I was exhausted from the workload at the office. My feet were tired and my hands were feeble. However I worried about my kids. It’s true that they were with their babysitter but for some reason, I felt restless.
I tried to get my mind off them at least till I was done for the day. I had just one hour before I got off work . My mind was preoccupied and restless.
“I’m probably just stressed out because of Aiden’s incident.” I muttered. The thought of going home to them injured made me shudder.
“I will just call Nancy to check. ” I picked up my Phone and dialed her number. It kept on ringing for minutes but I got no response. The ringing phone only made me more anxious.
Nancy was responsible and cautious when It came to my children. Yet I was unable to settle down.
I hurriedly sorted out the files on my desk. Quickly but carefully. Soon I was done. I picked up my bag and left the office. It was exactly 5pm when I left the office.
The drive from the office to my house was a 45 minute drive. I was at the bus stop for 5 minutes before I finally got a taxi . 5:50 pm I was home.
Though I was home, I still felt weird seeing that I haven’t seen my kids or even heard their voices.
I picked out my keys from my bag and opened the door . My jaw dropped . My bag fell off my hands . I was unable to move . It felt like my legs were glued to the ground. My throat began to constrict.
The sight of my children held at gunpoint suffocated me with fear .
I could feel the flood of worry rushing over me, my fear making her feel imprisoned.” so many questions ran Through my head as I stood.
Amelia and Aiden were trembling with fear. Duck tapes were placed on their hands and legs.
Two masked men stood behind them with guns that I was sure were loaded behind their heads .
The sound of the banging bedroom door shook me out of my misery. Without thinking, I ran towards them but was stopped by another gun pointed Directly at my face. Tears welled up in My eyes immediately.
“Take one more step and I kill them both.” One of the masked men said to me with an aggressive fierce tone.
“Don’t even dare to take a step forward. ”
“Please,… Pl… please let them go .”
“What do you want? Money? I will give it .” My voice broke as I spoke and my hands started to tremble.
I watch Amelia and Aiden struggle to release the tight tape on their hands. Nancy was tied up in the bed and her phone was lying on the table . Her hands and legs were tied up and her mouth was gagged.
Where they came from and how they came in was all a difficult puzzle to put together. I was less concerned about that at that moment. The only thoughts that occupied my mind were that of my children and safety.
“Please, they are just kids.”
“Please, let them go”
“Money ?”
“Do we look like beggars to you? ” the other man replied to me with a wicked chuckle.
“Then what do you want? ”
“Please just let them go . I will give you whatever you want . ”
“I promise. Please ”
“You have no choice but to give us what we want Isabelle. ”
They knew my name. But how ? for all I was aware of, no one took my name in the room then how did they?
That too was the list of my problems at that moment. The man In front of me signaled the other with a code hand movement.
“Mummy, ” Aiden said in a fearful tone.
I was still pleading and asking for mercy when I saw him lifting Amelia. She was throwing tantrums and moving her legs every which way in order to stop him. Aiden kept on crying while he watched his sister struggle to free herself from the evil men’s clutches.
“Mummy help me ”
“He is hurting me, ” Amelia cried out .
“Where are you taking her ? ” ” Let go .”
I rushed over to him, not minding the gun in front of Me. I was ready to risk my life even if it meant dying for my kids.
My nose was running and my palms were sweaty . I was helpless. My whole life was right In front of me . Everything was in danger. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if anything happened to them.
I grabbed his arm and started to Amelia . The man was muscular and huge. His arms were Rock hard and his well defined muscular body made it hard for me to make an attempt to rescue my child .
I was still struggling with him when I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head. The tingling sound in my ears made it hard for me to hear. My hands fell to the side and my vision became blurry.
I fell to the ground slowly.
The last thing I heard was the faint voices of Amelia and Aiden calling out to me helplessly. I couldn’t move my hands nor could I stand up. I watch my kids being taken away by men I knew nothing about.
I went totally blank.
I woke up an hour later with Justin in my room. I was lying on my bed.
Nancy was engaged in an inaudible conversation with Justin. She called him.
I sat up. The pain in my head was still dominant.
Isabelle? Justin rushed over to me and grabbed my hands.
“Where Is Amelia? Where is Aiden?”
“Where are they ? Justin? ”
My hands and lips started to tremble again.
“I… I haven’t been able to get them. ”
I immediately left my bed.
Where is my phone? Where ? I paced up and down the room Nervously.
“I left them all alone.”
“I shouldn’t have . THEY need me, I will go to them.”
I was about to run out of the room with tears in my eyes when Justin pulled me back.
” Isabelle..
Isabelle stop “. Justin held me by the shoulder and yelled out .
“Where will you go ? Huh? ”
“Where will you look for them?”
“Look I’m sorry. ” I understand you are worried and I am .
” We don’t even know where they are and the police will be here soon. ”
Aiden and Amelia would be found.
I broke down in tears and gave him a hug. Words I found hard to express all came out in tears. Uncontrollably tears.
Nancy left the room . She left us to have our privacy.
I was Locked in his arms for minutes. Justin’s hands were once my safe place. Even today, I felt safe in his arms. Like nothing could harm me and nobody could cast evil eyes on me .
His reassuring words strengthened my already weakened faith. He made sure I was calm and stable. Justin was also worried. Worried sick about Amelia and Aiden but he didn’t let me in on his burden.
“We will find them. ”
“Aiden and Amelia are brave , just like you . ” They will be fine.
A few minutes later, Justin went out of my room to get me water . It was already so late. 7:30 pm . The cops were on their way . Heaven knew why it took so long for them to arrive.
I sat on the bed. My head dropped to the ground when Nancy came to me with my phone. She didn’t leave after the incident. She blamed herself for being careless and letting the kidnappers In. I knew it wasn’t her fault but she wasn’t ready to accept that fact.
“Your phone, it was lying on the floor ” She handed it to me and left .
Nancy had barely gotten to the living room when it rang.
My screen lit up with an UNKNOWN CALLER written on it. When I saw the call, I immediately thought it was the kidnappers. Maybe they wanted something. A ransom maybe.
I picked up the call , frightened and tensed.
” Aisha Dien ” A hoarse voice spoke on the caller’s side of the phone.
Hearing the name Aisha gave me goosebumps. My phone almost slipped off my hands.
“Wh…. who are you?”
“Isn’t it obvious? ”
“It’s been ages, hasn’t it? ” The voice again said.
“The shadow’s lost a member so many years ago but I think we found that special someone again. ”
“Your kids…..”
“Don’t you dare touch my kids. ”
“Hmm feisty just like always. ”
“I never thought your kids would be this weak. You were my best worker ….”
“What do you want from me ? ”
My pitch changed. I was getting paranoid and anxious.
Yes, I was apart of am Assassination group but that was a long time ago . Long before I met Justin. I did everything to survive including hunting and killing people.
I went by the Aisha Dian. That name was given to by the Dean. Our leader. The powerful man that initiated everyone into the group. THE SHADOW’S he named us.
I left all that behind a long time ago hoping I would have a normal life and now, it came back to hunt me . My biggest nightmare came back to hunt me and now my children were involved.
“Good. ”
“If you ever want to see your kids Alive, make sure no one knows about this . The cops and your Husband ”
“I’m sure you don’t want your children to have a life just like their mother’s , would you now?”
“Please, we won’t involve the police, I will make sure of that . Just don’t hurt them . ”
“They have nothing to do with this. ”
Please……. He ended the call.
My heart started to beat fast. my feet turned cold and my palms became sweaty. Dean knew so much about me now. Where I lived, my kids , he even knew about Justin.
I knew I was In trouble. My past was going to ruin my entire life and hunt me for ever.
” Your water ..”
Sorry it took this long. I was on a call with the D. P. O.”
“His men would be here soon.”