Accidentally Kidnapped

Chapter 17

The TV was playing in the background. Sitting in one of the hotel lobby chairs, I stared at the carpet. My boots rested against the glass table. It was a huge Oriental rug with intricate designs and had a perimeter of gold that reflected off the huge dome-shaped chandelier over my head. The lobby was as pretty as anything could get, with lots of chrome and marble and everything expensive imaginable.

I needed to make a decision, and I needed to make it now. For the past two days, my relationship with Cage was supposedly short term. But with absolutely zero mention of my release, I was getting skirmish. He couldn't really expect me to stay here much longer without some sort of resistance. I was quickly losing my patience with Cage Vickers.

It had been two days since that night. Two days since I was out of Ivey and in Chicago. Two days that I had not seen Fern, and two days that must have caused her unnecessary stress. It had been the two most insane, exciting, terrible, messy, unexpected days of my life and I was at a loss of what to do anymore.

"-home in Ivey-"

My ears perked up. The words came from the television screen where a news reporter lady with curly black hair in a navy blue blouse was speaking softly into the camera. Frantically, I turned the volume up and listened intently, my heart racing.

"-no news yet. The call was made by November Jone's 26 year old sister, Fern Jones. After going out to get dinner, the seventeen year old girl disappeared with no sign or trace of where she had gone. As I've mentioned before, the Chicago Crows with 23 year old leader Cage Vickers was said to have been spotted in Ivey the same night and are suspects in the disappearance of Ivey teen November Jones."

I stared in shock at the screen when a picture of me popped up beside the lady. It was my freshman school picture. With poofy hair, freckles, and no makeup, I looked unrecognizable. But oh no, this was being broadcast to the entire city of Chicago. The bad news was that I looked horrible. The good news...at least at that time, I still had two eyebrows.

More bad news? Now Fern knew where I was which meant making up a fake story was out of the question. I was trying to keep myself out of the Crows business but that seemed stupid now that it was publicly announced I had a connection to the Crows, which meant attention, which meant more stress for Fern and I.

The lady continued after shuffling her papers. "The Crows, famous for their crimes such as drug dealing, exploitation, and blackmail of European politicians, had numerous run ins with the law and yet remain anonymous. Cage Vickers, 23, was said to be the youngest reigning criminal king in American history. As many of you may know, Chicago Police Department has raised the bounty to five million for the capture of Cage Vickers and one million for the capture of an accomplice of the Crows."

An accomplice...like me.

Five million dollars...I could have bought so many chicken nuggets with that.

"Ivey Police have shed no light on the disappearance of November Jones. Runaway or kidnapped, all of our thoughts here at CM are with her and her family, and we all hope that she will safely return home. Jay, do you have anything to add?"

The camera cut to a fat man in a black suit. "Thank you, Vivian." He started. "The Crows are a very dangerous criminal organization that the Central Intelligence Agency has been searching for the past decade. November's car has disappeared, a silver Honda Accord with license plate 9R13RC last seen in Ivey. If you have any information, please contact your local police department." The screen flashed to a different view of the man. "Last night, 45 year old Betty May from New York, New York was found dead-"