The Royal Contract

After a few more minutes inside the car, the trio had finally settled into a more comfortable conversation. The tension was lessened knowing that there was no one going after them.

"You certainly did a great job so far." Alex commended his effort for going through all the trouble just to help them. He thought Samson had done well organizing and then executing his plans.

He concluded that this man would be a great asset to any organization if given a chance. He would not have a second thought about taking him under his wings.

He guaranteed that Tim would accept him with open arms. To be a part of his team and family. If the big man would like his offer to join them. That was after he had faced the penalties of his crime.

"We are here." He slowed down on what seemed to be an old house in the middle of nowhere. "Don't worry. We are safe here for the night."

He pulled the car in front of the tiny house and stopped the engine. He knew that the place was not too much to look at, but it was still a shelter from the cold night and the prying eyes of their enemies.

He ushered them inside the dark space, grabbing a flashlight just by the entrance. He had bought this place when he first came to this island without anyone knowing.

He thought that this might become useful to him someday. It had been one foresight that he would never regret since it became handy in their current situation.

"I will start a fire." He told them as he walked towards a table and lighted a lamp. "I still have to fix the electricity in this place. I was not expecting visitors this soon."

He smiled at the couple, guiding them on an old, rugged couch that had seen its better days. He wished he could offer them more, but this was what he could come up with under their unusual circumstance.

"This is more than enough." Dani voiced her appreciation for having a roof over their heads. "You already have done so much for us."

She helped Alex onto the seat, careful not to put too much pressure on his injuries. Although he appeared to be taking it well, she could sense that he was hiding his pain, not wanting her to worry about him.

"I hope it would be enough to absolve me for my participation in your abduction." He said in all seriousness, starting to light the wood on the fireplace with a match he hid in between a crack.

After creating the fire, he moved towards a corner beside the fireplace. He had hidden a box along with the old pile of junk to conceal it from an intruder who might want to steal it.

Although it was unlikely to happen in this part of the woods. He had barely enough neighbors that might pass this place. But he was not taking his chances of losing any part of his plan.

"It is more than enough," Alex assured him, relaxing in his stance as he allowed his back to rest on the couch.

He had spent most of his energy on their escape. He believed that the only thing that had made him move the rest of the way was the adrenaline that was pumping in his blood.

Now that the danger had subsided, his body finally felt the toll of the strain he had forced on himself earlier. In addition, the drugs that circulated in his system had already dissipated, leaving him in tremendous pain.

"I also bought some pain medication, but this is strong. It can make you feel drowsy, but it will help you with the pain." He handed the medicine to Dani and two bottles of water.

"I also brought some food that you can eat. I guess you must be starving." He started arranging them on the rough, dusty wooden table.

Then, Dani took the bread and split them in half. She started helping Alex eat so he could regain his strength. She could see that he was struggling, but he managed to force some of the few bites into his stomach before drinking the medicine.

As she cleaned up and threw the trash in a box in the corner of the small space, she quickly returned to Alex's side, but Samson called her attention.

"Here is the phone I promised." He took the box out and removed the phone from the packaging.

He had already checked it earlier, guaranteeing that it was already functional. It was the first thing he bought earlier and brought it here before going back to the manor.

"Thank you," Dani responded, taking the phone from him.

She turned around to show it to Alex but realized that he had already passed out.

She quickly moved to his side to check on his condition, examining his vitals. She breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that he was just sleeping.

She touched his face, wishing she could do something more to help his condition. But other than being there for him, there was nothing she could do for now but to let him rest.

"Will you excuse me? I am just going to make a call." She told the big man as she stared at the phone in her hand.

She pressed several numbers that she had known by heart. Pressing the call button and waited for the familiar voice to answer.

"Who is this?" The impatient voice echoed in her ears. She sensed the anxiety in the man's voice who took the call.

The voice of the only man that could always calm her down despite what she was feeling. The sound seemed to be music to her ears at the moment, despite the tone he had used.

"Hello, Dad." Tears followed her words, unable to control the mixed emotions that almost exploded in her chest upon hearing her father's voice on the other line.

She cradled the phone in her ears as tears flowed down her cheeks, afraid to lose the connection she had as she waited for him to speak up.

She wanted to tell him everything, but the words were trapped in her throat. She choked on her sobs, finally allowing the fear, the anguish, and the happiness to overwhelm her for the first time.

She had bottled up all her feelings the entire time she was a captive until they had reached this place. She could not show Nick any fear. Or could she allow Alex to see her hopelessness?

"Princess, is that you?" Ethan could not simply believe it, pressing the receiver to his ears, straining to hear her voice again.

He was afraid that he might be hearing things, imagining that it was his daughter on the other line. But his heart had already rejoiced at the sound of her voice, confirming that she was still alive.

"Princess, talk to me." He repeated when all he heard was the soft sobbing on the other line. "Are you alright? Where is Alex?" Panic strained his voice.

He was afraid that the line would be cut and he would never hear from her again. The image of her captors played on his mind as they tried to hurt his daughter.

He still had to hear from Tim, who was currently in the line of fire. The last thing he heard from him was that they were infiltrating the premises. Until now, they had not reported back.

He wondered if they were all captured. Or worse, they might be dead. Their attempt to rescue his daughter and her husband might have failed. Now, the bastards were making his daughter pay.

"I am ok, Dad. We were able to escape." She started rubbing the tears away from her face, holding herself together.

She looked at the sleeping form of her husband and tried to draw strength from him. He had shown so much courage to withstand what they did to him.

This was not the time for her to break down. The ordeal was almost over. They were about to be rescued. What mattered to her now was to bring Alex to the hospital where he could be treated for the injuries he incurred.

After telling her father the details of where they were, Ethan quickly arranged for his team to rescue them. In a few hours, he would be seeing his daughter again.

"Who is responsible for this?" Ethan already knew who it was, but he needed to hear it from her mouth.

He could feel his blood boiling, and his heart was burning from anger. Once he had confirmed his name, Nick could kiss his life goodbye because he was not getting out of this alive.

"It is Nick, Dad." She finally spoke the man's name that brought so much misery in her life. "Nick is the one responsible for all this." She said with a barely controlled voice as her words were laced with anger.

She clenched her other fist on her side as hatred gripped her upon hearing his name coming from her own lips. It literally brought a bitter taste to her tongue, loathing him with every fiber of her body.

She swore never to stop hunting Nick until she had made him pay. Death was such an easy punishment for him. She did not want him to get a leisurely pass by simply dying. He did not deserve it.

She wanted Nick to pay for his sins with his entire lifetime. Locked up with the hardened criminals like him, where he belonged.. To rot behind bars without a possibility of parole.