Catching the Storm

44. Full of Surprises

Crystal's POV

Jackson carefully and quietly managed to untangle himself from me and get out from under the desk. I watched as he brushed a hand down his suit, smoothing it out. He held a hand up to me, silently telling me to stay where I was.

My father's attention must have been on the door that swung shut and locked itself. I could hear him messing with the door handle and swearing to himself when he couldn't get it open.

Jackson, I noticed, took a seat in my father's chair behind the desk while my father's back was turned. Jackson reached out and began messing with something on the desk.

"I'm curious," Jackson said loudly so he could be heard over the alarm that was still blaring. "how exactly were you expecting this to go?"

I couldn't see my father's expression, but I would have given anything to. I really wanted to see his expression at seeing Jackson sitting in his chair.

"Now how on earth did you get in here?" I heard my father ask. I heard his footsteps as he walked up to the other end of the desk.

"Your wife let me in," Jackson said and I noticed he leaned back in the chair and drummed his fingers on the armrest. "Lovely woman," He continued. "Except for her taste in men . . . and of course what kind mother allows their child to be tortured while she sips wine in the other room?" Jackson shrugged. "I suppose you really don't have good taste in women either."

My father must have made some sort of move. Probably to reach for a weapon, because Jackson made a move of his own.

I didn't know where he got it from. Didn't even know he had it, but suddenly there was a gun in his hand and he was holding it in his lap, leveled at my father.

"I really wouldn't," Jackson said coldly. He jerked the gun at my father. "Back up."

Jackson pushed to his feet, all the while keeping his gaze on my father. Kept the gun leveled at him at all times and I realized, that the way in which Jackson held the gun, the way he handled it, was like it was an extension of himself.

He may claim not to like guns but I could tell from his mannerisms that he was very familiar with using one.

"The FBI are on their way," Jackson said. "Should be here any minute now and they have everything they need to bring you down." Jackson walked around the desk and out of my sight. "You're going to take a nice long nap until they arrive," Jackson said.

I could hear my father laugh. "Yeah?" He questioned. "And makes you so sure of that?"

I could hear the smile in Jackson's voice as he spoke again. "Because you backed up a little too close to the door."

Whatever happened next, whatever my father was going to say, was cut off. There was a thud as something hit the ground.

"You can come out now," Jackson said and I assumed he was speaking to me.

I crawled out from under the desk and used it to pull myself to my feet.

Noah was standing in the now open doorway, a tablet in one hand, the cattle prod in the other.

I looked disapprovingly at Jackson. "You brought the kid here?" I questioned him.

"The kid," Jackson said hotly. "Locked me in my own car until I agreed to let him come along."

I looked to Noah who just shrugged.

"Most cars have Bluetooth connections now. Which makes them ridiculously easy to hack," He said simply. He looked me over, concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?"