed the leg of the nearby stool, swinging it at the second man. She felt a hand around her ankle, tugging and pulling her to the ground and then the first man sat on her back, pinning her arm down. “This would be so much easier if you just co-operated Miss Maitland.” he growled.
“Never!” Abby yelled, her heart pounding and an anger raging through her body. She drew on an inner strength; a survival instinct she'd developed from the age of 14 after being raped by her step-father, and somehow managed to drag herself from underneath her assailant. Her one thought was to get away, and she grabbed at anything close to hand that she could throw or push between them. Finally, a gun was fired and she felt an intense pain in her right shoulder just as she stumbled backwards against the stair rail and blacked out.
She had no idea how long she'd been here; hours? days? The room was empty, and just a small slither of daylight shone through the tiny window at the opposite end from where she was. Why had those men taken her? They knew her, so it wasn't just some random thing; but what possible reason was there behind it? Managing to pull herself into a sort of sitting position, she realised that her shoulder had been bandaged. At least they hadn't just left her to bleed to death; that had to be a good sign at least. They wanted her alive.
The door at the far end of the room was flung open, and a man came in. Abby recognised him as one of the men who had taken her. “Miss Matiland, it's good to see you awake at last!” he said, his lips drawn into a tight line, almost sneering. “Although it is rather unfortunate as it means I have to tie you up and gag you.”
Abby found she had little strength and saw no point in attempting to fight. She resigned herself to being bound as he pulled the coarse rope around her wrists. It burnt, and the pain almost too much, but Abby was determined not to give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd hurt her. She gritted her teeth and stared defiantly ahead of her as the ropes tightened and dug into her flesh. The man pulled out a roll of silver duct tape; the heavy duty type used by plumbers and builders, and stuck a strip across Abby's mouth.
“Such a pretty girl.” he said, stroking her cheek. Abby pulled away, and struck out at him with her leg. “Feisty too!” he laughed. “I'd bind your ankles too, but then I wouldn't be able to have my fun.” His hand slid up her leg to her inner thigh and he licked her cheek. Abby let out a squeak and closed her eyes, trying to shut out what was happening. If he was going to do something to her, she prayed he'd do it quickly and get it over with.
“What the hell do you think you're doing?” A voice came from the doorway. It was the other man.
“It just seems such a waste of an opportunity, Stu!” The first man protested.
“Idiot!” Stu spat. “It's already bad enough we had to shoot her, if there's any more harm done to her, then the chances of us getting away with this are slim.” He crouched in front of Abby and leaned in close. Abby wrinkled her nose, his breath stank of beer and his body of stale sweat. “I've contacted the zoo with the details of where to leave the ransom money and the rest of the instructions. Once we have confirmation they've stopped the project and the money is in our hands, then we'll let you go.”
The zoo? Abby thought. So this wasn't about the ARC? Officially, she was still listed as an employee of Wellington zoo, it was her cover and enabled her to speak to vets on the premise she was dealing with a rare breed. Any communication they received for her was passed on to Lester; the zoo had been very accommodating but only knew that she was working on a top secret government project and nothing else. She supposed Lester would be looking at their demands right now and deciding how to handle this. It wouldn't be long before a rescue was attempted, she was certain of it … and Connor would be there in the thick of the action. That thought would keep her strong, no matter how bad it got.
-o-
Connor had a pile of paperwork spread out across his desk. Bank statements, solicitors letters... by his reckoning, with the money he had inherited from his gran and the money he had in his savings account, he had about half of the ransom money. He would find the rest somehow. He didn't care what Lester said; if giving these men money got Abby back then he'd do it. If it had been £1,000,000 he still would have found it - you couldn't put a price on someone you love, and even if it meant he'd be in debt for the rest of his life he would get her back.
Jess put her head around the door. “The kidnappers have made contact. Lester's with the CIA now.”
Connor was on his feet immediately and made a determined beeline for Lester's office. Jess followed him, trying to calm him before he got there. He pushed open the door without knocking. “Tell me when and where and I'll take the money myself!”
“Sit down, Temple!” Lester said. “That's an order.”
Connor did as he was told, but he couldn't sit still. His anger and nerves made him fidget, and he clenched his fists so tight his knuckles were white.
“As I was just saying to our colleagues here, it seems the kidnapping is related to a controversial project that Wellington Zoo is involved in, and this is an attempt to get it stopped. They're saying if their demands are not met, they'll kill her by Friday.” Lester said. He was keeping up his usual solid, unemotional façade - he had to remain completely professional in situations like this.
“The cloning project?” Connor said. He sighed and shook his head. This was bizarre - Abby was against the project too, she felt they should be putting the money into proper breeding programmes and making the enclosures a better environment to promote the natural process of life.
“That's the one. It's not negotiable. We will not be giving in to their demands.” Lester said.
“So, you're going to let Abby die for the sake of some money and a project that shouldn't be happening anyway?” Connor stood up and banged his fist on the table. He felt tears beginning to sting his eyes and he blinked.
“I understand your concerns, Connor.” Lester said, his voice changing to a quieter, softer tone. “You're emotionally involved and your judgement is....”
“Damn right I'm emotionally involved!” Connor yelled. “I love her, and I am not going to just stand around and do nothing!” He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Lester picked up his internal phone. “Captain Becker, I need you to try and talk some sense into young Connor before he tries something stupid. He could put Abby's life in more danger by attempting to handle things himself.” He then turned to the gathered CIA agents to begin discussions on the best way to rescue Abby without putting her at risk.
-o-
Becker had driven Connor home and intended to stay with him to make sure he didn't go off on his own. He knew Connor's heart was in the right place, and deep down he sympathised - if it was his girlfriend in this situation, he'd be wanting to do everything he could to get her back too. He followed Connor inside the flat and stood in the doorway. Connor picked up a pile of mail from the mat and he angrily went through them, throwing them one by one back onto the floor. “Bloody bills!” he said.
“Come on, Connor. Let's get some food shall we?” Becker said, placing his hands on Connor's shoulders and trying to guide him towards the stairs. Connor froze and stared at the final envelope. It had been hand written, and just had “Connor” written on the outside. “What's wrong?” He could feel Connor shaking.
“It's Abby's handwriting.” Connor said, his voice barely a whisper. He tried to open the envelope but his hands were shaking so much he couldn't do it. Becker took it from him and tore it open. Inside was a photograph and Becker swallowed hard. “What is it, Becker?”
“You don't need to see this.” Becker replied, trying to shove the photo back inside the envelope, but Connor grabbed it from him. Becker watched his friend's eyes fill with tears and rage as he digested the image... Abby bound and gagged, a blood stained bandage on her shoulder and a look of sheer terror in her eyes. “We'll find her Connor, I promise.” Becker said, allowing Connor to bury his head into his shoulder and let out all his emotions.
-o-
Somehow, Connor had managed to convince Becker to help him. Maybe it was the fact Becker realised Connor was going to try anyway and figured he'd be better off with some back up, or maybe that photo had angered him too. He'd lost Abby and Connor once before, so he wasn't prepared to lose Abby again. “You let my men handle the physical stuff, Connor, do you understand?”
Connor nodded. “I'll concentrate on rescuing Abby, you and your men can deal with the bad guys.”
“Good, and if at ANY point they threaten Abby, you back off, OK? We do not put her life in any more danger than it already is!”
Connor nodded again, but knew there was no way he'd back down if some evil, twisted, bastard was going to harm his Abby. Becker had got Jess to intercept all the communications into Lester's office and find out where the kidnappers had asked for the exchange to happen. The plan was that Connor would be there with a case of fake money, and one of Becker's men would pose as a representative of the Zoo. They knew the kidnappers would not be fooled for long, so as soon as the case was handed over, Becker's team would swing into action. If the stakes weren't quite so high, Connor would have been enjoying this.
Connor and Corporal Turley pulled up at the agreed meeting point and waited. A white van parked up just opposite them, and two men got out. Was this them? Where was Abby? Connor felt sick; if this went wrong...
Turley got out first and greeted the two men, Connor following behind with the case.
“Do you have the money?” Stu said.
“Yes... where's Abby?” Connor said.
“You'll see her when the money is in our hands.”
“No deal.” Turley said. “How do we know she's OK? We don't hand over anything until we can see her.”
“OK. Ash, get our guest from the van, our friends here need reassurances that we'll keep to our side of the bargain.” Stu said. Ash muttered something, then made his way to the back of their van. Connor held his breath as he watched. The door was slammed, and a moment later, Ash was dragging a struggling Abby with him. She briefly made eye contact with him and blinked - she was trying to tell him she was OK - and that made him feel a little better, but seeing her tied up made his stomach churn. She then went back to staring blankly ahead, not letting her emotions show. Connor admired the way she could do that; but it also hurt because he knew when and why she'd learnt how to do it and the fact she was having to revert back to that time angered him.
“OK... release her and you can have your money.” Connor said. He knew his voice sounded strange, but he had to put on a performance and at least pretend to be in control.
“Money first, and a copy of the signed agreement ending the cloning project.” Stu said.
Turley gave a snort. “Here's the agreement.” He handed a sealed envelope to Stu. “But no money until Abby is released.”
Stu opened the envelope and read the enclosed document. “It all seems to be in order.” Ash brought Abby closer, and Connor felt his heart pound. It would only be a few more moments and he'd have her back in his arms.
“I'm going to miss my playmate.” Ash said, stroking Abby's cheek. “I can see why you're so keen to get her back. I bet she's a great fuck.”
Connor felt his blood boil and took a step towards Ash, fist clenched. Turley grabbed his arm and hissed “Don't blow it now!”
Ash laughed and moved behind Abby, sliding his hand around to grasp her breast. That was it; Connor had had enough and he saw red. His fist connected with Ash's jaw and he was certain he heard a rather satisfying crunch of bone. Ash was on his back, clutching at his jaw and rolling around in agony. Connor saw two soldiers grab him and drag him off towards a waiting vehicle. He stumbled backwards, flexing his now sore hand and turned to grab Abby, but she wasn't there. Stu had flung her over his shoulder and was heading into his van with her.
“You idiot, Temple!” Connor heard Becker yell. Four soldiers ran past him, guns raised. “I said to leave the physical stuff to my men!” They surrounded the van, ready to shoot Stu, but he just grinned at them and pulled Abby to sit on his lap.
“Hold your fire.” Becker ordered. “We can't risk shooting Abby.” It was all going wrong, and he was having to think on his feet about the next step. The engine was started, and Connor sprang forward, leaping onto the bonnet and hammering his fists on the windscreen. The van began to move forward, and Connor clung on as tight as he could, yelling Abby's name.
Abby could see the anger and despair in Connor's eyes. She was scared for him too; the van was increasing speed and he would be flung off and possibly straight under the wheels. She tried to plead with him to let go before it was too late, but she knew he had tunnel vision when it came to trying to be the hero. She couldn't watch and she slammed her eyes shut.
“Let go, Temple!” Becker yelled. Thankfully, Connor saw sense and flung himself to the ground, rolling out of the way as quick as he could. The van, with Abby inside, was disappearing. He had to do something, and fast. The soldiers were already in their vehicles and giving chase, so Connor ran to the one he and Turley had arrived in and drove off with a screech of tyres. He'd never driven so fast in his life and he almost lost control as he turned a corner. Adrenalin was spurring him on and all he could think about was the sight of Abby being pawed by that bastard.
The kidnapper's vehicle tried to double back on itself in an attempt to throw off the chasing soldiers, but this meant that Connor's car was hurtling straight for it. Without a thought for the consequences, Connor slammed his foot onto the accelerator pedal and steered straight ahead.
Abby opened her eyes just as Connor's car was about to smash into theirs. It was like watching a film in slow motion; she knew what Connor was about to do and she was powerless to stop him. She tried to scream but couldn't because of the tape across her mouth, and then there was the terrifying screech of brakes and a stomach churning jolt and bang.
There was a confusion of shouting and the sound of gunfire. The driver's door was flung open and Connor was there; his forehead covered in blood and a look of absolute rage across his face. He was dragging Stu out of his seat and laying punch after punch into him. Stu was landing several punches into Connor too, and Abby could see that he was badly winded. Then Becker and another soldier were there too and they dragged Stu away, bundling him into a vehicle where the still dazed Ash was.
“Abby!” Connor sobbed, climbing into the driver's seat next to her and peeling off the tape from her mouth.
“Connor!” She slumped against his chest and let him wrap his strong, safe, warm arms around her. It was over.
“It's OK, it's OK.” Connor soothed, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. He unfastened the ropes binding her wrists and then they melted into a deep hug. There was chaos around them, but neither noticed. All that mattered was they were together and safe.
-o-
Having both been given a clean bill of health, Connor and Abby wearily made their way up the stairs into the flat. Connor knew he was going to be in serious trouble with Lester tomorrow, but he'd worry about that later. Right now, he just wanted to hold Abby in his arms and not let her go. Abby took his hand and led him straight into the bedroom, she wanted to be held too; and more.
“Did they … did they hurt you in other ways?” Connor finally asked as they sat on the edge of the bed.
“No, Connor. Not in that way.” she stroked his cheek then moved closer, her lips seeking the reassurance of his. The kiss was tender, and needed by both. Abby leaned back, pulling Connor with her until he was completely on top of her; surrounding her in his warmth. “I missed you.” she whispered.
“Missed you too.” Connor whispered back. “I should have been here, it wouldn't have...”
Abby pressed her fingers to his lips. “Shush! None of it was your fault, Connor.” She kissed him, then slid her hands to the belt on his jeans. “Make love to me?”
Connor nodded, then pressed his lips against hers, his tongue teasing her lips apart begging for entry. The kiss deepened, and limbs entwined as they softly caressed the curves of each other's bodies. Clothes were slowly peeled away until skin met skin. They usually took the time to pleasure each other, but all they both wanted at this moment was to be joined together. Abby wrapped her legs around Connor's waist as he slid into her and they moved as one.
Connor buried his face into the space between Abby's shoulder and neck, gripping tightly to her hips as he sheathed himself completely inside her. Abby was certain he was crying, and tugged at his hair slightly to make him look at her. She was right and her heart felt almost torn in two. She hated to see him like this. “I love you.” she said, wiping his tears with her thumb.
Connor sobbed harder; the intensity of the moment almost too much. His breathing grew deeper, and he felt his groin tighten, it would only be a matter of moments before he released. Abby's soft mews were getting louder and he could feel her internal muscles convulsing around him; she was close too.
“I love you!” Connor gasped, his hips bucking and filling her more than willing body. Abby let out a loud gasp, which turned to sobs as her body shook violently. They moved together for a few more moments, exchanging tender kisses and soft touches until Connor was completely spent. Reluctantly, he moved away and rolled onto his back. Abby moved with him, resting her head on his chest, circling her arm around his waist and pulling the duvet around them.
Actions spoke louder than words. Being together meant more than anything else in the world right now, and as Connor felt Abby press against his body he knew he had done the right thing today. Lester and his “we don't negotiate with terrorists” line could go and jump in a lake for all he cared and he would do it again without hesitation if he had to. He closed his eyes and drifted into a contented sleep.
Author: Prehistoric Cat
Rating: M
Characters/Pairings: Abby/Connor, Lester, Jess, Becker
Genre: action, angst, romance, fluff
Disclaimer: Not mine, no copyright intended
Warnings: Some mild violence and mentions of sexual abuse (past)
A/N This is a birthday fic for the lovely tay_21 I hope this fulfils the prompt you gave me ;)
“The government does not negotiate with terrorists.”
Lester's words stung. Connor couldn't believe that nothing was being done. He'd shut himself away in a side office and was staring at the note that had been left pinned to the bedroom door; barely able to focus on the words through the tears. He knew what they said though, he'd read them over and over a thousand times.
“£100,000 by the end of the week, or she dies.”
It had been two whole days now since they'd taken her. Connor blamed himself completely - he should have been with her, but he'd wanted to finish the report he was working on and Abby had gone home without him. He'd promised to get a pizza on the way home, so by the time he had got to the flat it was almost three hours since they'd parted. He knew something was wrong before he'd even got out of the car; the front door was wide open.
Cautiously, Connor crept up the stairs towards the lounge. Instinctively, he reached for his gun in his back pocket, but cursed because it wasn't there - he was only allowed a gun when they went out to an anomaly and had to check his back in each time. The sight that greeted him filled him with dread, and he knew something awful had happened to Abby. The two stools they sat on at the kitchen work surface were strewn across the floor; the lamp smashed; furniture displaced and various ornaments and some of Connor's fossils broken on the floor. There had been a struggle.
“Abby?” He called, not really expecting a reply but hoping he was wrong. He found Rex cowering up in the rafters, and the terrified creature swooped down onto Connor's shoulder when he called him. “Hey, mate. It's OK.” He stroked Rex's back before lifting him off and placing him on the table. What had happened here? Had Abby disturbed a burglar? He resisted the urge to begin to tidy up, figuring the police would need to see the crime scene as it was.
That was when he saw the note pinned to their bedroom door. She'd been kidnapped. If this was something to do with the ARC then he couldn't involve the police, he had to tell Lester. Trying to stay calm and focussed, he searched for Lester's mobile number whilst he paced around the room. He went to lean against the stair rail as he dialled Lester's number and noticed a huge split in the wood, stained with blood.
“Temple, you had better have a very good reason for calling me at home!” Lester barked down the phone.
Connor couldn't speak. His Abby was gone, she was hurt and although he knew that crying didn't solve anything, he couldn't hold his tears back any longer.
The next few hours had been a blur. Lester called in a couple of CIA agents, who took photographs of the flat; fingerprinted everything they could and then went away with a couple of photos of Abby that Connor had given them. Jess had tried to persuade Connor to come and stay with her, but he refused. “I need to be here, Jess. Whoever took her will contact me with the details of where to pay the ransom money. The sooner I can do that, the sooner I'll have her back.”
“We have your phone tapped, Connor... the landline and your mobile. When they call, we'll be able to trace it. Just keep them talking as long as you can, but don't agree to anything. The Government does not negotiate with terrorists.” Lester said.
“I'm NOT Government!” Connor yelled. “If money's what they want, then I'll give it to them!”
“With respect, where are you going to find that kind of money? Let the experts handle this.”
“And with respect to you, Lester - this is not just anybody we're talking about is it? This is Abby! My girlfriend. I love her, and I am not going to sit around and wait for the experts when she could be in all kinds of danger! What if they...” Connor couldn't continue, he didn't want to think what they could be doing to her right now. Was this connected to her work at the ARC or was it a random kidnapping and they thought all their Christmas's had come at once when they found out she worked for the government?
Jess slid her arm around Connor's shoulders and whispered. “OK, if you don't want to leave here, then I'll stay with you. Come on, show me where the kettle is and I'll make us both a nice strong cup of tea.” Connor didn't argue, he just stood up and led Jess into the kitchen. Jess gave Lester a look that said “I'll take care of him.”, and the flat emptied; leaving just Connor and Jess.
-o-
Abby opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but a searing pain shot through her entire body and she stopped. She felt sick and her eyes wouldn't focus properly. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was being in the bathroom having showered and changed and hearing a loud bang. She'd stuck her head out of the door and called “Connor?” thinking he'd arrived home earlier than he'd expected.
“If you come quietly, Miss Maitland, we won't hurt you.” a voice said. In front of her were two men, both pointing guns at her. Abby made a dash for the table where her mobile was, but one of the men grabbed her. “I said we wouldn't hurt you if you...”
Abby dipped and twisted her body, dragging the man to the ground and then she grabbed the leg of the nearby stool, swinging it at the second man. She felt a hand around her ankle, tugging and pulling her to the ground and then the first man sat on her back, pinning her arm down. “This would be so much easier if you just co-operated Miss Maitland.” he growled.
“Never!” Abby yelled, her heart pounding and an anger raging through her body. She drew on an inner strength; a survival instinct she'd developed from the age of 14 after being raped by her step-father, and somehow managed to drag herself from underneath her assailant. Her one thought was to get away, and she grabbed at anything close to hand that she could throw or push between them. Finally, a gun was fired and she felt an intense pain in her right shoulder just as she stumbled backwards against the stair rail and blacked out.
She had no idea how long she'd been here; hours? days? The room was empty, and just a small slither of daylight shone through the tiny window at the opposite end from where she was. Why had those men taken her? They knew her, so it wasn't just some random thing; but what possible reason was there behind it? Managing to pull herself into a sort of sitting position, she realised that her shoulder had been bandaged. At least they hadn't just left her to bleed to death; that had to be a good sign at least. They wanted her alive.
The door at the far end of the room was flung open, and a man came in. Abby recognised him as one of the men who had taken her. “Miss Matiland, it's good to see you awake at last!” he said, his lips drawn into a tight line, almost sneering. “Although it is rather unfortunate as it means I have to tie you up and gag you.”
Abby found she had little strength and saw no point in attempting to fight. She resigned herself to being bound as he pulled the coarse rope around her wrists. It burnt, and the pain almost too much, but Abby was determined not to give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd hurt her. She gritted her teeth and stared defiantly ahead of her as the ropes tightened and dug into her flesh. The man pulled out a roll of silver duct tape; the heavy duty type used by plumbers and builders, and stuck a strip across Abby's mouth.
“Such a pretty girl.” he said, stroking her cheek. Abby pulled away, and struck out at him with her leg. “Feisty too!” he laughed. “I'd bind your ankles too, but then I wouldn't be able to have my fun.” His hand slid up her leg to her inner thigh and he licked her cheek. Abby let out a squeak and closed her eyes, trying to shut out what was happening. If he was going to do something to her, she prayed he'd do it quickly and get it over with.
“What the hell do you think you're doing?” A voice came from the doorway. It was the other man.
“It just seems such a waste of an opportunity, Stu!” The first man protested.
“Idiot!” Stu spat. “It's already bad enough we had to shoot her, if there's any more harm done to her, then the chances of us getting away with this are slim.” He crouched in front of Abby and leaned in close. Abby wrinkled her nose, his breath stank of beer and his body of stale sweat. “I've contacted the zoo with the details of where to leave the ransom money and the rest of the instructions. Once we have confirmation they've stopped the project and the money is in our hands, then we'll let you go.”
The zoo? Abby thought. So this wasn't about the ARC? Officially, she was still listed as an employee of Wellington zoo, it was her cover and enabled her to speak to vets on the premise she was dealing with a rare breed. Any communication they received for her was passed on to Lester; the zoo had been very accommodating but only knew that she was working on a top secret government project and nothing else. She supposed Lester would be looking at their demands right now and deciding how to handle this. It wouldn't be long before a rescue was attempted, she was certain of it … and Connor would be there in the thick of the action. That thought would keep her strong, no matter how bad it got.
-o-
Connor had a pile of paperwork spread out across his desk. Bank statements, solicitors letters... by his reckoning, with the money he had inherited from his gran and the money he had in his savings account, he had about half of the ransom money. He would find the rest somehow. He didn't care what Lester said; if giving these men money got Abby back then he'd do it. If it had been £1,000,000 he still would have found it - you couldn't put a price on someone you love, and even if it meant he'd be in debt for the rest of his life he would get her back.
Jess put her head around the door. “The kidnappers have made contact. Lester's with the CIA now.”
Connor was on his feet immediately and made a determined beeline for Lester's office. Jess followed him, trying to calm him before he got there. He pushed open the door without knocking. “Tell me when and where and I'll take the money myself!”
“Sit down, Temple!” Lester said. “That's an order.”
Connor did as he was told, but he couldn't sit still. His anger and nerves made him fidget, and he clenched his fists so tight his knuckles were white.
“As I was just saying to our colleagues here, it seems the kidnapping is related to a controversial project that Wellington Zoo is involved in, and this is an attempt to get it stopped. They're saying if their demands are not met, they'll kill her by Friday.” Lester said. He was keeping up his usual solid, unemotional façade - he had to remain completely professional in situations like this.
“The cloning project?” Connor said. He sighed and shook his head. This was bizarre - Abby was against the project too, she felt they should be putting the money into proper breeding programmes and making the enclosures a better environment to promote the natural process of life.
“That's the one. It's not negotiable. We will not be giving in to their demands.” Lester said.
“So, you're going to let Abby die for the sake of some money and a project that shouldn't be happening anyway?” Connor stood up and banged his fist on the table. He felt tears beginning to sting his eyes and he blinked.
“I understand your concerns, Connor.” Lester said, his voice changing to a quieter, softer tone. “You're emotionally involved and your judgement is....”
“Damn right I'm emotionally involved!” Connor yelled. “I love her, and I am not going to just stand around and do nothing!” He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Lester picked up his internal phone. “Captain Becker, I need you to try and talk some sense into young Connor before he tries something stupid. He could put Abby's life in more danger by attempting to handle things himself.” He then turned to the gathered CIA agents to begin discussions on the best way to rescue Abby without putting her at risk.
-o-
Becker had driven Connor home and intended to stay with him to make sure he didn't go off on his own. He knew Connor's heart was in the right place, and deep down he sympathised - if it was his girlfriend in this situation, he'd be wanting to do everything he could to get her back too. He followed Connor inside the flat and stood in the doorway. Connor picked up a pile of mail from the mat and he angrily went through them, throwing them one by one back onto the floor. “Bloody bills!” he said.
“Come on, Connor. Let's get some food shall we?” Becker said, placing his hands on Connor's shoulders and trying to guide him towards the stairs. Connor froze and stared at the final envelope. It had been hand written, and just had “Connor” written on the outside. “What's wrong?” He could feel Connor shaking.
“It's Abby's handwriting.” Connor said, his voice barely a whisper. He tried to open the envelope but his hands were shaking so much he couldn't do it. Becker took it from him and tore it open. Inside was a photograph and Becker swallowed hard. “What is it, Becker?”
“You don't need to see this.” Becker replied, trying to shove the photo back inside the envelope, but Connor grabbed it from him. Becker watched his friend's eyes fill with tears and rage as he digested the image... Abby bound and gagged, a blood stained bandage on her shoulder and a look of sheer terror in her eyes. “We'll find her Connor, I promise.” Becker said, allowing Connor to bury his head into his shoulder and let out all his emotions.
-o-
Somehow, Connor had managed to convince Becker to help him. Maybe it was the fact Becker realised Connor was going to try anyway and figured he'd be better off with some back up, or maybe that photo had angered him too. He'd lost Abby and Connor once before, so he wasn't prepared to lose Abby again. “You let my men handle the physical stuff, Connor, do you understand?”
Connor nodded. “I'll concentrate on rescuing Abby, you and your men can deal with the bad guys.”
“Good, and if at ANY point they threaten Abby, you back off, OK? We do not put her life in any more danger than it already is!”
Connor nodded again, but knew there was no way he'd back down if some evil, twisted, bastard was going to harm his Abby. Becker had got Jess to intercept all the communications into Lester's office and find out where the kidnappers had asked for the exchange to happen. The plan was that Connor would be there with a case of fake money, and one of Becker's men would pose as a representative of the Zoo. They knew the kidnappers would not be fooled for long, so as soon as the case was handed over, Becker's team would swing into action. If the stakes weren't quite so high, Connor would have been enjoying this.
Connor and Corporal Turley pulled up at the agreed meeting point and waited. A white van parked up just opposite them, and two men got out. Was this them? Where was Abby? Connor felt sick; if this went wrong...
Turley got out first and greeted the two men, Connor following behind with the case.
“Do you have the money?” Stu said.
“Yes... where's Abby?” Connor said.
“You'll see her when the money is in our hands.”
“No deal.” Turley said. “How do we know she's OK? We don't hand over anything until we can see her.”
“OK. Ash, get our guest from the van, our friends here need reassurances that we'll keep to our side of the bargain.” Stu said. Ash muttered something, then made his way to the back of their van. Connor held his breath as he watched. The door was slammed, and a moment later, Ash was dragging a struggling Abby with him. She briefly made eye contact with him and blinked - she was trying to tell him she was OK - and that made him feel a little better, but seeing her tied up made his stomach churn. She then went back to staring blankly ahead, not letting her emotions show. Connor admired the way she could do that; but it also hurt because he knew when and why she'd learnt how to do it and the fact she was having to revert back to that time angered him.
“OK... release her and you can have your money.” Connor said. He knew his voice sounded strange, but he had to put on a performance and at least pretend to be in control.
“Money first, and a copy of the signed agreement ending the cloning project.” Stu said.
Turley gave a snort. “Here's the agreement.” He handed a sealed envelope to Stu. “But no money until Abby is released.”
Stu opened the envelope and read the enclosed document. “It all seems to be in order.” Ash brought Abby closer, and Connor felt his heart pound. It would only be a few more moments and he'd have her back in his arms.
“I'm going to miss my playmate.” Ash said, stroking Abby's cheek. “I can see why you're so keen to get her back. I bet she's a great fuck.”
Connor felt his blood boil and took a step towards Ash, fist clenched. Turley grabbed his arm and hissed “Don't blow it now!”
Ash laughed and moved behind Abby, sliding his hand around to grasp her breast. That was it; Connor had had enough and he saw red. His fist connected with Ash's jaw and he was certain he heard a rather satisfying crunch of bone. Ash was on his back, clutching at his jaw and rolling around in agony. Connor saw two soldiers grab him and drag him off towards a waiting vehicle. He stumbled backwards, flexing his now sore hand and turned to grab Abby, but she wasn't there. Stu had flung her over his shoulder and was heading into his van with her.
“You idiot, Temple!” Connor heard Becker yell. Four soldiers ran past him, guns raised. “I said to leave the physical stuff to my men!” They surrounded the van, ready to shoot Stu, but he just grinned at them and pulled Abby to sit on his lap.
“Hold your fire.” Becker ordered. “We can't risk shooting Abby.” It was all going wrong, and he was having to think on his feet about the next step. The engine was started, and Connor sprang forward, leaping onto the bonnet and hammering his fists on the windscreen. The van began to move forward, and Connor clung on as tight as he could, yelling Abby's name.
Abby could see the anger and despair in Connor's eyes. She was scared for him too; the van was increasing speed and he would be flung off and possibly straight under the wheels. She tried to plead with him to let go before it was too late, but she knew he had tunnel vision when it came to trying to be the hero. She couldn't watch and she slammed her eyes shut.
“Let go, Temple!” Becker yelled. Thankfully, Connor saw sense and flung himself to the ground, rolling out of the way as quick as he could. The van, with Abby inside, was disappearing. He had to do something, and fast. The soldiers were already in their vehicles and giving chase, so Connor ran to the one he and Turley had arrived in and drove off with a screech of tyres. He'd never driven so fast in his life and he almost lost control as he turned a corner. Adrenalin was spurring him on and all he could think about was the sight of Abby being pawed by that bastard.
The kidnapper's vehicle tried to double back on itself in an attempt to throw off the chasing soldiers, but this meant that Connor's car was hurtling straight for it. Without a thought for the consequences, Connor slammed his foot onto the accelerator pedal and steered straight ahead.
Abby opened her eyes just as Connor's car was about to smash into theirs. It was like watching a film in slow motion; she knew what Connor was about to do and she was powerless to stop him. She tried to scream but couldn't because of the tape across her mouth, and then there was the terrifying screech of brakes and a stomach churning jolt and bang.
There was a confusion of shouting and the sound of gunfire. The driver's door was flung open and Connor was there; his forehead covered in blood and a look of absolute rage across his face. He was dragging Stu out of his seat and laying punch after punch into him. Stu was landing several punches into Connor too, and Abby could see that he was badly winded. Then Becker and another soldier were there too and they dragged Stu away, bundling him into a vehicle where the still dazed Ash was.
“Abby!” Connor sobbed, climbing into the driver's seat next to her and peeling off the tape from her mouth.
“Connor!” She slumped against his chest and let him wrap his strong, safe, warm arms around her. It was over.
“It's OK, it's OK.” Connor soothed, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. He unfastened the ropes binding her wrists and then they melted into a deep hug. There was chaos around them, but neither noticed. All that mattered was they were together and safe.
-o-
Having both been given a clean bill of health, Connor and Abby wearily made their way up the stairs into the flat. Connor knew he was going to be in serious trouble with Lester tomorrow, but he'd worry about that later. Right now, he just wanted to hold Abby in his arms and not let her go. Abby took his hand and led him straight into the bedroom, she wanted to be held too; and more.
“Did they … did they hurt you in other ways?” Connor finally asked as they sat on the edge of the bed.
“No, Connor. Not in that way.” she stroked his cheek then moved closer, her lips seeking the reassurance of his. The kiss was tender, and needed by both. Abby leaned back, pulling Connor with her until he was completely on top of her; surrounding her in his warmth. “I missed you.” she whispered.
“Missed you too.” Connor whispered back. “I should have been here, it wouldn't have...”
Abby pressed her fingers to his lips. “Shush! None of it was your fault, Connor.” She kissed him, then slid her hands to the belt on his jeans. “Make love to me?”
Connor nodded, then pressed his lips against hers, his tongue teasing her lips apart begging for entry. The kiss deepened, and limbs entwined as they softly caressed the curves of each other's bodies. Clothes were slowly peeled away until skin met skin. They usually took the time to pleasure each other, but all they both wanted at this moment was to be joined together. Abby wrapped her legs around Connor's waist as he slid into her and they moved as one.
Connor buried his face into the space between Abby's shoulder and neck, gripping tightly to her hips as he sheathed himself completely inside her. Abby was certain he was crying, and tugged at his hair slightly to make him look at her. She was right and her heart felt almost torn in two. She hated to see him like this. “I love you.” she said, wiping his tears with her thumb.
Connor sobbed harder; the intensity of the moment almost too much. His breathing grew deeper, and he felt his groin tighten, it would only be a matter of moments before he released. Abby's soft mews were getting louder and he could feel her internal muscles convulsing around him; she was close too.
“I love you!” Connor gasped, his hips bucking and filling her more than willing body. Abby let out a loud gasp, which turned to sobs as her body shook violently. They moved together for a few more moments, exchanging tender kisses and soft touches until Connor was completely spent. Reluctantly, he moved away and rolled onto his back. Abby moved with him, resting her head on his chest, circling her arm around his waist and pulling the duvet around them.
Actions spoke louder than words. Being together meant more than anything else in the world right now, and as Connor felt Abby press against his body he knew he had done the right thing today. Lester and his “we don't negotiate with terrorists” line could go and jump in a lake for all he cared and he would do it again without hesitation if he had to. He closed his eyes and drifted into a contented sleep.