Dangerous Illusions

Chapter 25

Elna p.o.v

I woke up in an empty bed, mentally sighing in relief. I got up and headed to the bathroom cringing when I passed the mirror. My hair was stuck to my face, looking like a bird tried making a nest.

Last night must have been really bad if I look like this,

I tried to brush out some of the knots and tried to tame it so that I at least looked decent, I made my way back to the room and stopped in my tracks.

"Daniel...what are you doing?"

He heard my voice and stood up from the floor and dusted himself off.

"I um...nothing. I am doing absolutely nothing," He said with a look of innocence, but his eyes showed mischief and amusement,

"I swear Daniel, if you do anything to me, your dead."

"Ok, luckily I'm not," Was his reply,

I eyed him suspiciously as I left the room not taking my eyes off him.

I made my way over to the meeting room, since waking up, I thought about strategies and formations to get my sister back. I thought about bombs, guns, traps everything, now it was just a matter of working out the place and going through with the plan.

Opening the door to the room I made my way to the whiteboard, got a marker, and set out different maps on the table with a notepad.

Getting my computer I decided to replay the video to at least attempt to track the location. I know I asked Fred to track it, but I can't just sit and try planning stuff if I don't have the location.

Daniel p.o.v

"She almost caught me. That was to close."

"Chill scaredy cat, it's only a present."

"I'm not scared, excited and nervous yes, but why would I be scared? As you said, it's a present,"

The girl just shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay, she's in the meeting room," Rob informed,

"The meeting room? Why is she in there?" I asked confused,

"I'm not sure, but she has maps sprawled out on the table and has made notes on the whiteboard..."

"We'll ask her later. The cake is ready it's going to be outside just in case,"

"Should we go get her?"

"Yes, I'll meet you outside," Jack said walking out with the others,

Before entering the meeting room, I heard a video play... It sounds like a girl pleading for help, then the voice we heard outside yesterday started to talk,

"See you at her funeral. Bye now."

It must be a recording of the call. I gave it a few seconds before I knocked on the door, hearing a faint "Come in" before opening the door.

"Hey. What ya doing?"

"Trying to get the damn location of this video! I can't get it pinpointed!" She sighed and ran her hands through her hair making it look even messier, but damn if I don't like it...

"Knowing Paul he would have tried to over complicate it and made a stupid mistake, I just need to keep looking..."

"You'll find it. Sooner or later. But I want to show you something, come on," I said encouraging her by sticking out my hand.

She eyed it and hesitated before actually taking my hand. She looked at me and tilted her head,

"What are you planning?"

"Nothing, just come see for yourself..."

After that, she was silent and followed me outside where her dad and uncle were waiting for us with a few other people.

"Daniel? Why is there a cake?"

"Well... I told your dad about your brother, and he agreed to help. And knowing Nate he loves cake,"

"So you bribed him to come with cake?"

"That just sounds pathetic. He likes cake when it isn't normal like others. This cake has a bomb planted inside," I said while smirking at her expression,

She walked towards the cake admiring it,

"Who baked it?"

"I did the baking and Millisa decorated." Said Rob, smirking as well,

"I most definitely didn't get the cooking skills of the family then. I suck at baking," She chuckled,

"Nate is supposed to be here any minute now. When he arrives you will be in the house looking through the window. You will send me a message to confirm if it's him. If it is, "I'll meet you there," if it isn't, send me "I'll have to take a rain check." Got it?"

She nodded and headed inside with the others. After about a minute a blue sports car appeared in the driveway. The driver stepped out to reveal the person in question,

Nate...

Elna p.o.v

The cake idea was an unusual strategy but if it works, who am I to complain?

Rob, Jack and I made our way into the house, standing in front of the window where "Nate" wouldn't be able to see us. After we waited for about a minute a sports car arrived and pulled into the driveway.

From the corner of my eye, I could see my dad and uncle staring at me and then each other with worry and concern evident in their eyes.

I don't even know what I'm going to do if it is my brother. How will I react? Will I be mad at him? Will I be happy to see him? Will I want to hit him all the way to Jupiter for leaving me and Liz? Or will I just be grateful for him not being dead after the stunt I pulled out of stupidity?

The door to the blue car opened and I swear nothing could have gone slower. It was like time was going into slow motion. Slowly piece by piece his body came into view, his feet, then his legs, his torso, arms...and sooner or later his body was on display when he closed the door of the car.

As soon as he turned around and took his glasses off, my breathing stopped.

There in all his glory stood the person that once protected me, that took the blame for me, that was supposed to be dead...

My brother...