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Gia and Nikolas Headquarters
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| Chapter 8
Rain had been falling the whole evening and he could smell the damp leaves as he crossed the grounds toward the elm. He climbed carefully. It would be silly to go to all this trouble just to fall, but he didn’t want anyone to think he had any effect on Emily’s decision in case he was successful. Of course he didn’t want to scare Emily either. So maybe he should knock. As he reached out to tap on the window, he was surprised to discover the window was open. Then he heard the voices coming from within… “You know I can’t go with you.” “Why not? Emily, it was good, you know it was. We can be together, and you can’t tell me you don’t want that.” “Zander, I can’t….I just can’t….My family may not look like the picture book family, but no matter how crazy or dysfunctional they are they love me….and I love them….one of my brothers has already left. It crushed them. I know, I watched what it did to them…I can’t.” “C’mon, you can leave them a note, call them….we’ll make sure they know you wanted to go and you’re happy…cause we will be happy, won’t we…you know it….and they’ll know it too.” “It doesn’t matter Zander…I can’t. Jason was right to leave and they know it but that still didn’t make it any easier. They knew he couldn’t stay but they still tried to make him….and I can’t go with you Zander…you dealt drugs, you kidnapped me…” “Did I hurt you, Em? Did I? No….I never could…ever….you believed me when I told you I didn’t kill that cop, didn’t you?” “Yes…” “And you know I’d never have kidnapped you if I didn’t….I panicked….you know that…” “Yes, I know…but Zander…you have to go now….the cops will catch you if you stay…” “I’ll go. But I don’t care if the cops get me. If I did you think I’d have come back?” “Why did you come back? Just to ask me to go with you…that’s stupid…that’s too big a chance to take….” “What do you care? I’m just your drug-dealing kidnapper…” “You know I care….you know it…it’s just not….” “Yeah but you don’t seem to…or if you do you sure don’t act like it…what are you scared of Emily…” Nikolas figured he’d heard enough and knocked on the window….Emily almost jumped out of her skin… “In the closet….quick….” “Okay, okay, okay….” Zander couldn’t help but laugh at her. “What are you laughing at….?” “You’re cute when you take charge.” Emily blushed. “Oh just get in there…” Emily came to the window…
“Nikolas….Hi…..what’s up….?” “Sure, sure, what do you need.” Emily stole a glance at the closet. Good. She doesn’t want him to get caught. “I need you to drop the charges against Gia.” “WHAT? WHY?” “Because I asked you to.” “Why do you care if she gets what she deserves?” “I might ask you the same thing, Em.” “What does that mean?” “I can help, Em.” “What are you talking about?” “Zander you can come out of the closet now.” Zander stepped from the closet. “Hey man, she had nothing to do with me being here. I threatened her to shut up or I’d…..” “I heard her Zander. And I don’t care.” “You were listening, Nikolas, how dare you?” “Em, at this point, what’s a little eavesdropping between friends…” “So….you going to turn me in, man?” “Please Nikolas, don’t….don’t….let me explain…Zander didn’t do anything….” “I don’t really care, Em. If you believe him, that’s good enough for me. But I’m not going to do this for free.” “Why should I drop the charges against Gia? Why do you even care? She bolted, she’s gone.” “Em, I can promise you if you drop the charges against Gia, she’ll never testify against Zander. There will be nothing linking him to Ted’s murder.” “How can you do that, nobody’s seen Gia since…” suddenly it dawned on Em. “You know where she is.” “Yes, Em I do. And I can guarantee her cooperation if you just drop the charges against her.” “Why would you do that? What’s she ever done for you?” “What’s Zander done for you Em, besides terrorize you?” “You have no idea what he’s done for me so you just…” “And you have no idea about Gia, do you?” “Just that she blackmailed me and never showed any remorse even after we…” “Em?” “No, I guees not.” “Hey guys, I hate to interrupt here while you’re deciding my future here, but why should I trust you? And what about those drug-dealing charges…and kidnapping….or Sorel? Getting rid of Gia won’t get rid of him.” “But getting rid of you will.” “What do you mean, Nikolas?” “You’ve got a choice, here, Zander….”Nikolas said, as he held up his cell phone… “I can either call the cops right now, or I can call the airport.” “The airport….and get me out of the country?….I don’t have a passport, I’ll be caught at customs first thing…No way I could get on a airplane….airport security would nail me to the wall….No….no way, I’ll take my chances on my own, thank you..” “Private jet.” “Oh right, like you got one of those…” Emily walked up to Zander and held his arm… “He does, Zander….he can do this for you…if you let him…” “Okay, let’s say I trust you….where would I be going…?” “How do you feel about Greece?” Just then the cell phone he had been holding up rang. “Just a second….hello….I can hardly hear you….I thought I told you not to go into the tunnels…what? That doesn’t make any sense…..I’ll be there as quick as I can. Just stay where you are…” “That Gia?” “Uhhh, yeah…” “Is everything all right?” “I don’t know…she said there’s a blind lady sitting in the den.” Back to the: Library
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