Eight Reasons...

Chapter 2

I wake up to black and a screeching headache. I am positive I am sitting up and I think there is a sack over my head. My hand are still restrained by handcuffs. I roll my head around trying to lessen the aching strain in my back and neck.

"Well good morning sunshine and by good morning, I mean good evening," Han says as he pulls off the cover on my head. He sits down across from me. It looks like I am in an abandoned room in his house. "I have some good news. It looks like we didn't need you after all. I found out you can make a lot of money selling these types of codes on the black market or even back to the company for more than what I could get with them."

I look at him as he walks around and un-cuffs one of my hands, then takes the empty cuff and locks it to the chair. I take my free hand and rub my eyes and forehead.

"The bad news is," He sits a TV table in front of me with a bowl of instant rice and a glass of water, "I am not letting you go until the codes are confirmed, so it means you will be staying with me another week or so. And if the codes turn out to be fakes, I am sure you can manage to remember one after all those long, long hours of looking a papers and entering them into the systems. Also remember that if the codes are fake I have no way of disappearing, so if you don't want someone to find your remains at the bottom of the Hudson, you better be sure those codes are legit. Have a nice meal," he starts to walk out of the room.

I have bottled up enough courage to let loose a rage, "Why does it matter if the codes are real or not. I know you are just going to kill me anyways, so just go in with it and get rid of me now!" I yell.

He turns, anger floods his faces and charges toward me. He flips the table, throwing the food across the room. It causes my fear to set in all the way to the bone, that courage I had is faded; gone. I turn just as he hits me across the face. I grab the side that it now thumping; tears flood my eyes. He pulls my hand away and grabs my jaw, pain pulses through it, "Next time learn to keep your mouth shut, unless asked a question. Understood?" I stare at him in pain. He presses harder and his voice grows more violent, "Understood?"

I let out a cry, "Yes."

He let's go and taps the side of my face, "Good." He cuffs my hands together again. A voice calls from the other room, "Honey is everything okay?" He walks to the edge of the door, "Just fine."

The aroma of their dinner feels the room and I long for a taste or even a drink of water. My bladder is about to burst, but I hang on. I can't help but feel I could have prevented this. That may I could have done things differently. If I hadn't walked into the break room, I wouldn't have heard about Jillian's retirement. If I hadn't heard about her retirement, I wouldn't have suggested she should have a party. If I hadn't suggest that she should have had a party, I wouldn't have went and got tipsy. If I hadn't got tipsy, I wouldn't have flirted with John. If I hadn't have flirted, I wouldn't have forgotten my paper work in my office. If I hadn't left my paper work, I wouldn't went in to work If hadn't went into work, I wouldn't have caught criminals in the act. And if I hadn't have caught them, I wouldn't be kidnapped. So maybe, just maybe, if I would have avoided the break room that Friday evening, I might not be in handcuffs right now.

It feels like hours before someone reappears and it is Will. I tense up unknowing what will happen next "Relax, I am here to give you glass of water and take you to the bathroom if you need it." I nod. He unlocks my handcuffs and give me the cup. I guzzle down the water thankful. He helps me up and usher's me to the bathroom. He shuts the door but lingers outside. I do my business and go to the sink and splash water into my face. I hear him and Han arguing outside the door.

He knocks on the door, "Are you finish yet?"

I am just about to answer when Han takes over, "That's not how you do it. Here watch," he beats on the door and it flies open, "Time's up." I approach the door slowly.

Then Han grabs me, pulling me through the house into a room. It must be his bedroom. He pushes me onto a wicker bench, with a back, beside his bed. He cuffs my hand to the leg, "You will sleep here tonight and maybe you'll be less tempted to do something stupid."

I take a deep breath, I can't do this. I want so badly to give up, but it won't matter if I do or keep hanging on. I just know I will be dead within the week and it all traces back to being my fault. I lay there uncomfortable thinking. No one knows I am missing, so no one will come looking. I wasn't supposed to be at the office today, actually I wasn't supposed to be back until Thursday. I had taken off the week because I needed my vacation time and of course; a spark of hope hits me. I am supposed to be at my brothers wedding, in up state New York Wednesday and that's why I used my vacation days this week. I thought that I could go to meet him Sunday evening and hangout with him Monday. I was invited to be part of the wedding party, but I told his fiancé to go ahead and put her family as her bridesmaids. She in turn insisted that I be one of her bridesmaids because I would be family. I finally got her to settle on me helping with making sure everything ran smoothly the wedding day, greeting people as they come in, and lighting a memory candle for my parents. That means they won't be worried unless I don't show the rehearsal night.

Han and Stacey walk into the room. I raise up. "Nightie, night," Han waves at me as he cuts out the lamp. The room goes dark and I lay down. I desperately try to get comfortable, but it is useless. I hear kissing noises and giggles from Stacey. Gross, positively disgusting. My stomach cringes and I make an effort to fall asleep fast and I do. I have no dreams throughout the night. Most of the night I lay restlessly squirming, until I finally fall into a deep sleep early in the morning.