Hostage

Prologue

There were many times James tried to escape her. Many, many, attempts but she was always one step ahead of him.

This time however, he finally did it.

It wasn't like he was marching into war or something. He was simply going to the bank. A simple, normal, everyday task that clearly didn't need the protection of a body guard.

He sat with his banker ready to discuss something he never thought he'd discuss his entire life. As he opened up his thoughts and plans to settle down, his banker got a phone call and interrupted his excitement with a boring conversation on the phone.

So he decided to give her a call.

He could feel her anger through the phone but he pushed it aside and smiled as he greeted her.

"Tell me you need me..." was usually what he said to her.

"James. Reid. Asan ka ba?! Ha? Kanina pa ako natataranta kakahanap sayo dito sa bahay niyo, wala daw nakakita sayong lumabas. Ano ka ba naman, hindi ba sabi ko sayo, magpapaalam ka? Do you want me fired? Huh?"

"I just went to the bank, will you relax?"

"No, I will not relax. You snuck out on me! How am I supposed to do my job as a bodyguard, protecting you, when you're not here to be protected! You're dad is going to fire me!"

He chuckled, she's adorable when she gets angry. A bit scary. But adorable.

"Nadine, you act as if you're not part of the family... Dad's not going to fire you."

Her angry huff was audible through the phone. "Come back. Now."

"I will, I will, as soon as I'm done here. You know, you can always just say that you miss me-"

Nadine replied but everything was happening too fast for him to even understand what she was saying. The next thing he knew, people in the bank were screaming, ducking their heads and walking to the middle part of the building. There were men in scrub suits with guns pointed at civilians and bank employees.

Two of them were getting to work on closing the blinds and the other two were gathering everyone into one place. James and his banker, Roman, stayed low in the office, trying not to get noticed.

All four were wearing clown masks, hiding their faces and getting orders from this one person who wore a joker mask.

He's probably the leader of this whole thing, James thought.

Soon they were grabbing bags and shouting at people to take out their phones.

"Wag na wag kayong magkakamaling tumawag ng pulis kung ayaw ninyong isa-isahin kong pasabugin ang mga ulo niyo!" the joker shouted.

He was watching them move around the bank when he remembered he was still on the phone with Nadine. Who was shouting like mad on the other line.

"James! Ano bang nangyayari? Hello!! James!"

"Nads..." he whispered, silently praying that none of them have super hearing or something. "A bunch of people with guns got into the bank. It looks like they're about to take us hostage."