Chapter 17: Chapter 17
Vibration
And then it stops. Seconds after it continues creating a frown on my face, irritated I search for the annoying device on the bedside table and then again the vibration stops. Peeking an eye open I see several missed calls from my brother and a few other from Ella. Groaning, I drop the phone in hopes to go back to sleep after glancing at the clock which reads 2:58am but then a nauseating feeling spring up quickly rushing to the toilet burying my head in the round ceramic bowl spewing my guts out. I hate this feeling, groaning softly as I flush.
Walking to the sink crouching low my head fix under the tap take a large gulp rinsing my mouth, gurgling and spiting out. Thrice I repeat. Once done, I wash my face unaware that I took my phone with me when I was trying to escape heaving on the myself. I peep out to watch Elijah sleep soundly while I'm awake as daylight. Lucky him. Stupid pregnancy hormones. Closer I look to the mirror examining my face, well nothing out of the blue using my hand to squish my face letting out a soft moan all the time spraining my neck back and forth lethargy causing the stiff muscles. I need to visit the spa and let my body be pampered. Noting to myself, ticking it on the invincible calendar in my head. Just as I was preening my phone went off seeing Lucien's name flash on the screen.
"Sonia, have Ella left your suite or she slept over." Like a coin falling into the deep ocean my heart sink in my chest at that statement. What does he mean has she left my suite when she never came here. Peeping once again in the room, Elijah still sound asleep to my relief, slowly I close the door going back to his ominous call.
Whispering, I question in our language all but worried. "Cosa intendi per ha lasciato la mia suite. Non è mai venuta qui. È qualcosa che andava avanti che non conosco Lucien?" (What do you mean by has she left my suite. She never came here. Is something going on that I do not know Lucien?) Tensed but trying not to over think the situation at hand.
"Mi ha detto questa mattina che è preoccupata per te e ci vedrà più tardi nel corso della giornata, ma non è mai tornata, quindi ho dovuto chiamare." (She told me this morning that she is worried about you and will see you later in the day, but she never came back so I had to call.) My throat clog with tears heavy as a ball.
Shakily I muse. "Da quanto tempo è stata fuori dal fratello della griglia?" (How long has she been off the grid brother?) Tears forming in my eyes, the heavy ball of sob getting heavier for my throat to hold back. All possibilities of she being taken or worse killed poisons my mind and I will never forgive myself if anything happens to the only friend I have. Where could she be? Did she lose her phone? Or lost her way here? Oh my God! She is out in the streets of Berlin.
"Dieci ore Sonia." Breath in Sonia, just breath in. I repeatedly tell myself at the verge of hyperventilating. "Il tracker che ho nascosto è stato disabile e la sua ultima posizione era sul ponte di Brandeburgo." (Ten hours Sonia. The tracker I hid on her has been disabled and her last location was on the Brandenburg bridge.) My heart skip loud with a heavy thump it produce, the tears at the the brink of cascading down my eyes. Inhaling deeply, I puff out air into my lungs through my mouth because my nostrils suddenly failed me. Deep inside, I cried so hard but on the outside I didn't so as not to wake Elijah up. Think Sonia, think.
"Sonia? Sonia?" He calls.
"Let me call you back, okay." Quickly I hang up in other not to break down in front of Elijah behind the door. Cautioning myself, because if I become irrational things will surely go south and I may end up losing my best friend in Berlin. Dialing her digits it went to voicemail, twice, as it is I'm more than worried. I am scared of the possibilities running in my head that has actually happened to her. No one will dare mess with the affairs of the Russian mafia and his guests not even Interpol. Our coming to Berlin was a covert trip so where could she be within the past ten hours.
My phone goes off vibrating on the sink, rushing to it quickly entertaining the caller without looking at the ID number.
"Nia!" Ella shrill cries echoes from the background piquing my senses.
"Sonia." His voice intercepts laughing darkly but my mind went to the slap which echoes shutting her up. Once again wetness fog my eyes holding my hand to my mouth sobbing profusely. He has her.
"If you dare hurt any hair on her body..."
"Tut. Tut. Tut. Ever the feisty spirit. How about we make a deal huh little Sonny." Crying softly, I nod hearing her cry at the background.
"What do you want Leandro?" I plea sliding down to the white tiled floor weeping profusely, yet silently.
"You come to me and I let your pretty little friend keep her life."
"Nia! No! No!" Her voice counters cursing at him or whoever held her still. My head falls back knowing I'm in a one way deep end and Ella as his trophy. Her cries ring again in the background taking my decision, I just need to alert Elijah and Leandro's will be a gone memory by morning.
"Please stop. Don't hurt her please. I will come." He laughs.
"Good girl. Always the chivalry." Opening the cupboard searching for a pen and paper towel I write down the one word that will get the devil in Elijah out for Leandro's head. "Meet me at the Oberbaum bridge in the next one hour and don't be late."
"If I see the Russian with you, I will kill her." He threatens ominously. Looking horrified at the plain white paper towel lying on the sink. If I agree with the piece of shit, I end up losing
Elijah forever and if I don't Ella will be killed. Snatching the paper towel I throw it in the toilet flushing it down the drain.
"Ni..." The call ends. Shakily I drop the phone on the sink crying softly, my mind racing in a never ending track. My hand covers my mouth letting out a silent scream, fear gripping me tight clogging my throat as the heavy sob sets free into tears streaming down my face. You can do this Sonia.
My eyes open looking at myself on the mirror once again. Hands drying my face, I fix my hair in a bun using the paper towels to dry my eyes and my nose. Maybe I'm not thinking rational, maybe it is my hormones telling me to save my friend at the detriment of myself and my baby. But I know if anything happens to Ella, I will forever leave with the regret.
Quietly twisting the knob open, Elijah still asleep I rush for the closet picking out an all black outfit tiptoeing to the door. Taking a last look at his sleeping form, I only wish he forgives me for choosing my friend over our little family as I close the door behind me.
In the elevator poking the ground floor grunting as the door seems to shut slowly at such times just as I hurriedly wear my clothes.
Ding*
Finally, not to arouse suspicious eyes I step out of the elevator in my usual suave, sashaying towards the glass doors which slides open. Flagging down a running taxi, I give my location taking me to the bridge. All the while fidgeting inside the car a nervous, at some point my eyes tears up, but I swallowed back the sob looking out the window of the late morning watching the dew fog the window happy that I wore a coat from the cold.
"We are here ma'am." The German driver says in a heavy accent.
"Thank you." He watches me sceptically as I came down hugging myself to keep warm before driving off. The sound of vehicles distracts me taking my eyes away from the red light of the taxi which thinned in the distance. I watch the black cars line up and doors open one after the other but she was nowhere in sight.
Glaring at the smiling Leandro, anger lacing my words; I pull out my gun directed at him, his guards pulling their gun directed at me. It is a zero to no chance for me but this bastard will die today.
"Where the fuck is she?" He chuckles darkly raising his hands up in mockery. If only he knows how close to I am to taking him to hell with me even if it costs me my life.