Hold On

Chapter 16

Luckily, the rest of the day was uneventful. They didn't get anything to eat for lunch. However, to Juliet a much more important thing than having no food, was the fact that Burt didn't visit them. She was afraid that once he heard about Magnum trying to escape and attacking one of the kidnappers, Burt would burst here at once and try to kill her partner. And she swore that no matter what, she wouldn't let that happen.

Juliet let out a breath of relief when quite late in the evening the door opened and it was Nick who stood there.

"I've brought you some food." The man stated and put the tray down near the door.

"You've came alone. Where are your friends?" Thomas asked with a cocky grin but one look at Nick's face and he was sure something must have happened and he had a feeling it wasn't anything pleasant.

"They aren't my friends." Nick snorted angrily. "They're just soldiers under my command."

There was something in his voice that caught the PI's attention. Was it a feeling of loneliness or was he just imagining things? He shook his head, trying to focus on what the man was telling them.

"You know, when Burt came back and found out what had happened... Let me just say he wasn't very happy about it."

"I guess he really wanted to come here and talk to me." Thomas said with sarcasm.

"Indeed, Mr. Magnum. You're absolutely right." Nick agreed.

"And you talked him out of it."

Nick smiled bitterly at that. "Well, you may say that if you consider getting quite physical a way of persuading someone not to come in contact with both of you for the time being."

Thomas and Juliet looked at him quite surprised. Nick's words and actions seemed to become more... human and that was something completely unlike how a typical kidnapper would act. To tell the truth, they didn't know what to think about it. Their eyes met for a brief moment, it was as if they knew what the other was thinking, no words were needed. Then they turned back to Nick.

"Don't worry, it shouldn't be much long now. Have a good night." Nick stated and he disappeared behind the door.

"Is it just me or he's acting weird?" Juliet spoke and gazed at her partner who seemed to be deep in thought.

"Magnum, are you all right?" She asked and gently touched his arm.

It took a few seconds before he looked at her and responded. "Yeah, I've just had the same thought."

"You know what they say – great minds think alike." Higgins said and sent him a radiant smile.

A small grin appeared on his face however she felt somehow that it wasn't quite cheery.

"Do you think it's just an act? I wonder if he's doing the whole thing on purpose to lull us and prevent us from escaping from here." Juliet said.

Magnum shrugged. "I don't know. You may be right although when he mentioned the fact that he had lost someone he cared about, I had a feeling he was telling the truth."

"Yes, it was quite touching, I must say." Juliet said.

Especially when he gave Magnum the advice concerning me. She thought but didn't say that out loud.

At that moment Thomas gazed at her and the look of intensity in his eyes told her there was every likelihood that he was remembering the same thing.

She swallowed hard and when she felt the heat flooding her cheeks, she hoped her partner wouldn't notice that so she started speaking without meeting his eyes. "I guess, we'll see that but we'd better be careful when it comes to that man. Kidnappers shouldn't be trusted. No matter how trustworthy they seem."